For COVID-19 Information and updates, please visit:
https://www.staugbch.com/community/page/cosab-covid-19-resources-and-in…
For Information on Resolution 20-14 regarding Face Coverings, please visit:
https://www.staugbch.com/community/page/cosab-face-coverings-resolution…
For general St Johns County Information, please visit:
www.http://www.sjcfl.us/
For St. Johns County COVID-19 Information, please visit:
www.http://www.sjcfl.us/coronavirus/
Recycling Delays for Friday, January 22
January 22, 2021
Recycling pickup service normally done on Friday is experiencing delays in some areas of St. Augustine Beach.
All recycling should be picked up by 11AM on Saturday morning.
We will provide updates as we receive them from the company who provides the service and thank you for your patience.
On-Beach Driving Potentially Impacted Due to High Tides
October 16, 2020
Coastal flooding due to high tides and strong on-shore winds are expected to impact all St. Johns County beaches beginning Saturday, October 17. Due to these conditions, on-beach driving may be limited on all St. Johns County Beaches through next week. Beach visitors are recommended to exercise caution when swimming as the risk for rip currents and rough ocean conditions is high. For the most up-to-date information on beach access and driving conditions, please follow @SJCBeaches on Facebook and Twitter or download St. Johns County’s Reach the Beach app. For more information, please call 904.209.0333.
St. Johns County CARES Small Business Recovery Program Phase II Launches October 19, 2020
October 15, 2020
St. Johns County is launching phase II of the St. Johns County CARES Small Business Recovery program at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 19. The St. Johns County CARES Small Business Recovery Program helps local businesses respond to and recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. To be eligible, a business must not have received a cumulative total of COVID-19 financial assistance from St. Johns County in 2020 that exceeds $5,000 for business with 0 to 9 employees, $10,000 for businesses with 10 to 30 employees, $15,000 for businesses with 31 to 50 employees or $20,000 for businesses with 51 to 100 employees. To apply for the grant or receive additional information, please visit www.sjcfl.us/sjccares, call 904.209.6050, or email sjccares [at] sjcfl.us (sjccares[at]sjcfl[dot]us).
St. Johns County CARES Residents Assistance Program Deadline Approaching
October 13, 2020
The deadline to submit applications for the St. Johns County CARES Residents Assistance program is 5 p.m. on October 31. The program provides up to $5,000 in funding per household to assist residents who are recovering from the economic impact of COVID-19 with mortgage or rent, utilities, cellphone bills, and internet bills. Eligible St. Johns County residents are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure the application process is complete prior to the deadline. For grant criteria, applications, and more information related to the St. Johns County CARES Residents Assistance Program, please visit www.sjcfl.us/sjccares, call 904.209.6050, or email sjccares [at] sjcfl.us (sjccares[at]sjcfl[dot]us).
St. Johns County Cautions Beachgoers of Forecasted Weekend Nor’easter
September 17, 2020
St. Johns County beaches are forecasted to experience unusually high surf and tides, dangerous currents, and strong winds along the coastline beginning Saturday, September 19, through early next week as a result of a nor’easter. Residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to exercise extreme caution and avoid ocean swimming during this time. Some pedestrian access points may be affected, and on-beach driving may be restricted at access ramps due to tidal flooding. In addition, coastal flooding and erosion may occur throughout the duration of this inclement weather event. Please download the Reach the Beach mobile app for daily beach access updates, or follow St. Johns County Beaches on Facebook or Twitter (@SJCBeaches). For more information, please call 904.209.0331.
St. Johns County Labor Day Weekend Beach Update
September 3, 2020
The Labor Day holiday weekend is one of the busiest times on St. Johns County’s beaches. St. Johns County lifeguards, St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputies, and St. Augustine Beach Police officers will all be working together from Saturday, September 5, through Monday, September 7, to ensure the safest beach experience possible for all residents and visitors. Please review the information below to assist you and your family in enjoying the Labor Day holiday weekend at the beach.
Lifeguards and Beach Flags
Lifeguards will be on duty at various locations on St. Johns County beaches from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout Labor Day weekend, weather permitting. In addition, Marine Rescue personnel will patrol the beaches on a regular basis.
Warning flags are in place along the beach to keep visitors aware of current water and surf conditions. Yellow flags indicate a medium hazard level that could include strong currents and surf. Red flags indicate a high hazard with stronger currents and more dangerous surf conditions. Purple flags indicate dangerous marine life in the area. The absence of a flag does not mean there is no danger, as beach visitors should always exercise caution when swimming in the ocean.
Rip currents are strong, fast-moving currents of water that move seaward from the shore. They may be recognized by a foamy, choppy surface and water that appears brown from sand being churned and moved rapidly out to sea. If you are caught in a rip current, the most important thing to remember is to remain calm. Swim parallel with the shoreline until you are out of the pull of the current and then swim toward shore. Those who are not strong swimmers are not recommended to go beyond knee level in the water.
Beach visitors are asked to observe flag colors, swim near a lifeguard, practice social distancing, and call 911 in the event there is an emergency.
On-beach Driving
Vehicles are permitted on the beach between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Beach passes are required for vehicle access. Passes can be purchased with cash only at any beach access ramp. For information about beach passes, please visit www.sjcfl.us/Beaches/Passes. Please help maintain safe driving practices on St. Johns County beaches by complying with the following rules:
- Vehicular traffic must remain in the designated driving lanes as identified by cones.
- Parking is allowed on the west side of the driving lane between the cones and the dune.
- Parking on Vilano Beach is parallel parking only on the east side of the driving lane.
- The maximum vehicular speed allowed on the beach is 10 mph.
- Vehicles may not enter the beach at the Fort Matanzas Ramp.
- All vehicles are required to stop at all beach ramps and yield to all pedestrians.
- Soft sand conditions may exist and only 4x4 vehicles may be allowed on some beaches.
South Beaches
Traffic is southbound only between the A Street Ramp and the Crescent Beach Ramp. Vehicles can travel two-way from Crescent Beach for approximately 3.5 miles south and will be able to turn around to also exit at the Crescent Ramp. Vehicles can also continue south to exit at the Fort Matanzas ramp. Please note, this stretch is tidal dependent and is one way only. Please abide by posted signage and information given by toll staff at all locations. Beach driving updates will be provided via the Reach the Beach mobile app, the Beaches Twitter feed, and Facebook page.
Vilano Beach and Porpoise Point Beach
Vilano Beach is open for vehicular access with 4x4-mandated conditions. Parking in the Vilano area is anticipated to be at capacity by 10 a.m. Please find alternative ways to access the beach, including walking, biking, carpooling, or visiting one of the other beachfront parks. Porpoise Point is currently closed to vehicular access as it has experienced extreme erosion and the vehicular ramp has been compromised.
Labor Day Weekend Shuttle Service
St. Johns County is offering a free shuttle service to Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park and the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, September 5, through Monday, September 7, weather permitting. The Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park shuttle will transport beach visitors between Cornerstone Park, 1046 A1A North, and Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park, which provides direct access to the beach. The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier shuttle will transport beach visitors between St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A South, and the Pier parking lot, which provides direct access to Pier amenities and the beach. The shuttles will run every 20 minutes with the final shuttles departing at 4 p.m. In accordance with CDC recommendations and State of Florida safety guidelines, shuttles have safety plans in place to protect drivers and passengers, including drivers wearing masks, buses being sanitized frequently, social distancing protocols, and capacity limitations. Service updates will be provided via the Reach the Beach mobile app, the Beaches Twitter feed, and Facebook page. St. Johns County and the Tourist Development Council provide the Reach the Beach shuttles to give St. Johns County residents and visitors a safer and more convenient beach experience.
St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier and Gift Shop
The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier and Gift Shop is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. Visitors may purchase day and annual passes to visit the Pier for sightseeing and fishing, as well as rent fishing poles and purchase a variety of items including bait, ice, tackle, sunscreen, T-shirts, beach toys, and pre-packaged foods. For more information, please call 904.209.0326.
Reach the Beach Mobile App
For the most up-to-date information on beach access and driving conditions, please download the Reach the Beach Mobile App for iPhone and Android.
Stay Informed
For more information regarding St. Johns County beaches, please visit www.sjcfl.us/beaches, follow St. Johns County Beaches on Facebook or Twitter (@SJCBeaches), or call 904.209.0331.
St. Johns County Monitoring Tropical Storm Laura
August 21, 2020
St. Johns County Emergency Management is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Laura and will remain in contact with the National Weather Service throughout the weekend regarding any potential shifts in the storm’s path. Tropical Storm Laura is not projected to affect St. Johns County over the weekend, however: potential local impacts could occur early next week, and may include rain and wind. While Tropical Storm Laura currently poses no direct threat to North East Florida, St. Johns County Emergency Management is encouraging residents to evaluate preparedness plans, know evacuation routes and zones, assemble or review supply kits, and prepare homes for potential tropical storm or hurricane weather events. Evacuation information is available at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com/evacinfo.html, and a supply kit checklist can be found at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com/hurrcklist.html. Residents can also find weather updates at www.weather.gov/jax. For more information, please call the Emergency Operations Center at 904.824.5550.
St. Johns County CARES Program Launches August 20
August 17, 2020
The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners is launching St. Johns County CARES, a program to help local businesses, residents, and nonprofit organizations respond to and recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. Applications for small businesses and residents will be available at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 20. Applications for nonprofit organizations will be available in the coming weeks. A financial assistance program utilizing more than $18 million in federal CARES Act funding, St. Johns County CARES provides grants to eligible applicants who suffered loss of revenue or income, or incurred unexpected expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses may qualify for up to $20,000 in grant funding and residential households may qualify for up to $5,000 in grant funding. Qualification criteria and level of assistance to nonprofit organizations are still under development and will be available by the end of August. For more information, please visit www.sjcfl.us/sjccares, call 904.209.6050, or email sjccares [at] sjcfl.us (sjccares[at]sjcfl[dot]us).
COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing at Flagler Hospital Resumes Tuesday, August 4
August 3, 2020
The COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing Site located at Flagler Hospital will resume operations at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4. A partnership with St. Johns County, the testing site is located in Parking Lot B and is available from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, or until the maximum number of daily tests are collected. Testing is available for all ages, and patients do not need to exhibit symptoms, possess a doctor's note, or make an appointment. A parent or guardian must be present for children under 18 to be tested. While insurance cards are not needed, a photo ID is required. For more information, please call 904.824.5550.
St. Johns County Beaches Open to Swimming and On-beach Driving Tuesday, August 4
August 3, 2020
All Tropical Storm Isaias-related prohibitions on swimming at St. Johns County beaches, including the Fort Matanzas National Monument beaches, will be lifted at dawn on Tuesday, August 4. Beach visitors are asked to exercise caution when swimming. In addition, on-beach driving is anticipated to be reinstated at 8 a.m. on Tuesday; however, gate openings may be delayed due to tidal flooding. For the most up-to-date information on beach access and driving conditions, please download the Reach the Beach Mobile App or visit the SJCBeaches Facebook and Twitter. For additional information, please visit www.sjcfl.us/beaches or call 904.209.0331.
Cracked sewer line
August 1, 2020
A cracked sewer line near beach city hall has resulted in a spill in the grassy area along 16th st. No ponds or surface water impacts. Repairs are being made, the area disinfected, sanitized and cleaned.
COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing at Flagler Hospital Closed Monday, August 3
July 31, 2020
The COVID-19 Drive-thru Testing Site located at Flagler Hospital will be closed Monday, August 3, due to potential impacts from Hurricane Isaias. Flagler Hospital anticipates re-opening the site on Tuesday, August 4, weather permitting. If Hurricane Isaias stays on its current projected path, testing will remain available on Monday at the Flagler Hospital outpatient laboratories, with a doctor's order. CareFast+ urgent care locations will also remain open. For more information, please call 904.824.5550.
St. Johns County Providing Free Sandbags to Residents in Preparation for Hurricane Isaias
July 31, 2020
St. Johns County is providing free sandbags at six locations throughout the County in preparation for Hurricane Isaias beginning Saturday, August 1. The sand and the bags will be provided free of charge to residents. Residents must provide their own transportation and shovels, and will be responsible for filling their own bags. There is a maximum allocation of 20 bags per person.
Windswept Acres Park - 5335 SR A1A South.
Sims Pit - 536 S. Holmes Boulevard.
Hastings Community Center - 6195 S. Main Street, behind the building.
Mills Field - 1805 Race Track Road, in the overflow parking area.
Palm Valley - Under the Palm Valley Bridge on the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway.
North Beach Park - 3721 Coastal Highway (at the walkover).
The sand and bags will be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily for the duration of the storm, or until conditions deteriorate and the operation must cease for the safety of the public and staff. For additional information, please call 904.824.5550.
St. Johns County Beach Driving Restricted Beginning 5 p.m. Saturday, August 1
July 31, 2020
Due to potential extreme high tides and unpredictable ocean conditions related to Hurricane Isaias, beach driving on all St. Johns County beaches will be restricted beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 1. Pedestrian access to the beach will remain available at off-beach parks and beach walkovers. Dangerous surf conditions and rip current activity are expected. Beach visitors are encouraged to avoid ocean swimming until conditions improve. Beach driving access will be reinstated when conditions allow. For more information regarding Hurricane Isaias, please call 904.824.5550.
Rethink Education Grant
July 8, 2020
The Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant is aimed at opening new, innovative ways for students to access K-12 education with an emphasis on meeting students' needs during the coronavirus national emergency. The competition is open to state educational agencies which can apply for funds in one of the three categories:
Microgrants for families, so that states can ensure they have access to the technology and educational services they need to advance their learning
Statewide virtual learning and course access programs, so that students will always be able to access a full range of subjects, even those not taught in the traditional or assigned setting
New, field-initiated models for providing remote education not yet imagined, to ensure that every child is learning and preparing for successful careers and lives
Application packages for these competitions will be available within two weeks. Applicants will then have 60 days to apply. As with most of the Department of Education's discretionary grant competitions, applications will be evaluated by a panel of independent peer reviewers, and the highest-scoring applications will be funded. For additional information about how to apply, please visit https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/states-highest….
The Department continues to update www.ed.gov/coronavirus with information on COVID-19 for students, parents, educators and local leaders.
St. Johns County Fourth of July Weekend Beach Update
July 2, 2020
The upcoming holiday weekend is one of the busiest times on St. Johns County’s beaches. From Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, St. Johns County staff, in partnership with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Augustine Beach Police Department, are taking extra precautions to educate the public regarding safe beach driving rules and regulations, public safety measures, and free shuttle services to Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park and the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier.
For more information, click here: http://www.sjcfl.us/WWWWCF/WCFPressReleaserepo/media/beach070420.pdf or visit www.sjcfl.us/beaches or call 904.209.0331
Wednesday Pier Farmers Market Resumes July 1
June 19, 2020
The Wednesday Pier Farmers Market at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier parking lot, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., will resume modified operations from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning July 1. In accordance with recommended CDC guidelines, the following protocols will be in place:
*Vendors are required to wear face-covering masks.
*Traffic will flow one way through the event site.
*Ten feet of space will be between each vendor site.
*Each vendor site will be marked to indicate six feet of space between vendor and patron.
*No onsite food consumption will be permitted. All purchased foods must be taken offsite.
*Vendors will include farms, hot foods and food trucks, grocery and prepared foods, personal protection and care items, and arts and crafts.
For more information regarding the Wednesday Pier Farmers Market, please visit www.wednesdaypierfarmersmarket.com/ or email staugpiermarket [at] gmail.com (staugpiermarket[at]gmail[dot]com).
Mickler Boulevard Ditch Maintenance
June 19, 2020
The City of St. Augustine Beach will be conducting ditch maintenance along the east side of Mickler Boulevard between 11th Street and 16th Street from Monday, June 22nd through Thursday, July 2nd. The maintenance work will require periodic closure of this portion of the Mickler Boulevard sidewalk. Users of this portion of the Mickler Boulevard sidewalk are advised to use alternate routes during maintenance activities. Along with the sidewalk being closed there will periodic closures to the Northbound lane of traffic. Please contact the Department of Public Works for more information. Ph: (904) 471-1119.
Sign Up for Alert St. Johns Emergency Notification System to Receive Updates during Hurricane Season
June 18, 2020
With June marking the beginning of the 2020 hurricane season, St. Johns County is encouraging all residents to sign up for Alert St. Johns, a new emergency notification system that provides critical information during emergency situations. The Alert St. Johns system enables St. Johns County, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the City of St. Augustine, and the City of St. Augustine Beach to quickly inform residents regarding a variety of situations, including severe weather, unexpected road closures, water advisories, missing persons, evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods, and incidents that may threaten public safety. Residents can sign up at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com. Those who sign up can choose to receive notifications via a phone call to their home, business, or mobile phone, by email, or text message. The Alert St. Johns system has replaced the Code Red notification system, so it is imperative that residents sign up for these critical notifications. For more information regarding Alert St. Johns, please call 904.824.5550.
SCAM ALERT:
June 17, 2020
A person who was looking to rent a beach house on Craigslist was scammed recently when they learned that while the property was real, it was NOT up for rent!
These scammers are taking legitimate rental properties or real estate listings and are posting them as available on various e-commerce sites, then take your money and run! Many times, a scammer will cut and paste an entire ad from one site to another, so it can be very hard to tell what is legitimate or not.
Your best way to make sure you are not being scammed out of the rental for your beach vacation is to do a little extra research. The Florida State Attorney Ashley Moody offers this advice:
- Search for a reputable rental website that offers protection in the event of fraud or offers payment transfer options
- Find websites that offer a payment portal, where money is held in escrow until the renter arrives at the property with keys in hand.
- Do not rely solely on email to contact the owner, and be wary of foreign telephone numbers
- Investigate the property and, if possible, visit the property before signing a contract or sending payment.
- Ask for additional photos. A legitimate owner or property manager can likely produce these with little difficulty, while a scammer is unlikely to have access to additional photosPay for a rental with a credit card, via PayPal, or through a payment transfer option on the rental listing website, which makes it easier to dispute a fraudulent charge.
If you have a property that you rent out, take some time to search for it online ensure your property information has not been stolen. If you locate a listing flag it with the listed website and notify your local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
Special City Commission Meeting – Pride Proclamation, June 9, 2020
June 10, 2020
St. Augustine, Fla.- The City of St Augustine Beach held a Special Commission Meeting on June 9, 2020, 5:30 P.M. at City Hall.
The meeting was to consider a proclamation brought forth by the Women’s March Alliance of North Florida. The proclamation stated in part, to declare June 2020 as PRIDE MONTH in the City of St. Augustine Beach. The proclamation also called for the rainbow pride flag to fly at the City Hall building as recognition of PRIDE MONTH.
The Commission expressed support of (LGBTQIA) lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual community and unanimously voted to pass the proclamation with one deletion. The issue of flying a non-government flag came into question in that if one group were given permission to fly a non-government flag, wouldn’t all requests have to be considered? If only some groups were given permission, it would create a divisive environment, instead of an inclusive one.
To support inclusion for all, the Commission decided not to approve the flying of any non-governmental flags on City property.
Mayor Margaret England noted, " I am pleased that this Commission was willing to consider a late request from the Women’s March Alliance and meet again to support and approve the Proclamation of June as Gay Pride Month. St. Augustine Beach is a welcoming, family-oriented beach town and we have shown our commitment to diversity."
The next regular City Commission will be held on Monday, July 6, 2020 at 6:00 P.M. in City Hall. The public is invited to attend and there will be limited seating in the City Commission room and the adjacent meeting room. To view the meeting on-line, please visit, www.staugbch.com.
Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
May 13, 2020
St. Johns County residents are encouraged to begin hurricane preparedness activities as hurricane season begins June 1. To assist residents in purchasing supplies for their hurricane preparedness kit and other preparedness items, the State of Florida has scheduled the 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday for May 29 through June 4. During this time, qualifying items such as flashlights, batteries, portable generators, and bottled water can be purchased tax-free from any provider or store in Florida. The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any qualifying item. For more information and a complete list of qualifying items, please visit www.floridarevenue.com/disasterprep or call St. Johns County Emergency Management at 904.824.5550.