Posted on November 21, 2025
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — After Hurricanes Ian and Nicole hit in 2022, Trap Bags were placed along the shoreline to help prevent further damage. Now, those temporary barriers in New Smyrna Beach just south of Sapphire Road will be replaced by a new sand berm designed to reduce future erosion.
Some residents are not convinced it will make a lasting difference.
“I think that it’s going to be a huge waste of money because the next hurricane we have, it’s all going to go away again. Mother Nature does this,” said one local resident.
Jessica Fentress, with Volusia County’s Coastal Division, said this initiative is not a full-scale beach nourishment effort, which would require much more sand.
The goal with this berm project is to strengthen coastal resilience while maintaining natural habitats.
“This adds an extra layer of buffer between our private property owners and the waterline,” Fentress said. “It puts sand back into the system so that our nesting shorebirds, our sea turtles, and our surfers all have habitat to thrive in.”
This project will differ from the one completed to the north.
“For the north berm project, the sand came directly out of the water source from the Intracoastal,” Fentress said. “The sand for the south project has been sitting in a pit for years, so it has already gone through the dewatering and bleaching process. It has been tested and is fully beach-compliant, passing all FDEP markers.”
Equipment will begin staging later this year, with sand pumping expected to start in early January.
“We are going to have about a rolling 1,000-foot-long closure on the beach,” Fentress said.
The work will begin at Sapphire Road and continue south for about five and a half miles. Officials say it will provide a new buffer for coastal properties and wildlife.
Still, some residents believe the coast’s future is always in nature’s hands.
“Beach changes with the weather, beach changes with the government,” said resident Robert Johnson.
Beachfront property owners between Sapphire Road and 5205 S. Atlantic Ave. in New Smyrna Beach who do not have a recorded construction easement with the County should contact Paul Whiting at pwhiting@volusia.org to complete one. Without a recorded easement, sand cannot be placed beachside of a property.
Volusia County is asking for the public’s input. They have a survey open through 2026 where people can give their input about how they want their beaches to look and be managed. More info on that can be found here: https://www.volusia.org/news/volusia-county-encourages-residents-to-review-coastal-feasibility-study-materials-and-share-feedback-online.stml
