- January 18, 2025
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Flagler County residents are opposing a proposal to close a small community boat launch for the construction of a seawall.
As of Jan. 26, 76 people had signed a petition urging the Flagler County Commission not to close the small launch on Pamela Parkway, which residents use to launch canoes, kayaks and small jon boats. The proposal is slated for a Feb. 1 County Commission meeting.
"The residents of the area use this right-of-way boat ramp to launch boats, jet skis, kayaks, paddle boards, go fishing, swimming and enjoy the beautiful sunset on the Intracoastal Waterway," the petition states. "Resident have enjoyed using this community access for 32 years. ... It currently has added to value of all the residents' properties."
Two residents — Richard Marchewka and John Dougherty, who own the properties north and south of the launch — had asked the board to vacate the county's right-of-way at the boat launch so that they can build a seawall there, but the opponents said they feared that a new sea wall might cause other properties to flood.
"The area to be vacated is currently open to the public due to its status as a dedicated roadway and provides legal access to the Intracoastal Waterway," a county staff document states. "However, this area is not maintained as a public access point by Flagler County, and there is no community homeowners association that may oversee the maintenance of the access way. The end of the roadway is rock and sand and is unsuitable for launching trailered vessels."
