During the past two years, St. Johns County beaches have experienced a significant amount of erosion due to Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Irma, and a series of nor-easters and other significant weather events. From Ponte Vedra all the way to Summer Haven, our coastline has lost over two million cubic yards of sand, resulting in major impacts to homes, businesses, evacuation routes, and tourism.

 

Every beach is unique and, as a result, a variety of solutions are currently underway or being explored to address beach erosion. In Ponte Vedra and South Ponte Vedra, community-driven initiatives are under consideration for major sand placement projects, potentially through implementation of local Municipal Services Taxing Units. Efforts have also begun to leverage grant opportunities from federal and state agencies to potentially support funding to these projects. Just south of those initiatives, the County is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to identify options that would help restore Porpoise Point and protect the homes in the surrounding community. An Army Corps of Engineers study is currently underway to determine the best solution. 

 

On Anastasia Island, the Army Corps of Engineers recently completed a beach re-nourishment project that spanned south from Anastasia State Park under the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier and along St. Augustine Beach to 9th Street. In addition, several projects involving the County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the St. Augustine Port, Waterway, and Beach District have also been completed in the Summer Haven area to repair breaches into the Summer Haven River caused by both hurricanes. Ongoing efforts to fund continued restoration of the river in that area continue to be pursued.

 

St. Johns County is hosting Parks and Recreation Master Plan update community meetings from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17 at the Players Community Center, 175 Landrum Lane, and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18 at the City of St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A Beach Blvd. The meetings are a component of a multi-phase Parks and Recreation Master Plan update process that will create a more dynamic and diverse parks and recreation system to generate numerous economic, social, and environmental benefits. Residents are invited to the meetings and offer feedback regarding St. Johns County Parks and Recreation facilities and services. For more information, please call 904.209.0344.

St. Johns County Public Libraries are hosting free, interactive, and science-based Nature Detective workshops for children ages 6 through 12 throughout the summer. This year, participants will have the opportunity to learn about anole lizards through hands-on activities, take-home materials, and books that can be checked out from the libraries. The workshops will be held at the following locations:

• Anastasia Island Branch Library, 904.209.3730 - July 18 / 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• Hastings Branch Library, 904.827.6970 - July 25 / 10:30 a.m.
• Main Library, 904.827.6940 - July 27 / 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

To register your child for a workshop, please call or visit any participating branch library. Nature Detective workshops are sponsored and supported by the Garden Club of St. Augustine and the Friends of the Library organizations of each branch library. For more information, please visit www.sjcpls.org.

The St. Johns County Public Library System is encouraging youth and adults to participate in the annual free summer reading program which offers a reading log, educational classes, and exciting events focusing on this year's "Libraries Rock" theme. From geology to rock and roll, participants will explore all facets of "rock" and can earn prizes throughout the summer as reading logs are completed. Each branch library will host rock-themed events, including a kids' rock concert, rock clubs, and geology classes. For more information or to register for the summer reading program, please visit a local branch library or www.sjcpls.org .

Parking at the Vilano Boat Ramp will be intermittently impacted through August due to projects that will construct a marine rescue docking facility and repair two floating docks damaged in Hurricane Irma. While a portion of the parking lot will be utilized as a staging area, a majority of the parking will remain open to public use. The boat ramp will also remain open and accessible to the public throughout the project. Boaters and visitors are encouraged to exercise caution while utilizing the facility during this time. St. Johns County would like to thank residents and visitors for their patience during the improvements and repairs. For more information, please call 904.209.0382. 

St. Johns County's "Reach the Beach" mobile app helps residents and visitors spend less time in the car and more time on the beach by providing quick access to beach driving conditions, access and facility locations, lifeguard information, and emergency contacts. Apple and Android users can download the app for free by searching "St. Johns County Beaches" in the App Store or Google Play. For more information on the "Reach the Beach" mobile app, please visit www.sjcfl.us/Beaches or call 904.209.0331.