City of St. Augustine Beach Seal

Beyond the Beach

December 2023 Newsletter

Entrance to St. Augustine Beach City Hall

City Hall Update

Read the Whole Article Here

City Manager, Max Royle

CITY CHARTER

Time for us to wander into the “weeds” of local government. (I sense your excitement.) Basically, a city charter is a document that legally establishes a city and has the rules for how the city is to be governed.

A charter can also have a vision of what the residents want their city to be. Limits

on building height is an example of that vision.

Read the Whole Article Here

4th Annual Light Up the BEACH! Season

The City of St. Augustine Beach, our community partners, and our local businesses invite you to join us as we Light Up the BEACH! this holiday season!

Our fourth annual season features several fun events for visitors and locals to enjoy, ending with our New Year’s Eve Fireworks show.

Mayor, Don Samora said, “The holiday season is all about family and community, and I can think of no better way to celebrate that than at Light Up the Beach.

Our local businesses are excited to share their festive displays, and it’s a great opportunity to support local artists, gift shops, restaurants and more. We look forward to warmly welcoming you as you join us for the holidays.”

Surf Illumination – December 2, 2023 (In association with the St. Augustine Beach Civic Association)

4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. – St. Augustine Beach Pier Park

Live Music from 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Holiday Market – December 9, 2023 (In association with the Wednesday Market at the Pier)

3:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. – St. Augustine Beach Pier Park

Christmas with Cops and Claus – December 13, 2023 (Put on by the St. Augustine Beach Police Department)

5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. – St. Augustine Beach Police Department

Kilo’s Presents for Pets – (Put on by the St. Augustine Beach Police Department).

Collecting food for local shelter animals! Toys, food, and treats are needed! Collecting from December 1st through December 22nd at the St. Augustine Beach Police Department. We will also be accepting donations at the Holiday Market on December 9th at Pier Park.

Light Up the NIGHT! New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show - December 31, 2022

8:30 P.M. - Multiple Viewing areas including St. Augustine Beach Pier Park (the Volleyball Courts area, Splash Park, and Pavilion.) Pedestrian Beach Access from 10^th Street South and beach driving as normal barring weather restrictions.

For more information on our Holiday events, and general information, please visit www.staugbch.com,The City of St Augustine Beach Facebook and Instagram page, and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter by texting CITYOFSAB to 22828.

Click Here for 2023 Fall/Winter City Events

Glass Recycling Program

In partnership with the City of St. Augustine, the city is excited to announce that glass recycling is available in the City of St. Augustine Beach.

A glass ONLY recycling dumpster is located at the South end of the City Hall parking lot (between the old Post Office Building and the Police Department).

The program is expected to run indefinitely, and the City of St. Augustine Beach welcomes the opportunity to provide additional services for its residents.

Below is a break-down of acceptable and not acceptable items:

What glass IS acceptable? Packaging food, beverages, hot sauces, spices, syrups, baby foods, perfume bottles, cosmetic jars, mason jars.

Remove metal and plastic lids and caps. Remember to rinse.

What glass is NOT acceptable? Dishware, crystal and stemware, and all drinkware, figurines of glass, ceramic, and porcelain. Automotive windows, mirrors

picture frames, tabletops, mirrors, computer monitors, and screens of any type.

Magnifying glass, eyewear, marbles, light bulbs.

For a complete list of what can and cannot be accepted, please visit www.staugbch.com,The City of St Augustine Beach Facebook and Instagram page, and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter by texting CITYOFSAB to 22828.

CITY MEETINGS

December Holidays - Office Closures Trash pick-up schedules

All City offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 25-26, for the observance of Christmas.

Monday's solid waste collection will be on Tuesday, December 26, and Tuesday's solid waste collection will be on Wednesday, December 27. There will be no yard debris or special collection this week.

SURVEYS FROM THE COUNTY

St. Johns County Comprehensive Plan Survey

Residents encouraged to participate

The comprehensive plan is a long range plan that helps guide the future actions of a city or county through clearly stated goals, objectives, and policies. St. Johns County is seeking public input to assist the team in the development of goals, objectives, and polices and to understand the community preferences and desires for the future of the County. To complete the survey, click here.

St. Johns County Listening and Learning Survey

Residents encouraged to participate, deadline extended to December 15

St. Johns County residents are encouraged to participate in the Listening and Learning survey. The online opportunity offers eight questions for the public to answer and provide feedback. The survey deadline has been extended to December 15. To participate in the survey, click here.

SEPAC Announces Environmental Stewardship Awards

(SEPAC) has selected the winners of the 2023 Anastasia Island Environmental Stewardship Awards. These awards recognize individuals, businesses, groups, and educational institutions that are working to protect the Island’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystem.

The recipients, who were honored at the November 13 City Commission meeting, are the Anastasia Island Branch Library (Group, Non-Profit), Panache Salon & Spa (Group, Business), Thomas Davis (Individual, Business), and Nana Royer (Individual, Non-Profit).

The objective of environmental stewardship is to reduce impacts on the environment, thereby protecting our natural resources through conservation and sustainable practices. To be considered for recognition, nominees must demonstrate significant achievements through:

Reducing environmental impacts

Conserving resources

Enhancing Ecosystems

Restoring impacted natural resources

Pictured Left to Right:

City Commissioner Virginia Morgan, SEPAC Chair, Sandra Krempasky, Commissioner Undine George,award winner, Thomas Davis of CultivateFL LLC,, Mayor, Don Samora, Commissioner Beth Sweeny.

Pictured Left to Right:

City Commissioner Virginia Morgan, SEPAC Chair, Sandra Krempasky, Commissioner Undine George, Sarah Scholten from the Group Non-profit and Education winner, Anastasia Island Branch Library, Mayor, Don Samora, Commissioner Beth Sweeny.

Pictured Left to Right:

City Commissioner Virginia Morgan, SEPAC Chair, Sandra Krempasky, Commissioner Undine George, Kristy Weeks of Group Business Award winner, Panache Salon. Mayor, Don Samora, Commissioner Beth Sweeny.

Pictured Left to Right:

City Commissioner Virginia Morgan, SEPAC Chair, Sandra Krempasky, Commissioner Undine George, Individual Non-profit award winner, Nana Royer, Mayor, Don Samora, Commissioner Beth Sweeny.

Pictured Left to Right:

City Commissioner Virginia Morgan, SEPAC Chair, Sandra Krempasky, Commissioner Undine George, Environmental Landscaping award winners, Damion LaPier and Stephanie Hagopian, Mayor, Don Samora, Commissioner Beth Sweeny.

Sea Turtle Nesting Update

BEACH RESTORATION PROJECT

Update for FCCE re-nourishment of St. Augustine Beach

The project will begin in February of 2024 with an estimated completion date of September 2024.

USACE Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, awarded a $33.5 million contract Sept. 29 to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., LLC, of Houston, Texas, to execute a Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) re-nourishment of the St. Augustine Beach federal shore protection project.

The project will place approximately 2.5 million cubic yards of sand on critically eroded beaches within the city of St. Augustine Beach extending three miles from Anastasia State Park at the north to the vicinity of A St. at the southern end of the shoreline.

The main staging area for the project will be located at Pope Road with additional beach access at A St. Sand will be dredged from a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved offshore borrow located 6 nautical miles offshore.

The estimated start and finish dates of construction and details of the project timeline and placement sequence will be determined after coordination with Great Lakes and published via USACE and St. Johns County social media channels.

St. Johns County in the non-federal sponsor for the St. Augustine Beach shore protection project; the FCCE re-nourishment will be 100 percent federally funded to restore damages from recent hurricanes and nor’easter events.

USACE Jacksonville appreciates our strong partnership with St. Johns County and their support for this effort and many other shore protection projects within the county.

American Flag Rescue Program

The American Flag Rescue (AFR) program was initiated in 2019 after St. Johns County Solid Waste Management staff observed worn and damaged Americans flags in drop-off garbage containers at the Tillman Ridge facility. Although some flag collection containers already were in place in several stores that sell American flags, more collection points were clearly needed. The initial shipment of new flag collection boxes was funded by local radio personality Kevin Geddings. These units were placed in St. Johns County libraries. Of the nearly 1,000 flags collected in 2020, about 10% were reusable and these are available to the public. Damaged flags are retired according to established protocols by local Scout troops and veteran’s organizations. An American Flag booklet provided by Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes is also available. For information about flag collection/retirement or site participation, contact Chris Benjamin at (904) 827-6980 or [email protected].

Flags can be dropped off at City of St. Augustine Beach City Hall.