WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has given the thumbs up allowing permitted construction to continue along Volusia County beaches during the upcoming turtle nesting season.

What You Need To Know

  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has decided to allow permitted construction during the upcoming turtle nesting season

  • The move is critical for homeowners and businesses still dealing with damage from hurricanes Ian and Nicole

  • Individual construction projects after April 30 will be required to follow strict guidelines to keep wildlife safe

  • Some Volusia County parks are closed due to hurricane damage and some 80 walkovers needing serious repair

The move is critical for the county, homeowners and businesses and the county still dealing with damage from hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

The green light also gives the county an opportunity to repair public beach walkovers and parks that need repair.

Turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Volusia County Coastal Division Director Jessica Fentress said she believes it is a smart move to allow construction to continue.

“What this allows us to do is with the right precautions in place, to protect the nesting sea turtles. We can continue with construction,” she said.

Individual construction projects underway after April 30 will be required to follow strict guidelines to keep wildlife safe. 

Volusia County officials say this includes daily third-party surveys for sea turtle activity at all construction sites, and using specific access ramps for construction.

The county allowed construction projects during the 2023 turtle nesting season and considered it a success. 

The county reports that some 80 walkovers need repair so visitors and residents can have beach access, and Fentress said the extra time would be well spent.

“The ability to do construction during turtle nesting season is directly affecting the ability to open this beach access to our public this summer,” she said.

Contractor and engineer John Zemball, who owns East Coast Marine and Construction & Design in Daytona Beach, said he has been busy since hurricanes Ian and Nicole hit in 2022.

“Right after the hurricane, it was a war zone out here,” he said.

Zemball has multiple construction projects that include homes and businesses needing repair across the county, and said having the ability to continue during the turtle nesting season will benefit many people.

“This is one we’re starting today,” he said of a project getting underway Thursday. “We have a material delivery coming in, and obviously this is a 60-day project. So had we not been given that grace, these properties are critically vulnerable and would not get the attention they need prior to hurricane season this year.”