Dogs On The Beach—Pilot Program

by Pat Kuehn

The Volusia County Council has approved an 18-month pilot program that will permit dogs on a designated section of the county’s public beach. The program is scheduled to begin November 1.
“Like every County Council member, I have put a lot of thought into this issue,” said County Chair Jeff Brower. “This is a pilot program. If we see an issue or problem somewhere, we can come back and add further restrictions.”

“This is a win for all Volusia County residents,” said District 4 County Council Member Troy Kent. “We are talking about 1 percent of our beach becoming dog friendly.”

The approved area will stretch from the northern boundary of the right-of-way of Rockefeller

Drive to the southern boundary of Milsap Road in Ormond Beach and will allow dogs from sunrise to sunset.

The following terms have been established and must be followed by those who decide to take their dogs to the authorized section:

• Pet owners must promptly clean up after their dogs, ensuring all feces are properly disposed of.
• Dogs must not disturb or harm the dune areas or wildlife inhabiting the beach.
• All dogs entering the beach area must have a current rabies vaccination.
• Visitors are required to adhere to the guidelines posted by the county regarding dogs on the beach.

The approved Milsap to Rockefeller area, spanning 0.6 miles, allows beach driving. Additionally, the county maintains two off- beach parking lots in this stretch: a 124-space lot at Cardinal Drive and a 33-space lot at Rockefeller Drive. Visitors can also use the 90 parking spaces available at

Andy Romano Beachfront Park, and six public spaces at the Milsap ramp. Another public access point is at River Beach Drive.

To clearly identify the dog-friendly areas, signage will be installed at each beach ramp, accompanied by signs or flags mounted on posts at the northern and southern boundaries. Dog bag dispensers will be affixed to the trash and recycling bins in the permitted zone.