VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A new plan from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office could mean fewer places to park on the sand during busy weekends and holidays.
During the Fourth of July holiday weekend, beach parking was closed in front of off-beach parks in Volusia County.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the decision was made in response to recent crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians on the beach.
“If you have a county park and we invested all that money — splash pads, kids are going to run back and forth — why not create a little bit of a safe zone?” Chitwood said.
The temporary change removed about 125 parking spots on the sand, according to Chitwood.
The sheriff said the weekend went smoothly, with no major traffic incidents reported from Friday through Sunday. He also posted a 16-minute video on Facebook showing several families who said they supported the setup.
Chitwood said he believes the plan should be used on busy weekends and holidays and plans to bring the idea before county leaders.
But County Council Chair Jeff Brower is pushing back.
Brower said closing more beach parking does not necessarily make the beach safer. He said with much of the beach already closed to driving, limiting parking could push more vehicles into fewer areas.
“Now we’ve closed 67% of our beach to beach driving,” Brower said. “Now all those cars are compacted to one area, so when we close parking, it’s not being more safe.”
Brower said he also heard from people who were confused by the signs and thought beach driving itself was closed.
“The last thing we need is more U-turns,” Brower said.
Brower said he plans to bring forward an ordinance that would move in the opposite direction by opening more of the beach to vehicles.
Chitwood said public safety is his responsibility and defended the decision.
“I don’t answer to the county manager,” Chitwood said. “A decision was made, and I support everyone in that room. And if you want to throw slings and arrows, throw them at me.”
The debate is expected to continue as county leaders consider how to balance beach access, parking and safety during peak weekends.
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