Where is Little Beach?

Historic City News readers following the City of St Augustine’s recent actions to survey and devise a management plan for future use of the public beach property at “Little Beach” in Lighthouse Park have been asking, “Where is Little Beach”?

The reason that many residents, even those who have been here a while, might not be able to find Little Beach, is the same reason they might not be able to find any number of other public beaches in St Johns County that are only accessible by limited access points.

“The beach at Lighthouse Park is not the one at the ramp; it’s downstream about a fifth of a mile and has a little known public access,” Port and Waterway Commissioner Jay Bliss explained to Historic City News. “Little Beach can be accessed at the corner of Ocean Way and Magnolia Drive.”

Looking at an aerial photograph, it’s clear to see that the public access point is landlocked by private property and its owners — who are, somewhat selfishly, happy to keep the public access a secret. Lighthouse Park is a similar subdivision to Nelmar Terrace in North City, in that the streets are only two-lanes wide, and, except for the major entrance corridor roadways that border the neighborhoods, are entirely residential. The neighbors who have come to enjoy peace and quiet, will understandably resist any change that includes attracting extra traffic — just ask 7-Eleven.

Another good comparison is that Little Beach is a lot like the north St Johns County beaches, especially as you get closer to Ponte Vedra Beach. For decades, the county has owned, but not aggressively maintained, public beach access points from Vilano Beach, north. Ostensibly these little known access points, like Little Beach, are connected only by limited access dirt roads; so, although they do allow access, they do not offer the public a place to park their vehicles without intruding on someone else’s private property or parking in the road. They have been the bone of contention between beachfront landowners and local surfers on the hunt for the perfect wave for generations.

Surfing is not adding increased attention to Little Beach, however, canoeing and small-boat fishing in Salt Run is. A number of rental boat slots are anticipated in the future in a public area where some private owners have already been storing their kayaks and canoes. The increased commercial activity, either under the management of the city or a private vendor, will mean more attention to Little Beach and the inextricable vehicular traffic.

City Manager, John Regan, told the City Commission last week that discussions between neighbors and boat owners have been “very respectful and open” with regard to balancing property owner encroachments and abuses on the beach areas.