Vilano Beach Eroding At Alarming Rate -- Time to Discuss St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore

Maladroit mismanagement by County Administrator MICHAEL DAVID WANCHICK is blocking Commissioner's serious discussion of the need for a St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore, which would include NPS management plans to cope with coastal erosion.

Erosion transforming popular shore
Posted: August 29, 2016 - 9:13pm | Updated: August 30, 2016 - 7:19am
St. Augustine Record

A sign warns beach goers of a steep drop off, caused by heavy erosion, on Vilano Beach, north of St. Augustine, on Monday, August 29, 2016. According to information from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office , erosion has caused changes to allowed parking on the beach and may cause a temporary ban on driving. PETER.WILLOTT@STAUGUSTINE.COM

A ridge of sand caused by heavy erosion separates beachgoers from their vehicles on Vilano Beach on Monday. According to information from St. Johns County Communications Director Michael Ryan, the beach was closed to vehicular access Monday afternoon because of the erosion and pending weather conditions. Beach Services, Marine Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office are monitoring the situation and are working to keep access open as safety allows. Vilano Beach remains open to pedestrians and Porpoise Point Beach, south of Vilano, remains open to both vehicles and foot traffic.


COMMENTS
peteweiland 08/30/16 - 06:53 am 20It's long past time for a new jetty...
Long past time. We are heading toward our 4th beach 'renourishment' and dredging project over the past 14 years, and not including the one slated to happen soon, the state has spent over $12 million dollars on a project that literally just washes away. For the life of me, I can't grasp why the jetty has not been updated!

A 300 yard jetty on the north side and a 200 yard extension on the south seems to be a reasonable effort to be made and may be a better use of tax dollars to mitigate the problem. At an estimated cost of $750-800/ft (prices found online from another recent project), that would be a cost of $1.2 million, or one-tenth of what's been spent on the former projects. Hell, if the cost was 3x that much, it would still be a third less and surely slow the erosion of sand from Vilano, Porpoise point and St. Augustine beach. Now before anyone comments that the Army Corps of Engineers doesn't think that a jetty would help, may I remind you all that it was they who decided Mother Nature was wrong in her original inlet placement further south into the Anastasia State Park, creating this problem we now have. Even if it proved to only slow the erosion, it would create an inlet that would be safer and more navigable.

A 300yd jetty to the north, with the farthest 100yd section slightly angled to the south, say by 20°, and a straight 200yd jetty on the south side, both capped off with level concrete for the first 100yds, would make a very clear and navigable inlet and offer fishermen a great platform as well. The jetty at Ponce inlet is a great template. And since the County and City of St. Augustine Beach do little if anything to protect the new dune growth (which is the ONLY thing that will hold the sand in place), why not try a new approach?! Now is the time...

attinson63 08/30/16 - 07:41 am 11I love Vilano
This is awful. I hope a fix is put in place. I love Vilano Beach. Although I don't drive on the beach, and I stay at Surfside Park, I can see this has been such a problem for a long time. Do something!

sponger2 08/30/16 - 07:59 am 20peteweiland
You seem to have a good idea and a grasp of engineering. You reference to past missteps by The Army Corps. of Engineers validates the notion that even those with the best intentions can fail. I think your idea merits serious consideration. I hope the powers that be pick it up and run with it.

PS: 63, I hope they can save your favorite beach