Beach Project Highlights

The City has a number of projects under construction on our Beach and the barrier island at this time. And a we have a number of recently completed projects that we are proud of.

• Sea Turtle Conservation Program
• Blue Flag Designation
• COAST: Clean Oceans and Sands Team
• Dune Master Plan
• Beach Nourishment
• Beach Master plan Phase 2
• Atlantic Dunes Pavilion
• Lifeguard Towers

Ongoing Projects

Dune Master Plan

Natural dune systems balance wildlife, recreational, aesthetic and storm protection needs. The City of Delray Beach developed the Dune Management Plan in order to enhance the health of the dune system and promote strength and species diversity along the 1.22-mile stretch of municipal beach.

As part of the management plan, in early 2020, the City performed an assessment of the sea grapes and other plant species along the beach. The first semi-annual trimming activities are tentatively scheduled to commence the week of June 22, 2020. 

The work will also include the removal of exotic vegetation, planting native Dune vegetation, and continued maintenance of sea grape height. For the majority of the Municipal Beach, following the initial trimming of the sea grapes, the shrubs will be maintained at 36 to 48 inches accomplished in twice-yearly trimmings. 

Because sea grape has been so successful in the City’s dune, it is necessary to reduce the expansion of the sea grape by removing it from the foredune and also in several places where it is attempting to take hold and out-compete native plants. The goal is to replicate the historic coastal strand growth form, improve storm resilience and to control lateral spread. 

• Dune Master Plan - Sea Grape Trimming Plan.

Beach Nourishment

The United States Army Corps of Engineers will be performing a Beach Nourishment project on our beach this winter in response to the 2017 Hurricane Season (Irma, Maria). The work includes placing approximately 325,000 cubic yards of sand on the south end of the beach, in the area of Atlantic Dunes Park. For updates on the progress of the beach nourishment project visit delraycoastalconstruction.com/progess/

The Delray Beach Shore Protection Program consists of the design, permitting, construction and monitoring of approximately 2.8 miles of shoreline. The primary focus of the program is to provide for the protection and enhancement of the beach and coastal resources in accordance with State and Federal permit conditions. The Program includes annual topographic (onshore) and bathymetric (offshore) surveys of the beach and offshore. The monitoring data is used to assess, with quantitative measurement, the performance of the beach replenishment projects. The monitoring data provides the City and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection information necessary to plan for the next renourishment project, evaluate the beach performance and optimize the design of the next beach renourishment project.

The City of Delray Beach holds a Joint Coastal Permit (JCP) with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) for sand nourishment of the beachfront with offshore borrow areas. The City of Delray Beach has participated in eight beach nourishment projects from 1973 to 2012, with the most recent sand renourishment project completed in 2014 in response to damages incurred by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.  The City is currently working towards the next regularly scheduled renourishment event (anticipated winter 2020), performing a sand search and associated permitting to identify offshore sand sources for future projects, continuing post-construction monitoring for the 2013 and 2014 projects and preparation for the USACE Flood Control and Coastal Emergency (FCCE) project anticipated winter 2019. 

Beach Master Plan Phase 2

The Beach Master Plan phase 2  will have the installation of the new pedestrian light poles on the east (beach) side of A1A. The City will start installing the pedestrian light poles at Beach Drive and continue their light pole installation to the south on A1A. At the start of the work a number of parking stalls on the east side of A1A will not be available for use and will be signed NO PARKING.  As the lighting work progresses south and the pedestrian light poles are installed and secured, the closed parking stalls will be REOPENED for public parking. The new pedestrian lighting system is being installed from Beach Drive on the north end of the project to Casuarina Road on the south end of the project.

Recently Completed 

Atlantic Dunes Pavilion

The original pavilion and boardwalk was destroyed by arson in June 2016, and was replaced exactly as it was with the exception that it is stronger and able to handle higher winds associated with major storm events. The replacement of the pavilion and boardwalk was completed in Fall 2018.

New Lifeguard towers

The City has replaced all eight of the current lifeguard towers with new towers that will provide greater public safety for beachgoers. Features include:

• They are designed on skids so that they can be maintained at a proper distance from the water due to changes beach changes caused by either beach renourishment projects and major storms.
• The new towers are outfitted with impact glass and louvered aluminum shutters to lower over the windows to protect them from flying debris or vandalism.
• New roofing to match the main pavilion and gazebos were put in place.

Beach Area Master Plan History

The plans for our beach project was first conceived in 2009 by the Beach Property Owners' Association, Inc. (BPOA). During that year, local architect Bob Currie drafted a design concept showing ways to incorporate improvements to the beach. In the years to follow, the BPOA provided leadership on this topic in the community, holding charities and raising funds to serve as seed money to begin the project. When the economy slowed, however, the plan was postponed, but never forgotten.

The City Commission championed the cause, fast-tracking the project by providing funds to design the architecture and complete construction plans for the Beach Area Master Plan. Construction for the project began on April 3, 2017, and was completed by the beginning of October 2017.

Contact Us

For general questions concerning the construction, please contact Isaac Kovner at (561) 243-7341 for Atlantic Dunes Pavilion and the Beach Promenade.

For the Reclaimed 12C project, please call Cynthia Fuentes at (561) 243-7196.