Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Beach Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Belleair Beach council presses neighboring town over locked access gates, proposes pedestrian gates
Summary
After residents reported deputies locking beach-access gates that Belleair Beach residents have deeded access to, the mayor proposed sending a letter and offered that the city pay for pedestrian-only gates so residents retain foot access while vehicle access could remain restricted; council discussed legal and interlocal-agreement options.
Belleair Beach council members spent a large portion of their Sept. 15 meeting on complaints that a neighboring town has been locking vehicle-access gates that Belleair Beach residents say include deeded pedestrian access. The mayor told the council he plans to ask for permission to present the matter at the neighboring town's meeting and to send a letter documenting the city's position.
The mayor described three options and proposed a compromise: the city would pay to install and maintain pedestrian-only gates at the affected accesses to preserve resident foot access while leaving vehicle restrictions to the neighboring town. "We actually pay for it. We maintain it. If there's an emergency situation, we lock it. And it's ours," the mayor said, urging a measured, documented approach.
Council members raised legal and property-deed questions. The mayor said the deeded access language and a 2003 interlocal agreement support Belleair Beach residents' rights to pedestrian entry, and that the short-term-rental argument used by the other jurisdiction is not applicable because Belleair Beach requires a 90-day minimum rental. One council member noted the deeded access was granted to residents east of Gulf Boulevard and emphasized a preference to avoid litigation if possible.
Council members also cautioned about steps to escalate the dispute; one council member suggested attending the neighboring meeting and presenting the letter in public rather than sending it in advance to avoid unilateral representation of the council. The sheriff's office has been contacted and, according to one council exchange, turned the matter over to legal counsel, which viewed it as a town-to-town dispute that should be resolved between the municipalities.
The council authorized the mayor to proceed with outreach and to attempt a negotiated solution, including the proposed pedestrian-gate option, and asked staff to include copies of the 2003 interlocal agreement and relevant municipal-code sections with any correspondence.
