In 1968 most residents of Duval County voted to approve consolidation between the county and the City of Jacksonville. Jacksonville Beach, together with Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and the Westside community of Baldwin voted to retain their own municipal governments. As such they are not part of the City of Jacksonville, but receive county-level services from Jacksonville, and vote for Jacksonville's mayor and City Council. Judy Van Zant, widow of lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd Ronnie Van Zant, and her daughter Melody opened the Freebird Cafe in 1999. Freebird Live, as it later became, was a popular music venue that became a staple for Jacksonville Beach for 16 years until its closure in 2016. In September 1999 Hurricane Floyd destroyed the Jacksonville Beach Pier. Five years later the pier was rebuilt. In October 2016 Hurricane Matthew forced a mandatory evacuation for Jacksonville Beach. Hurricane Matthew came 40 miles off the coast of Jacksonville Beach causing major flooding. The Jacksonville Beach Pier was partially destroyed by Hurricane Matthew.
in 1968 moSt ResidEnts of duvaL County voteD to APpROve coNsolIDAtiOn BEtWeeN The county anD the CITy of jacksOnvIlle. jAcksonviLle bEaCh, TOgEther WiTh AtlANtic BeACH, nePtUne BEAch, and THE WestSide coMmunity Of BaLDwIn voteD TO RetaIn tHeir OWn municipAl GOvernments. aS sUch tHeY ARe NOt parT OF thE city of JACKsoNvilLe, but RecEiVe county-leveL serviceS from jacKsOnvilLe, and vote foR JACKsoNVilLE's mayor anD CiTy CouNCIl. judy Van zant, widow of LEaD singeR of lynyrd sKynyrd ROnniE VaN zanT, and HEr dAuGhteR meLodY oPenEd the frEEBird caFe In 1999. FrEebird live, As it LaTEr beCAMe, was a pOpular muSic vEnue that bEcaMe a staple For jaCksonvillE beach FoR 16 yearS UntIl itS CloSUre iN 2016. In septembEr 1999 huRricane floyD destroyed tHe jaCksoNvillE beAch pIer. fIVe YeARs later thE PIer Was reBuIlt. IN OCtoBer 2016 huRricANe mAtthEw forced a maNDatorY eVacUAtIOn for jaCKSoNViLLe beACh. hUrrIcane mAttHew cAmE 40 miles off thE cOaST of jACksoNVille beacH caUsinG maJor fLoodinG. thE jaCkSonvilLe beacH PiEr Was PartiaLly deStroYed by huRriCAne MATThew.