Daytona Beach would like better restrooms, police services
By Al Everson
posted May 15, 2008 - 8:03:08pm
More than two decades after Volusia County assumed control of most of its ocean shoreline, Daytona Beach may want some of that control back.
The mere mention of such an idea caused some consternation for county officials. Yet, Daytona Beach Mayor Glenn Ritchey says his city would like to "enhance" services provided on the beach, specifically "police services, trash collection and restrooms."
"It was never our intention to take over," Ritchey told The DeLand-Deltona Beacon. He said the Daytona Beach City Commission wants "the opportunity to work together" with the county to make the beach better for visitors and residents.
County Chair Frank Bruno defended the status quo, which gives the county primacy over the cities.
"I am very proud of our beach-management track record," Bruno said.
"The people of Volusia County voted overwhelmingly to give the authority to Volusia County," Bruno said.
Bruno said he is not opposed to an offer by Daytona Beach or any other seaside city to raise the level of services on the beaches.
"My concern is when I hear the cities say they want to take over the beach," he said.
The law supports the county's standing over the cities, according to County Attorney Dan Eckert.
"A county ordinance prevails over a municipal ordinance," Eckert said, referring to the Florida Constitution.
Before 1987, each of the coastal cities — from Ormond Beach southward to New Smyrna Beach — governed the portion of the seashore within its municipal limits, and the various jurisdictions had different laws for the beach.
Some portions of the beach, such as Ormond-by-the-Sea, Wilbur-by-the-Sea, and Bethune Beach, are also in unincorporated Volusia County. Council Member Carl Persis remembered "the hodgepodge days when different cities had different speed limits, different dog laws."
Very confusing, Persis recalled.
"It was a mess; it was an absolute disaster," he said.
In the 1986 general election, a majority of the county voters passed the Beach Trust Amendment, a change in the county's home-rule charter. The amendment called for uniform standards for all of the beach within the county's jurisdiction.
"From the perspective of the County Council that was elected in 1986 and took office in 1987, this was an oversight responsibility," Eckert said.
The new beach code also dealt with concessionaires and special events.
In addition to enacting uniform regulations for the beach, the County Council took the controversial step of charging tolls for driving and parking along the ocean.
The county provides most of the law-enforcement services on the beaches, and the lifeguards are county employees.
The county exercises jurisdiction over about 40 miles of Atlantic shoreline. The Canaveral National Seashore, which is a federal park, is not included.
County Manager James Dinneen said he talked with Daytona Beach officials about the possibility of collaborating on beach services. Dinneen held out little hope such joint efforts would save money for the county.
"We spend about $12 million for these services, and we only get back about $3 million in revenue," Dinneen said. "At this point, I do not see anything they [the cities] could do that would reduce our cost. ... I do not see us having a major change in our responsibility."
The $3 million revenue figure includes tolls, fees paid by beach concessionaires, and fines for violating traffic-safety laws or county ordinances. The bulk of beach expenses — some $9 million — is covered by the county general fund.
"I don't think Volusia County ever really wanted to take over," Persis said. "I think the only bad thing when the county took over was the tolls."
He still favors eliminating the tolls, which Council Member Pat Northey wants to continue charging.
"Until we take cars off the beach, I am going to support tolls on the beach," she said.
Northey has long advocated banning vehicular traffic from Volusia County's beaches.
In any event, the cities may not try to void the beach-access charges.
"The toll issue is something the municipalities cannot do anything about," Bruno said.
Persis said he would not object if Daytona Beach wants to "embellish the service" on the beaches.
"I suppose an embellishment of service would be to pick up trash twice a day," Eckert said.
Even so, if Daytona Beach takes on extra litter-pickup and ramp-cleaning, added Eckert, the city must be careful to avoid violating federal and county sea-turtle-protection regulations.
One service in need of extra attention, according to Daytona Beach's Ritchey, is the public restrooms. Some people, he said, compared the beachside restrooms "to a Third World country."
"That was in some of the e-mails I received," Ritchey said.
"We know the restroom facilities need a lot of attention," Council Member Art Giles said.
Along with Daytona Beach, a neighboring city with a similar name also may ask the county for leeway in beefing up some services. Daytona Beach Shores Assistant City Manager Jim McCroskey said nothing is yet firm.
"There has been a lot of discussion about what-ifs, but until there is direction from three of five [City] Council members, it's just wait-and-see," McCroskey said.
Whether the county remains the sole provider of services and the prime enforcer on the beach, Giles said the county should maintain a "dry" beach.
"I know not one of us wants to see alcohol on that beach," Giles said. "That will never happen while these same people are sitting here."
Additional discussions between city and county officials about beach services may occur in the coming weeks.
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