Flagler County reviews $35M Reach 2 beach renourishment bid; commissioners press easement, funding and timing concerns

Flagler County officials on June 1 outlined a major beach renourishment plan covering about 5.5 miles from Varn Park south to North 7th Street in Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach and described procurement, funding and schedule risks with a project budget that staff presented at roughly $35 million.

Program manager Damon Douglas told the commission the county received four bids for Reach 2; Weeks Marine submitted the lowest at $39 million but staff said contract quantities can be adjusted so the board could execute a contract not to exceed $34 million by reducing sand placement by approximately 17% (from 1.8 million to 1.5 million cubic yards).

Staff cautioned that 17 property easements remain unsigned, representing less than about half a mile of the 5.5‑mile reach; the contractor bid accounted for those holdouts and included working around them, but staff said gaps reduce the overall protective value of the project. A number of holdouts are concentrated in Flagler Beach in front of existing secant seawalls, which commissioners said may require additional work or coordination with FDOT funding conditions.

Finance director John Brower told the board the project creates cash‑flow risk because most state and federal grants supporting the work are reimbursement‑based and the county would need to front substantial draws while awaiting reimbursement. Staff said FDOT provided about $5.9–$6 million in prior allocations and that a $16.7 million hurricane‑recovery reimbursement request was being pursued; FEMA and other grants are part of the mix but typically reimburse on a quarterly basis. Staff noted the lowest bidder indicated likely availability to begin work in November, which helps timing but means the county could have a multi‑month period of high outlays before reimbursements arrive.

Commissioners also discussed whether to split the work into phases, the unit‑cost penalty from repeated mobilizations (mobilization alone was cited at roughly $6.7M), and constraints in interlocal agreements with Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach that may require amendments before the project can proceed in some segments. Staff said some seawall debris and collapsed structures (notably at a Beverly Beach campground) will need removal and that private landowners have expressed willingness to reimburse the county for debris removal in at least one case.

Public commenters urged the county to accelerate easement outreach and to schedule a full public workshop on the MSBU (special assessment) methodology before any final decision; residents who have lost dunes described immediate erosion damage and asked that the county increase signage and enforcement to protect newly restored dunes. Several residents warned that asking barrier‑island property owners to shoulder recurring MSBU payments could be perceived as unfair and suggested alternative revenue sources such as a penny sales tax.

What happens next: staff recommended the board consider an award within the 90‑day bid hold window but said further work is needed to secure easements, finalize interlocal amendments with towns, confirm grant timing and address county cash‑flow options. The board requested more detailed financing and cash‑flow scenarios and additional public outreach on MSBU methodology before taking final action.