Flagler County's next 5.5 miles of beach sand: public meetings Nov 9
Nov 3, 2026
Flagler County is planning its next big sand job. Reach 3 runs about 5.5 miles along the Hammock Dunes, Ocean Hammock, Hammock Beach and Sea Colony shorelines, from about 1,900 feet north of Varn Park (R-46) to the south edge of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park (R-16). The county is seeking state (FDEP) and federal (Army Corps) permits and expects to have an alternative permitted for construction in 2028.
On Monday, Nov 9, 2026, the county and its engineering consultant will present the design alternatives:
- Workshop: 3 PM, Commission Chambers, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell.
- Community meeting: 5 to 7 PM, Hammock Community Center, 79 Mala Compra Road.
According to the county, protected nearshore beach rock habitat runs along the entire reach, and pumping sand straight from offshore is likely not permittable. One option is stockpiling offshore sand in Reach 2 and trucking it along the beach.
That makes this the right moment to speak up for the creatures in the swash zone. Sand fleas (mole crabs), coquinas and ghost crabs live in the top layer of sand where the new sand will land. In one North Carolina study, they were 86 to 99% lower 5 to 10 weeks after sand placement (see the science). Questions worth asking on Nov 9:
- Will the borrow or trucked sand match the native beach's grain size and shell content, and will that data be published?
- Will the permits require before-and-after counts of mole crabs, coquinas and ghost crabs, with an untouched control beach?
- Can placement be timed and phased so the beach can recolonize from untouched stretches?
Full details are in the Project Tracker. Want help preparing a comment? Take action.