August 14, 2025 – Flagler County officials on Wednesday (August 13) took Congressman Randy Fine on a comprehensive tour of its shoreline to reinforce the ongoing conversation about coastal preservation. Coastal engineering staff, administration, and Board of County Commissioners Chair Andy Dance presented Fine the proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “Feasibility Study Initiative” alongside the essential FEMA-approved Category G funding for permanent beach and dune restoration.
“I appreciate Chairman Dance, County Manager (Heidi) Petito, and their team for showing me the unique issues facing the Flagler County shoreline,” Fine said. “I’ve worked on beach issues since I got elected to the legislature in 2016, understand them well, and I’m excited to help. At the county’s request, my team and I will work with my friends in President Donald Trump’s administration to cut through the red tape on these urgent projects.”
Flagler County has 18 miles of coastline with a mixture of private communities, unincorporated areas, and three of the five municipalities within the county: Marineland, Beverly Beach, and Flagler Beach. The northern half of the county is lower in elevation and includes the coquina beach outcrops that create the orange-colored sand, but it is also more prone to overtopping and back-bay flooding during hurricanes, said Coastal Engineer Ansley Wren-Key.
FEMA Category B (for emergency protective measures) and Category G (for parks, recreational, infrastructure and other public facilities) beach projects have been essential to restoring the dune in this area after hurricanes to protect the public and infrastructure from reoccurring flooding during coastal storms and hurricanes.
“We’re grateful to Congressman Fine for touring our beaches, experiencing our concerns firsthand, and recognizing that Florida’s coastline isn’t just a backdrop,” Dance said, sharing the community’s appreciation. “It’s the economic and protective backbone of our region. His dual support for FEMA Category G funding and the Corps’ feasibility study signals a robust, forward-thinking partnership.”
More than $30 million has been spent by FDEP, FEMA, and Flagler County in the northern reaches on emergency dune projects in 2019 and 2023 (a third is underway), which are only a temporary solution.
The southern half of the county has a higher elevation, but the dunes have been severely eroded, houses and infrastructure – including State Road A1A, are all at risk during storm events and hurricanes. Public safety is an issue as State Road A1A is an evacuation route that has a history of being damaged in storms of the last decade.
“Our coastal protection framework requires both near-term action and sustained planning,” Petito said of the strategy of combining immediate action with long-term planning. “With FEMA Category G funding, we can begin restoring and fortifying our dunes now, while the Army Corps’ feasibility study lays the groundwork for multigenerational resilience. Congressman Fine’s perspective as someone who truly lives the coastal lifestyle in Florida is a powerful asset in championing these initiatives.”
