18th Street Enhancement Project _ The Atlantic Beach Official Website!18th Street Enhancement Project
Introduction
The City of Atlantic Beach is enhancing the
18 Street beach access parking area to
address residents’ concerns of congestion and
nuisance activity. The initiative complements
the City’s aim to beautify the community’s
beach accesses.
By all accounts, the number of 18 and 19
street beachgoers has increased steadily
through the years. On most days throughout
the year, the public parking area is orderly; on
many, days, however, the area is crowded with
vehicles and traf c is heavy. Nearby neighbors
say the behavior of many of the people who
park on 18 Street often ranges from drunken
to criminal, creating safety issues and detracting from the otherwise residential nature of the neighborhood.
In 2018, the City Commission rejected a recommendation from the ad hoc Pedestrian and Parking Safety
Advisory Resource Committee for parallel parking, and asked the committee and staff to examine other options
that would result in no net loss of parking and could improve conditions.
In September 2019, the City Commission allocated $125,000 for 18 Street improvements in its Fiscal Year
2019-20 budget, which was approved following two workshops and two public hearings. Before the budget
allocation, the City Commission and administration received substantial input from residents throughout the
City. Much of that input came via the Parking and Pedestrian Safety Advisory Resource Committee.
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The City Commission reviewed various proposals to address concerns and nuisance activity at April 2020 and
June 2020 workshops, among other meetings. Particularly due to divergent interests in the community, the City
Commission and staff – with residents’ helpful input – are attempting to determine the best course of action
moving forward.
Public access and minimum number of required spaces
The beach belongs to the public and the public is lawfully entitled to have access to it. While some residents in
the area have advocated for the reduction of public parking on 18 Street, others say that doing so would not be
in the public’s interest.
Further, the City’s current Comprehensive Plan states, “the City shall maintain all beach parking … and reduction
in the number of public parking spaces available at beach accesses shall not be permitted unless such eliminated
spaces are replaced in equal numbers and within similar proximity to the beach.”
Perhaps most substantially, millions of shore protection dollars are funded through a cost-share partnership
with the City of Jacksonville and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Full eligibility of
cost-share funding in AB is jeopardized if the City does not maintain at least 44 public parking spaces (or the
equivalent thereof) at 18 Street.
2015 Duval County Shore Protection Project agreement
2019 Duval County Shore Protection Project agreement
Shoreline Protection Program funding assistance requirements
Beach Parking Inventory Analysis (April 6, 2021)
The City Engineer and Community Development Department updated the beach parking inventory and
recalculated how these parking spaces translates to FDEP cost-share funding for beach renourishment. This
speci c-purpose inventory was completed to assess the City’s public beach parking in the context of FDEP cost-
share funding eligibility for beach renourishment authorized by the Duval County Shore Protection Project
August 2020 Enhancements
To address nearby residents’
concerns about safety, congestion
and garbage, City staff implemented
some low-cost, City Commission-
directed 18 Street enhancements
in August 2020. The measures --
which represent some of the ideas
recently proposed by a consultant --
are the latest in an ongoing effort to
improve the quality of life for
residents and beachgoers, alike.
On the south side of 18 Street, the
parallel vehicle parking spaces have
been replaced with a pedestrian
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path, bicycle racks, and golf cart/low-speed-vehicle parking spaces.
On the north side of 18 Street, two areas have been established for (1) additional garbage containers, and (2) to
enable people to keep a safe distance from traf c before and after exiting their vehicles.
These measures mimic some recommendations made by a
consultant in June; the work was performed by Public Works
Department staff.
Please note that the 18 Street changes implemented this
week will be carefully evaluated by city staff and, particularly,
the public. To provide your thoughts, please email
info@coab.us. As we demonstrated by implementing these
changes, we are listening!
Also, please note that the City is taking a phased approach to
this initiative, and additional 18 Street enhancements are
forthcoming. Among the desired outcomes of this initiative is a
change in beach-goers’ behavior; in particular, it is hoped that
more people will opt to walk and bike to the beach.
Full eligibility of state cost-share funding for shore-protection
projects in Atlantic Beach requires that the City maintains the equivalent of at least 44 public parking spaces at
18 Street. According to the state code, four bicycle spots are equivalent to one automobile parking space. The
City remains well within the 18 Street parking eligibility requirements for cost-share funding.
City Commission review
Following deliberations by the former Parking and Pedestrian Safety Resource Advisory Committee, proposed
18 Street enhancements have been discussed and/or reported on at these City Commission workshops and
meetings.
August 10, 2020 meeting
July 13, 2020 workshop
June 22, 2020 workshop
April 27, 2020 meeting
April 20, 2020 workshop
March 9, 2020 meeting
Jan. 27, 2020 workshop
Dec. 3, 2018 workshop
Action the City has taken since 2017 (updated September 2020):
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The City of Atlantic Beach latest 18 Street beach access parking area safety enhancements – a security camera
system – is in place. This initiative was requested by residents who live in the area.
Here is additional action at the 18 Street beach access parking area the City has taken to address concerns of
congestion and nuisance activity:
Security cameras
Eliminated seven parallel and two pull-in parking spaces without jeopardizing the City’s shore-protection
cost-share eligibility (see coab.us/973/18th-Street-Enhancement-Project)
Installed a walking path
Added bike racks and golf carts/low-speed-vehicle parking
Added safety areas for beach-goers on the north side of the street.
Added trash containers
Installed no-parking signs across Seminole Road
Posted an electronic sign board
Limited southbound traf c on Ocean Grove to thru-traf c during peak times
Assigned police volunteers and lifeguards to direct traf c
Cited illegally parked vehicles
Increased police patrols
Relocated the shower from beside the Beach Avenue/18 Street roadway
Reduced the public parking sunset from 11 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Action the City is considering due to safety, congestion and other issues raised by
nearby residents:
Paid parking
Timed seasonal parking
Security lighting
Improving the parking area’s aesthetics by landscaping and adding trees
Widening and aesthetically improving the beach walkover
Additional action the City has considered:
Reducing the net number of spaces to fewer than 44, the minimum number allowed for federal shore-
protection funding
Adding parking on Saturiba Drive
Altering the traf c pattern
Sidewalk or painted pedestrian path on the north side of the road
18th Street history: The number of parking spaces has remained consistent since at
least 1971
1971: The Jacksonville Planning Board reported that there were 54 parking spaces at the 18 Street beach
access.
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Circa 1990: The Florida Department of Natural Resources and City of
Jacksonville reported that there were 51 parking spaces at the 18 Street
beach access.
2004-Present: Aerial photos from 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2020 indicate
that there are 51 parking spaces – 44 perpendicular spaces (including two
handicap spaces) on the north side and seven parallel spaces on the south
side.
Parking Space Evolution Document
1971 Jacksonville Area Planning Board publication, “The Use of
Automobiles on Jacksonville Area Beaches”
FDEP reporting error
It was recently discovered that the City of Jacksonville-FDEP cost-sharing
agreement contains erroneous information pertaining to the number of
required 18 Street public parking spaces. FDEP has provided a formal
letter apologizing for confusion and con rming that parking spaces at
18th Street are counted for shore protection.
FDEP June 15, 2020 email regarding reporting error
City of Atlantic Beach July 15, 2020 cost-share eligibility analysis
FDEP July 2, 2020 Shoreline Protection Program parking eligibility
correction memorandum
Additional documents
Following are links to various documents pertaining to the 18 Street
beach access parking area.
1975 Duval County erosion control line documentation
1976 Duval County Erosion Control Line certi cate of approval
2014 Duval County Shore Protection Project parking assessment (Part 1)
2014 Duval County Shore Protection Project parking assessment (Part 2)
2014 report, “Public Beach Access & Parking Along Duval County Shore Protection Project”
Florida Department of Environmental Protection erosion control line information
City of Jacksonville 2018-19 Duval County Shore Protection Project local funding request
City of Jacksonville 2020-21 Duval County Shore Protection Project local funding request
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“History of Beach Renourishment in Jacksonville”
Oct. `9, 2017 Parking and Pedestrian Safety Advisory Resource Committee minutes
Oct. 22, 2018 City Commission staff report regarding 18 Street parking
Dec. 10, 2018 City Commission staff report regarding 10 and 18 street parking
December 2018 Parking and Pedestrian Safety Advisory Resource Committee recommendations
February 2019 Parking and Pedestrian Safety Advisory Resource Committee recommendations
18 Street quarter-mile eligibility map
Police calls at 18th Street 2017-2020
April 14, 2020 city attorney memorandum re beach issues
April 2020 18 Street improvements, opportunities, constraints presentation
June 17, 2020 city attorney memorandum re 18th Street parking
Duval County shore protection
Duval County beach
property owners and
visitors have been the
bene ciaries of
federally funded shore
protection projects for
decades. Most
recently, following
back-to-back
Northeast Florida
hurricanes, the City of
Jacksonville and the
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’
Jacksonville District
expedited beach
clean-up, land and sea
surveys, contracts, and
construction work
along the Duval
County beach
shoreline, including
Atlantic Beach.
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The goal of engineered shore projects is to reduce risk and promote coastal resilience. Shore projects help to
reduce the damages - economic, environmental, infrastructure, human health and safety - of tropical storms and
hurricanes. Thousands of residents and businesses in Duval County bene t from these shore project because
storm events erode the beach rather than destroying coastal infrastructure. Coastal communities with
engineered beaches have historically fared much better than other communities as proven by numerous studies.
Along with providing economic stability and opportunities, shore protection projects also have inherent bene ts
in restoring critical habitat for shorebird and marine turtle nesting.
The rst Duval County project shore protection project was in 1978-80 and since then, sevent principal beach
renourishment and dune restoration projects occurred, in addition to periodic placement of sand dredged from
navigation projects.
For more information
Questions or more information? Email info@coab.us or call (904) 247-5804.
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