NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – After two years of research, more than a dozen public hearings and 1,500 emails from residents, Nassau County commissioners have voted to update regulations regarding camping and driving on the beach.
The county has contracted an outside security group to watch over three beach access points 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Security guards will be checking licenses to make sure only county residents are driving on the beach, and the updated county ordinance says they’ll have the ability to check your cooler and your car for alcohol.
A guard will give residents a pass, but if they don’t agree to a search, they won’t be permitted to drive on the beach.
Connie Nicholson, who lives in Nassau and drives on the beach frequently, said she appreciates the privilege of beach driving as many municipalities in Northeast Florida don’t allow it.
“Just be aware,” she said. “You’re very cautious and you go very slowly and you’re mindful of everything that’s going on around you.”
Some people in the county, like Chris Carlee, don’t see the need.
“I think accidents can certainly happen and there’s no reason, I don’t think, to have a car on the beach," he said.
Beach camping has been another hot topic in Nassau County for years. No camping will be allowed between May 1 and Oct. 31 due to turtle nesting season, but the new ordinance also says beach camping will not be allowed at all starting this November all the way to Halloween of 2021.
A county spokesperson said commissioners want to bring back beach camping outside of turtle nesting season, but they’re still figuring out how to do that. “Primitive group camping” will be allowed with a permit at Burney Park.
According to the ordinance, the security company -- Giddens Security Corporation -- has agreed to a contact at the rate of $21.50 per hour for a minimum of 392 hours per week as well as a holiday rate pay of 1 1/2 times that rate at a cost to the county.