No New Beach Raking on Cocoa Beach!

The Cocoa Beach City Commission is considering a proposal to use a mechanical rake to clean a one-mile section of the beach, from Sidney Fischer Park to the Cocoa Beach Pier. The proposal is not included in the annual budget but will cost the city $50,000 annually. Beach raking destroys the natural wrack line, impacts wildlife habitat, and decreases dune creation and enhancement. Advocates for the beach raking have stated that if “successful”, they will push to expand beach raking to other areas. Cocoa Beach and Brevard County are important not only for their recreational benefits, but also because they attract the second largest population of nesting Loggerhead sea turtles in the world! Beach raking jeopardizes the health and sustainability of our beaches!

Victory! By working with the City Commission and other local partners, the proposal to add a new one-mile stretch of beach was dropped from consideration. In order to stop the proposal, the Cocoa Beach Chapter gathered public opposition of the proposal, spoke at the City Commission meeting, and negotiated with proponents of beach raking.