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Residents urge Escambia County commissioners to reject "customary use" approach for Purto Key private beaches
Summary
At a Gary Sansing public forum, multiple Purto Key property owners and residents urged the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners not to pursue a customary-use ordinance, warning it would likely trigger costly litigation and that existing public beaches and cooperative approaches should be prioritized.
Speakers at the Gary Sansing public forum urged the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners to abandon efforts to establish customary public rights over privately deeded beaches on Purto Key, warning the county faces a steep legal uphill battle and substantial litigation costs.
Tony Hobs (introduced by the chair) told commissioners that Escambia County already lost a customary-use claim in a 1978 final judgment related to Purto Key and that the county “is not allowed to take a second bite of the apple.” He outlined the four elements courts consider for customary use—ancient, reasonable, uninterrupted and not in…
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