St. Johns County is scrapping an emergency evacuation program after almost 20 years.
Re-entry tags were meant to ensure people returning to neighborhoods after an evacuation order were actually residents.
But after listening to concerned residents who went through Hurricane Matthew, county officials decided it was an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, said a county spokesman.
Instead of the colored tags residents hung in their car windshields, law enforcement will now allow people to prove their address with a driver’s license, utility bill or any state-issued ID.
County spokesman Michael Ryan said the chaos following Hurricane Matthew prompted officials to take a second look at the practice.
“The system was just a bit antiquated and it was in some opinions inconvenient. So we worked with our local law enforcement and our first responders to identify a way that was easier for residents to re-enter their communities after a hurricane,” he said.
Some Anastasia Island residents were barred because they didn't have their usual cars, or the tag wasn’t with them. Ryan said that will no longer be an issue — though people will still have to wait until emergency crews declare neighborhoods safe before they can return home.
Ryan said feedback from some residents made it clear it was time for the change.
Ryan Benk can be reached at rbenk@wjct.org, 904-358-6319 or on Twitter @RyanMichaelBenk
