ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The National Park Service (NPS) will hold a public meeting on Tuesday to get input on plans to raise and rehab the seawalls at the Castillo de San Marcos.
It is one of two plans in the works to address flooding in the area.
People in the area will have the opportunity to share concerns and ask questions during the meeting.
NPS said the seawalls’ traditional coquina, which is stone formed from shells, is not standing the test of time.
Substantial erosion and low elevation make it the first area to flood during storms.
This project is different from the Florida Department of Transportation’s plan which would address the seawall along A1A near the Bridge of Lions.
FDOT said a new one there would better protect the area during a storm.
Downtown St. Augustine was flooded during Hurricane Ian in 2022.
It was nothing new for Pat Wicklund who’s lived in the area for the past decade.
“It was built on a swamp, so it’s like you have to take care of that before you build a city and now, we’re doing that in retrospect,” Wicklund said.
Between its low elevation and erosion over the years, the seawall is deteriorating.
The NPS is proposing a multi-million-dollar project to rebuild and raise the wall all funded under FEMA’s 2023 Disaster Supplement bill.
The community meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Renaissance St. Augustine Hotel. You can also attend the first part of the meeting virtually via Zoom Meeting ID: 845 6859 4848, Passcode: 697198.
Public comments postmarked no later than July 17, 2024, can be mailed to Superintendent Gordie Wilson Attn: Castillo de San Marcos Raise and Rehabilitation Project 1 South Castillo Drive St Augustine, FL 32084.