Apr 6, 2021 12:57 PM DeLand, FL - There was no mention of free beach passes for Volusia County residents during the more than 20-minute discussion of naming rights for all beach approaches. That discussion ended with all council members voting to table the subject until after October 1. Item number 12 on today s (April 6) agenda belonged to Chair Jeff Brower who made a strong push for staff to be instructed to move forward with the idea by making a presentation of what he calls another revenue source. One of the things that we could do is set a goal for collecting a million dollars a year, an alternative revenue source. We have 29 beach approaches, that s $32,698 a year, per approach. Other council members, starting with Ben Johnson, said that county staff has a lot on their plate right now and that this discussion should be tabled until after October 1. Brower reiterated several times that he just wants the discussion to get started on the subject of beach access na
Council shuts down naming rights, free beach access for Volusia County residents
Council will take up free access again in October
Molly Reed, Reporter
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Volusia County Council members determined residents will not be getting free beach access, at least anytime soon. (WKMG 2021)
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – After a heated debate during Tuesday’s Volusia County council meeting, it was determined people living in Volusia County will not be getting free beach access anytime soon.
Councilman Jeff Brower floated the idea to drop the fees in order to attract people to less crowded beaches. He was looking at selling the naming rights at each of the county’s 30 beach accesses to organizations and companies and use that money to offset the cost of giving residents free beach access.
Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower is continuing his push to expand beach driving and has come up with an idea to eliminate tolls for drivers who live within the county. I will propose, for the Council s consideration, that locals merely show their license to the toll takers. If you live in Volusia you drive right through, Brower posted on Facebook. No need for a complicated system. This is easy and fair.
The Volusia County Council will discuss the idea at Tuesday’s meeting.
County officials estimate beach pass sales will generate $6,781,279 in revenue this fiscal year.
The county raked in an average of $6.5 million from beach tolls in 2018 and 2019, but beach visits plummeted in spring 2020, when the county enforced a 44-day closure to vehicles to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
Volusia County leaders to debate dropping beach driving fee for residents
Commissioner to introduce idea later this month
Molly Reed, Reporter
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Commissioners to discuss removing vehicle access fee for residents at April 20 meeting. (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A Volusia county commissioner wants to drop the fee for residents to drive on the beach.
Council Chair Jeff Brower said behind this one big idea are several ideas that could help drive the economy back to some of the beachside businesses and help regulate some of the traffic at these access ramps.
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Volusia County residents must pay $25 for an annual beach access pass to use one of the county’s 30 access ramps. Brower wants to end that.
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