ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A day after Nicole swept across Florida with heavy rains, strong winds, and dangerous storm surge and waves, an aftermath of damaging beach erosion could be seen along the St. Johns County coastline Friday.
St. Johns County officials were conducting damage and storm debris assessments in response to impacts from Nicole.
At least one home was spotted by Sky4 teetering on the edge of a cliff because of erosion along South Ponte Vedra Boulevard (A1A).
More damage could be seen in Crescent Beach where erosion wiped out large chunks of the dunes and sections of beach walkovers were left in ruins.
Summer Haven in southern St. Johns County also saw damage to beaches and roads with many residents resigned because they are used to the issues.
Damage was being assessed Friday on sections of Old A1A near Gene Johnson Road that had been destroyed after recently being repaired from damage during Hurricane Ian.
A short-term rental Airbnb property nearby was severely damaged in the storm. Xue Meyer has owned the property since 2018 and said the preparation she did was not enough.
“It is sad. It is sad that the road has been washed away,” Meyer said. “This was a place for everybody to come here for vacation. I do not charge much. People have been coming here for a long time. This place is built over 100 years ago.”
She said repairs will start with power washing the interior to prevent mold.
“Then I will call professionals and put it back together,” Meyer said.
Officials said Friday that the county experienced significant impacts from Nicole throughout coastal St. Johns County.
They said crews are removing debris as quickly as possible but encouraged patience as the process will take some time.
As the county continues to plan the disposal response, residents are encouraged to move all storm debris to the curb as resources are available to respond and assist with the recovery efforts. Residents are asked to separate trash from vegetation.
For questions or to report storm debris, contact the Solid Waste Division at 904-827-6980 or email solidwaste@sjcfl.us.
St. Johns County residents or business owners who have storm-related structural damage from Nicole or permitting questions can call the St. Johns County Building Services Structural Hotline at 904-827-6836.
St. Johns County lifted its voluntary evacuation orders for all zones at 8:30 a.m. Friday and said shelters will begin demobilizing and close at 10 a.m.
Residents were encouraged to drive with caution as isolated areas may still have standing water causing them to be impassable and may be restricted by emergency services.
For updates on recovery efforts in St. Johns County, visit www.sjcfl.us/hurricane or call the St. Johns County Emergency Management Citizen Information Line at 904-824-5550.
Transportation
All Sunshine Bus public transportation services and Paratransit services have resumed normal operations as of Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.
For further information, please contact the following:
- Paratransit Customer Service (7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.): 904-209-3710
- Sunshine Bus Customer Service (8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.): 904-209-3716
Trash pickup
Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, Waste Management suspended collection service Thursday, Nov. 10.
Thursday customers will be serviced on Saturday, and Friday customers will be serviced as normal.
Residential recycling will not be collected this week but will resume on Thursday, Nov. 17 and Friday, Nov. 18.
Schedule changes
The city of St. Augustine has canceled the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Project S.W.I.N.G. on Friday, Nov. 11 due to the forecasted impacts of Tropical Storm Nicole. Currently, an alternative date has not been scheduled.
Due to Nicole, the Adam Sandler show scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10 at The St. Augustine Amphitheater is rescheduled for Friday, Nov. 11. All tickets will be honored for the new date; no new ticket purchase is needed. For those that cannot attend the new date, refunds are available at point of purchase.
FEMA will temporarily close the Disaster Recovery Center in St. Johns County, located at the Wind Mitigation Building, 3111 Agricultural Center Drive, from Wednesday, Nov. 9-Friday, Nov. 11. The DRC will be inspected on Saturday, Nov. 12, and reopen once it is determined safe.
The St. Johns County Public Library System branches and book drops will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, resuming normal business hours. Fees for notary, printing, copying, and faxing services will be waived for storm-related business. For more information about the St. Johns County Public Library System, please visit www.sjcpls.org.
Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments will reopen to the public starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Please be aware that some areas remain closed due to storm impacts. Please respect these marked closed areas for your own safety and protection of park resources. Two areas of Fort Matanzas National Monument received significant damage. Closures are in place at the Fort Matanzas Beach Ramp and the Fort Matanzas Oceanside Parking Lot and Beach Access. Please respect these closures. For updates, please check park websites at www.nps.gov/casa and www.nps.gov/foma.
The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier facilities including the parking lot, pavilion, volleyball courts, and the pier gift shop will reopen Saturday, Nov. 12. The gift shop will resume normal business hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The fishing pier, both beach access locations, and the splash park will remain closed until further notice.