Mission: To keep St. Johns County beaches open and accessible to all.

Issue: Access to our beaches is being threatened by misguided environmental groups who want to prohibit or severely restrict the right of people to continue the responsible use of the beach environment. Generations of people have a heritage of enjoying ocean activities, and sharing these with their children, in a way that has always promoted balance with nature. Many of these ocean activities necessitate vehicular beach access. Our traditions include fishing, swimming, surfing, kiting and kite surfing, bird watching, photography, beach walking and other reasonable activities which are now at risk.

Recently, the National Park Service has decided to close access to Matanzas Beach which includes the area south of Matanzas ramp. Anastasia State Park is already closed to beach driving. Beach driving is also closed north of “A” street ramp to the Pier and restricted at North Beach and Porpoise Point.

Instead of living together in harmony with nature, misguided environmental groups are aggressively trying to restrict and limit access to St. Johns County beaches. It is pretty clear now that the intent is to ultimately close vehicular access to all St. Johns County Beaches. Their avowed mission is to protect birds, turtles and other wildlife; but their views are based on a distorted, all or nothing position which protects wildlife at the detriment of people. This approach is not supported by science and the principles of responsible conservation held by the mainstream community.

And…closing more beach property and continued restricted access to our beaches will have a severe, negative impact to our local economy. Millions of visitors come to St. Augustine and St. Johns County to visit our beaches. With no available parking to accommodate those visitors, they may choose to visit elsewhere. We want to provide an opportunity for the business community to come together and organize a strong challenge to this threat.

Beach access is at risk everywhere. Other communities across the nation are experiencing the same battles that we are. Unless grassroots efforts are taken now, our access to our beaches will be lost forever.

You can make a difference right now!

1. Please email the following address and ask to be added to the email distribution list: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2. Collect email addresses from everyone you know who is against this ban and send them to the same email address.

3. Regularly visit this site and keep up with what is happening. There will be a time soon we will need you to contact your representatives and meet a organized peaceful rallies, etc.

4. If you own a business, email us the name of your business in support of this challenge.

Representative contacts:

Board of County Commissioners: