Engineering to provide ‘Reach 3’ update at BOCC workshop

Published on October 28, 2026

Reach 3 Update.png

October 28, 2026 – Flagler County Engineering, along with its engineering consultant, will hold two meetings on November 9 (Monday) regarding “Reach 3” – north of Varn Park and south of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park – project design and alternatives.

The workshop will be held at 3 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell. The second “Community Meeting” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hammock Community Center, 79 Mala Compra Road.

Both meetings will begin with a presentation followed by a discussion about the ongoing, multi-year design and permitting effort for sand placement within Reach 3.

Project Description

Reach 3 is in north-central Flagler County along the Hammock Dunes, Ocean Hammock, Hammock Beach, and Sea Colony shorelines, between a point approximately 1,900 feet north of Varn Park (R-46) and the southern limit of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park (R-16). Flagler County is seeking FDEP and USACE permits to allow for a comprehensive beach and dune restoration project along the entire 5.5 miles of Reach 3.

The coastal data collection and alternatives analyses required to support design and permitting efforts have been ongoing since spring 2025, and the consultants have performed extensive field work to characterize the various habitats in the project area, including the extensive rock formations that required continuous calm weather conditions and many months of in-water investigations to determine their extent in our murky waters. Following extensive coordination with the various permitting agencies, the engineering team is now prepared to discuss project alternatives with the community and county leadership.

Project Construction Schedule

The County anticipates having Reach 3 viable alternative permitted for construction in 2028.

Project Funding and Cost

Initial costs, funding shares and sources are as follows:

  • Permitting/Design Estimated Costs are $1.5 million at 100% FDEP (Post-Ian/Nicole Grant)
  • Current construction cost estimates follow:
    • Alternative 1 - Dune Nourishment (Upland Borrow) = ~ $84 million
    • Alternative 2 - Dune Nourishment (Offshore Borrow + Temp Stockpile) = ~ $60 million
    • Alternative 3 - Beach and Dune Nourishment (Offshore Borrow) = ~ $37 million (not including mitigation). Mitigation cost range = ~ $193 million to ~ $734 million.
  • There is currently $10 million available in FDEP hurricane recovery funds remaining from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole that do not require a local match that could be used for Reach 3.
  • The FDEP has responded affirmatively to the county’s efforts to include Reach 3 in their funding program and issued a Critically Eroded designation for the entire reach, opening the ability to apply for FDEP grants that could cover 33% of the remaining construction costs.
  • After initial construction, the project would be eligible for Category G Public Assistance following a declared disaster, which could pay for ~87.5% of the cost of lost sand, provided the project adheres to a maintenance plan.

Challenges

  • There is protected nearshore beach rock habitat widespread along this entire reach that will limit the project scope, raise costs and make permit acquisition difficult.
  • Traditional large-scale sand placement of sand pumped directly to the project from offshore is likely not permittable; however, stockpiling sand from offshore in Reach 2 and trucking the sand along the beach could reduce costs compared to trucking sand from upland mines.

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