VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Months after hurricanes Ian and Nicole ravaged much of the Atlantic Coastline, many homeowners along the beach in Volusia County are now in a race against time. Another hurricane season is quickly approaching, and Volusia County leaders say nearly 200 homes are still unprotected from future storms.

The county is offering temporary beach-nourishing easements that should hold up during the next big storm, and they say the more homeowners who sign up for those the better.

During Hurricane Ian, the Sandpiper Condominiums in New Smyrna Beach got hit with so much sand and water, it filled their pools and brought the beach right up to homeowners’ doorsteps.

“We had the sand pumped out, the water pumped out, got it back to being pristine and then the second hurricane hit and we had to do it again,” said condo owner and COA President Ronnie Faircloth.

Faircloth says each condo owner had to pay $3,500 total after Ian and Nicole combined just to restore the condos. He says the problem at Sandpiper Condominiums is that there is so much sand it is making their seawall level with the beach, which provides no protection from future storms.

That is why Faircloth went to a county meeting on Monday night where officials encouraged residents who need more sand protection to sign off on the construction of beach nourishment easements. 

“We’re dealing with the excesses, and I feel for the other folks,” said Faircloth. “But I’m saying here, you need it? Come get it. We’ll take it to you. We’ll pay to get it to you.”

Volusia County is ready to work with homeowners to install a trapbag system, which would add new sand to properties. The trapbags hold the sand in place so it won’t wash away until permanent protection is built.

Faircloth said he is still waiting for his sand to get hauled away months later.

“We’ve literally been trying for three to four months to get these permits. The state says talk to the county, the county says you’ve got to start with the state first,” said Faircloth. 

Faircloth says there is just one month before sea turtle nesting season begins in May, so if they can’t get anything done by then, another big storm during hurricane season could hit each condo owner here financially.

“So the next hurricane, get your checkbooks out because you’re going to have to give us more money so we can stay solvent as an organization,” said Faircloth. 

Homeowners who did not attend two meetings held by the county can still reach out to Volusia County Government to sign up for the temporary easements.