ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — Roasting chestnuts on an open fire on the beach in Atlantic Beach is going to cost you.
Atlantic Beach is one of the few places on the First Coast where folks can enjoy setting up a fire on the beach – it’s not allowed in Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach or St. Johns County at all.
However, issues with debris left behind and enforcement of the permits prompted the city commission to increase the fee and make it a bit stricter.
“It’s just a great family event," said Tom Traverse while purchasing a beach fire permit. "Multi-generational. My children as well as my grandchildren. It’s just a blast.”
Traverse’s last beach fire full of food and relatives strumming guitars was such a success, he’s doing it again.
This time he's hosting it with family coming from out of town for the holidays.
Getting the permits to host beach fires in Atlantic Beach, however, is starting to add up.
“Everything’s so expensive anymore," said Traverse. "For a concert ticket – being able to have a big party out there on the beach. It’s worth it.”
Traverse could’ve gotten his permit online for $25 last year, but a new policy requires a bit more than that this year.
The Atlantic Beach city commission voted to triple the fee to $75, while also requiring a $150 deposit on top of that which folks can only get back if they return the permit sign and take a picture to prove they cleaned up.
“The fee increase pays for police patrols and when needed, defray the cost of cleaning up, ensure the ashes, debris and fire pits are all removed, which of course protects the beach ecosystem," said Deputy City Manager Kevin Hoggencamp.
Permits also have to applied for in person now at the Adele Grage Cultural Center.
Hoggencamp says the new rules are partly designed to reduce the amount of permitted fires the beach sees each winter.
The city permitted more than 600 beach fires last winter, but with the new regulations, they’re only on pace for about 400 this year.
“It’s a long standing tradition in Atlantic Beach," said Hoggencamp. "We respect that and support continuing the tradition, but we had to step in and get a better handle on our beach fire permitting.”
Traverse said he appreciates the extra enforcement, and bringing folks together around the fire still seems pretty popular based on his experience. “From our location, you could see bonfires all the way down the beach to [Beaches] Town Center. It’s pretty cool.”
Beach fires are only permitted between November and February from 6-10 at night Fridays through Sundays and around major holidays.
More information on the new beach fire permit process is available here.