St. Johns County Beaches
Announcements
St. Johns County to Temporarily Close South Ponte Vedra Park for Restoration Project – St. Johns County will temporarily close the South Ponte Vedra Park, located at 2993 S. Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, to complete a $305,529.63 restoration project from Sept. 18 to Sept. 28, 2023, weather permitting. South Ponte Vedra Park Closure Press Release
St. Johns County Beach Access Update – As part of the ongoing Butler Beach Reach portion of the FEMA Dune Enhancement Project, St. Johns County will close one vehicle beach access ramp and reopen another ramp in the area on Monday, Aug. 7.
Separately, as part of the South Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will temporarily close public parking at Surfside Park from Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, to March 2024 in the interest of public safety. The Surfside Park parking lot will be used as a staging area to store heavy equipment and materials during the beach renourishment project. Pedestrian access to the beach and the restroom facilities at Surfside Park will remain open to the public. Butler Beach Access Update | Butler Beach Reach Vehicle Ramp Closures Map | Surfside Park Closure Map
Pope Road Parking Lot to Temporarily Close – The Pope Road parking lot will be temporarily closed beginning Monday, July 10. The parking lot will be used as a staging area for a construction project at the Embassy Suites. Construction is anticipated to be completed by October 15, 2023, weather permitting. The pedestrian access will remain open during this time. Beach visitors may find alternative parking and beach access at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier, located at 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach.
Sea Turtle Nesting Season Begins May 1 – Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1, and St. Johns County officials are asking residents, visitors, and businesses to help protect natural habitat by observing all nesting season laws and regulations. The beaches of St. Johns County are home to several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles. From May 1 to Oct. 31, St. Johns County staff will close vehicular beach access gates at 7:30 p.m. and reopen them at 8 a.m. to allow nesting sea turtles to have a safe beach throughout the night. Sea Turtle Season
Beach Driving Access Passes – Beginning March 1, vehicles accessing St. Johns County driving beaches will be required to have a beach driving pass from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vehicles can access the beach at the following locations: A Street, Ocean Trace, Dondanville, Matanzas Avenue, Mary Street, Fort Matanzas, Crescent Beach, and Porpoise Point. The Vilano access ramp is temporarily closed at this time. For more information, visit the Beach Driving Passes page.
The Beach Brief – An E-newsletter for Timely Updates on St. Johns County Beach Projects – St. Johns County remains dedicated to providing our residents, visitors, and businesses with timely and accurate information regarding current and upcoming St. Johns County beach projects. The monthly “Beach Brief” provides subscribers with an overview of beach renourishment, dune enhancement, and other major coastal projects. To sign up for “The Beach Brief” e-newsletter, please visit https://bit.ly/TheBeachBrief.
Habitat Conservation
St. Johns County is home to a variety of wildlife including several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles, the native Anastasia Island beach mice, gopher tortoises, and shorebirds. Each spring our beaches our buzzing with activity as sea turtles, beach mice, gopher tortoises, and shorebirds use our beaches and dunes for nesting and foraging that continues throughout the summer months. Sea turtle nesting season is from May 1 – October 31. Those who live and visit St. Johns County have a special opportunity and responsibility to protect these magnificent creatures and their vulnerable nesting and feeding habitat. Habitat Conservation
Coastal Projects
The St. Johns County Coastal Management team, now housed in the Disaster Recovery Department, is responsible for engineered beach projects. Coastal Management coordinates with the public and funding and regulatory agencies to ensure the successful implementation of coastal projects that preserve and enhance the beaches of St. Johns County. Coastal Management
More Information
For more information about our beautiful beaches, contact Beach Services at (904) 209-0331.
