They Really, Really, Really Do NOT want us to #OpenOurBeach......

Condo Owners near the County's 330 foot parcel of Beachfront property love to use our beach as their own "private" beach.  They even advertise it!  Now that we're going to #OpenOurBeach--a group of condo owners are going to court to try to stop us.  They like it the way it is, because it is a comfortable status quo for them.

First, the folks that never wanted us to do what we voted to do (namely, to open our 330 foot Gulf-Front parcel in Perdido Key for habitat conservation AND Public Beach Access) intentionally perpetuated a comfortable status quo where no action was taken on our land at the beach.  The parcel just sat there.  No habitat fencing, no signage describing the sensitivity of the area, no "no trespassing" signs or "keep out" signs cautioning beach goers not to venture into the dunes.  Nope. Only a "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" sign at the road, along with a locked, fenced gate to keep folks from parking there. And no public beach access.  For four years.

This pleased some special interest developers and a number of nearby condominium owners who really wanted no development at all on that site while the condo owners enjoyed unfettered access to what had become their own "private beach."

It was great for those that already "had theirs" but it was untenable for the county taxpayers, the OWNERS of that parcel who, by this purposeful inaction, were being kept OUT of accessing this prime Gulf-front land.

Every excuse in the book was being put forward--but none of it withstood even the slightest bit of scrutiny. Some people said it was all "political"--but they were wrong.  It isn't political, it was never political, it's about doing what is right.  And so shortly thereafter ----the BCC's Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to grant a conditional use permit for public beach access at this location after the BCC voted to put funding forward to #OpenOurBeach.

So now come the lawyers of the Condo Owners, trying to get the Circuit Court to overturn the BCC and BOA decision to #OpenOurBeach.  They have filed this document hoping to slow down our work to #OpenOurBeach.  What a shame, how disappointing.

But it's not surprising to those of us who've followed this. Because these special interests really, really, really don't want you and I going out there and using "their" beach.  It's shameless.

But we will fix it and we will throw a massive beach party this year, this summer, when we #OpenOurBeach.

For those that are just now tuning in to this mess--if you want the full backstory--just hit the #OpenOurBeach hashtag in this blog's search bar (or on my commissioner's facebook page) and you will get it all.

How Will We Pay to #OpenOurBeach ?

Beach Access #4 has been locked and off-limits to the public for the last 7 years since the county paid just over $3Million to acquire this parcel for habitat conservation and public access.  We have done the work, we have the plan, and I have identified a source to complete the project.  It is time for us, finally, to #OpenOurBeach.  

Some folks have speculated on the "how" question.

Now that the Restore Act Project has been pulled back, in order to use restore act funds to #OpenOurBeach at Perdido Key Beach Access #4 we would have to start from scratch, build a new project, vet it, take public comment, and re-submit it to the US Treasury.  That could be an option, but that would take too long.

We could always seek to utilize TDT funds (hotel tax monies)--however that would also be a circuitous process, as the law changed in 2018 and now any infrastructure-related expenditures of these funds require a study indicating the tourist related impact necessitating the expenditure.   Additionally, the law requires that the local Tourist Development Council bless any such expenditure.  So this could happen, but again it would be a long process.

General fund dollars could always be used--but even I would not support expenditure of general fund dollars for this project.

So this really leaves few options for this funding.  LOST IV is already overspent for the first 4 years and there are no residual funds from LOST III that could be used.  This I confirmed with the budget and finance office yesterday.

But after going through multiple sources and scenarios, I finally came to a funding source that is available, unallocated, and ready for utilization.

"These funds would be an allowable source to fund the Perdido Key Beach Access Project"  Said attorney Alison Rogers yesterday evening when I asked her about this funding source in particular.

"There are more than enough funds there to do this if the board directs it" said Stephan Hall when I asked him about this specifically in my weekly conference call yesterday evening.

I intend to discuss this funding source this morning during our Committee of the Whole when we discuss this project.

We will #OpenOurBeach!

What is the Realistic Timeline for us to #OpenOurBeach ?

This is a rough depiction of what our timeline looks like going forward in our effort to get Perdido Key Beach access #4 open for the general public that paid for it.

Yesterday was a profound day in the quest for Escambia County to #OpenOurBeach that we have owned for nearly 5 years but that we have chained-off from public access.

The Board of Adjustment unanimously voted to grant the county a Conditional Use Permit for the public park and beach access at Perdido Key.

The four hour meeting--complete with lawyers and nearby condo owners fighting hard against the opening of this beach--can be watched here.

Kudos to the citizens that showed up and fought for this public beach access.

But now that we have the Conditional Use Permit--what's next?

According to staff that are extremely knowledgeable on how this process will play out going forward, we could realistically be celebrating Independence Day at this brand new public access park in Perdido Key!

Of course, there is a chance that the nearby condo owners could have their attorneys file suit to try to stop this...I hope they don't.  (they REALLY do not want the general public having access to this beach that they consider their private beach;  they love the comfortable status quo they have enjoyed over the last several years where only THEY get to enjoy this beach...)

But barring anything unusual, and if the BCC identifies the funding source and votes to authorize the spending necessary to complete this project----- this beach should be open for use by ALL ESCAMBIA CITIZENS by the Summer of 2019!

It is going to be awesome when we #OpenOurBeach !!  I will be one of the first ones out there enjoying it when we get it done.  I might even drag a cooler with me :)

We are Going to #OpenOurBeach

With Thursday's vote to move forward with funding $228,000.00 for construction from the County's TDT funds (Tourist Development Tax)--we are finally moving forward with the construction phase of the project that will eventually enable us to---- finally----- #OpenOurBeach at access #4 in Perdido Key!

After 7 long years and lots of gnashing of teeth, obstructions, delays, and threats--we're finally doing what we said we would do for the citizens.

It was great to have a unanimous vote to do this--even in the face of feckless, specious arguments from two persons at the meeting who gave disingenuous, opaque reasoning for holding off on doing this.

The time for holding off is officially over.  The time for action is now.

Next up--completion of a report from UWF's Haas Center illustrating the nexus between this project and tourism--which will allow for the use of these hotel tax dollars to construct this access.

After this, an affirmative vote of the Tourism Development Council (TDC) will be required for expenditure of TDT monies in support of this project.  I preferred to eliminate all uncertainty and to fund the entire project utilizing LOST funds that we have generated from the recent sale of nearly 100 acres of OLF 8 to Navy Federal Credit Union.

But the board did not support this and instead we will go the TDT funds route and see how far $228,000.00 gets us toward completion of this access.

Once completed--this access point will accommodate 34 parking spaces and provide a "Mobi-Mat" walkway from the parking lot down to the dunes which will allow access to the water by emergency vehicles if/when necessary.  These Mobi-Mats also allow access to the beach for/by citizens with disabilities that find themselves confined to a wheelchair.

And last but not least--the opening of this access point and development of this site will insure that the sensitive areas of the dunes system on the property are properly fenced off with signage added describing the protected wildlife in these areas and advising visitors to "keep-out" of these areas.

Right now, no such signage or fencing exists--- and folks currently trample all over the dunes unobstructed, leaving rubbish, disturbed dune vegetation, and disturbed habitat in their wake.

For 7 long years this pristine, 330 foot of Gulf access has been kept from the citizens that bought it--behind a locked gate and "no trespassing" signs.

But with Thursday's vote--that all changed.

And once open--this parcel and the adjacent 200' of beach owned by the Crab Trap restaurant will combine to give area citizens a brand new 500+ foot beach area to utilize free of charge.

This is a fantastic win for all citizens, what a profound turn of events this is.

We are now going to #OpenOurBeach!

#Research to #OpenOurBeach, Part I

What would happen if the BCC installed "no-trespassing" signs all the way down to the beach water line and enforced this with our 300' of beach property--just like the condo owners on Perdido Key are doing presently?  Would that force this issue to be addressed?

In preparation for this Thursday's meeting on the subject of public beach access, I am doing a significant amount of research on this topic all weekend.  I think it is an absolute travesty that we are not doing more to #OpenOurBeach ! as it pertains to a large, 300' beachfront plot of land we own on Perdido Key.

I've requested additional information from the staff over the last two days--to include legal, zoning, and environmental "opinions" on whether or not we can open this beach quickly, as was the original intent when this property was purchased, if the resources to do so are identified (e.g. is there any legal reason we cannot open this property if we do so as was contemplated in these documents here, here, and here?).

Obviously--this beachfront is currently, right now, being utilized by a few fortunate residents who have access to this publicly owned beach via a privately owned and maintained wooden beach walkover. (that also is locked and has a "only for use by residents of Sundown Condominium Owners and guests") sign affixed to the gate.

So yes, doing nothing and making no forward progress on getting this 300' of beach frontage opened for the public creates a very comfortable "status quo" for the few condo owners and paying customers of the nearby "Crab Trap" restaurant that are currently benefiting by the Board's inaction on this.

They get to use our beach at their whim with no "competition" from the taxpaying citizens who paid for and would also like to use the beach.

It is a very comfortable status quo for them--just as I have stated earlier here.

These lucky few condo owners are now having their cake and eating it too!....They get to fence off their "private" waterfront areas within their condominium footprints-- and even hire private security guards to keep the public out of "their" areas and off "their" beaches-- while simultaneously using a wooden structure they own on a 10 foot sliver of property that runs down to the beach--to use our 300' of beach exclusively!  (remember, you and I are locked out of this property and no trespassing signs are on the property)

I wonder what would happen if the county installed "No Trespassing" signs all the way down to the beach on both sides of our 300' section of this beach and had security keep the condo owners off our property like the condos keep the public off of their property?  I wonder how that would play out?

Of course I'd never support actually doing that-- but I bet if we did do this it would spur some action on getting this beach access opened up.

I want us all to be able to enjoy the beach--that's why it is imperative that we do what we told the FEDS we would do--conserve the dunes for habitat and signage, provide public parking and ADA accessibility, and  #OpenOurBeach !

The Seafarer Files Part I: Anything But Public Access

Nearby condo owners in 2017 were interested in buying our 300' gulf front property, having us restore the dunes and remove pedestrian and car accessibility; for this, they would pay less than what we paid for the same property four years earlier (in 2013) and these same nearby condo owners would then be able to use this beach at will--but Escambia taxpayers would not have been given access to this beach!

Thank God it didn't happen!

Earlier this week a batch of emails was published on the Escambia Citizen's Watch site that dealt with the Property that Escambia County Owns on Perdido Key next to the Crab Trap Restaurant.

This particular piece of property was purchased in 2013 for the express purpose of providing Perdido Key Beach Mouse habitat.........and PUBLIC BEACH access.

This particular property has generated a lot of heated discussion lately, as the sense I have had is that there was/is a coordinated effort afoot to block the public from accessing this beach.

But this property belongs to the public, the taxpayers.  I have said it over and over and over and over.....

like a broken record.  We will  #OpenOurBeach

Because beach access is precious in Florida.  And it is becoming even more scarce.

And the comfortable status quo of nearby condos being the only ones able to currently access our beach easily is an untenable situation which the board is going to rectify in short order when we #OpenOurBeach

Meanwhile, just last year, I joined my counterparts in voting to purchase more beach property at Perdido Key--but unfortunately we were out-bid for that parcel.

Apparently, though, at the same time we were all trying to get more beach access at Perdido Key for citizens---a push was being made behind the scenes to divest the taxpayers of the very  beach property the taxpayers purchased in 2013 to provide MORE access to the people with.

Sounds crazy right?!?  It sounds crazy to me.

Had I known of or been privy to the contract contained within these documents, I would have ripped that document up and thrown it in the trash.  I would NEVER vote to sell that to private condo owners in 2017 (at less than what we paid for it in 2013 price wise)

Thankfully, attorney Stephen G. West (see his email of concern below) with the county shot this whole idea down in the early stages of this plan being concocted......

Glad he did, and I'm glad I now know of this effort to keep the public off this beach.  Even more motivation for us to do the right thing now and as quickly as we can, to #OpenOurBeach

What is the TRUTH and the Latest Status on our Efforts to #OpenOurBeach?

There has been some “noise” out there about our continuing efforts at opening public beach access #4 at Perdido Key.  Typical nonsensical noise that is not grounded in reality with respect to an email that was put our last Thursday from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.  So here come the realities….

And as it pertains to Kristi from USFW –the person who sent Thursday’s email--I spoke to her at length on Thursday afternoon and she confirmed what we all know--Escambia County CAN do both habitat conservation AND public access, so long as we follow an approved plan which I also confirmed Thursday, in writing, with Tim Day.

One person is inaccurately portraying this citizen-driven push to #OpenOurBeach as an either/or, binary choice (Mouse Conservation OR Public Access) which it is not.

Yes, the beach access at Perdido Key is moving forward--and for reasons that are unclear, this really, really, really irritates one person in particular. Tim (Day) is working it, an engineer has been hired and engaged to design it, and we have a pot of money from which to fund it, and I believe there will be 4 votes to finish it. And I reiterate--doing this is good for the mouse. What we have been doing, which is nothing, has not been good for the mouse.

Doing what we have been doing (nothing, just maintaining a comfortable status quo that only benefited nearby condo owners who used this publicly funded beach as their own "private beach") has been detrimental to the mice as no fencing prevents beach users from walking from the beach toward Perdido Key Drive, trampling all over the dunes, leaving trash and rubbish in their wake. The only fencing on the property is the fencing that kept you, the taxpayers who bought this property, from accessing this property with your cars. That's why we are going to #OpenOurBeach and have a big party on the beach this summer when we get it done!

#Research to #OpenOurBeach, Part III--Are there Any Legal Reasons We Couldn't #OpenOurBeach

The County Attorney sent out the following email to all commissioners today.  It is legal to #OpenOurBeach

Together, Let's #OpenOurBeach!

At yesterday's public forum--multiple passionate speakers demanded action from the board of county commissioners on public beach access on Perdido Key.

Currently, out on Perdido Key, there are only three small public beach access points where beach visitors can park and visit the beach free of charge.  These are very small, and all around the public access points are condominium owners that have cordoned off the rest of the beach from public use.

Public Beach access #1 only has about 60 feet of beachfront and there are police on either side enforcing "no trespassing" signs.

Meanwhile, back in 2013, the county purchased a large piece of property out on Perdido Key just East of the Crab Trap.  It has 300 feet of beach frontage.  It was purchased with $2.3 Million in Federal Grant money to assist with Beach Mouse Habitat.  An additional $787,000.00 in County money (LOST funds) was put into the purchase price ($3.1 Million total) to provide for Public Beach Access.

Sadly, this site has been locked-up and inaccessible to the public for going on 5 years!

On March 8th, I asked about this property and why it was locked up. Folks had asked me about it so when we discussed the restore act projects I asked questions of D2 about this property.  I did not receive a satisfactory answer so I did some additional research on the issue and requested documentation from the staff.  I received the data, I read the data, and Long story short, we can utilize this property for dual purposes--mouse habitat and public beach access.  We just have to muster the will to do it and we have to fund the project.  Contrary to what some say about me online--I do my research.  And this issue is no different than any other issue I study and research. Because of the

Thursday: An Update on the Progress to #OpenOurBeach

Condo Owners near the County's 330 foot parcel of Beachfront property in Perdido Key next to the Crab Trap Restaurant love to use our beach as their own "private" beach.  They even advertise it!  Now that we're going to #OpenOurBeach--this group of condo owners is doing everything they can to try to stop us.  They like it just the way it is, because it is a comfortable status quo for them.

This Thursday morning we will have our monthly committee of the whole meeting.  This week one of the items on the agenda is a 15 minute item from Tim Day in Natural Resources about the current status of our plan to #OpenOurBeach access point in Perdido Key next to the Crab Trap.

This 330' parcel directly the Gulf of Mexico was purchased by the county 7 years ago for habitat protection and public beach access.

But special interests have fought us tooth and nail over the last several years as the county began the plans to finally open this site to the public.  They have fought us in court and as the county ran this project through the development review process.

The entire sordid history of this can be reviewed here

The backup for this Thursday's discussion is empty.  What I fear is that those who are opposed to opening this access, along with their acolytes, will attempt to "scare" the full BCC into paralysis on this project.  They will urge us to "wait" to build this access until "the court case is finalized." (this could be pushed out forever in an attempt to stymie the opening of this access to the public)

I am of the belief that we don't have to wait.  We have checked the boxes and we have done our planning.  We have a nice sketch of what we can build and we are ready to go.  So I asked our attorney about what it is that could potentially shut us down, and the conversation went a little something like this:

JEFF B:  "Absent a dispositive ruling from the circuit court (i.e if there is another judge rotation, or no action is taken, or the plaintiffs push this out with additional motions or requests for continuance-- and the case is just languishing there) -----is there anything preventing the county from moving ahead with construction of the improvements provided we follow the DRC process and settle/resolve any appeals from that process.  Or to put it another--- way: Is there anything in either of these processes that would prevent us from moving forward with construction of the improvements prior to the final dispositions of any appeals to the circuit court?"

ALISON R:  "At this time, there is no requirement that we stop.  Anything we do is at our own risk.  The DRC was last Wednesday and there is a 15-day window for a potentially aggrieved party to appeal that to the BOA.  They haven’t appealed it yet.  There is some concern about other parties (such as environmental groups) becoming interested in what is going on there, but that is speculative at this time.  They might be more interested in federal causes of action."

JEFF B:  "That is what I thought.  So, if we let the court process and other outside interested parties’ potential suits work their way out on one track, and we build the access on another track, ----- wouldn’t it take a judge’s ruling to force us to remove improvements once we had completed them and opened the access point?  Wouldn’t that be the only mechanism any aggrieved party would have at that point, once the access was built?"

ALISON R:  "Or an injunction prior to completion"

JEFF B:  "A hypothetical:  If we built it out and it was being used by the public prior to the final disposition of the case (s) in circuit court, and if after it was open the judge ruled in favor of the condo owners and against the county----------would the access park have to be shuttered pending an appeal or could the park remain open while the county’s appeal of the judge’s ruling went forward to the first DCA?"

ALISON R:  "I think most likely that would be true.  It is possible that some unexpected order or outcome could happen, but almost positive it would stay until final resolution."

  

  

How Quickly and Inexpensively Could we #OpenOurBeach ?

I requested information from our environmental department about what it would take, in terms of time and resources, for us to #OpenOurBeach at the property we own on the Gulf of Mexico in Perdido Key.  All board members will be presented the below information during tomorrow's Committee of the Whole Meeting.  We can open this beach, for a lot less money and with a lot less red-tape than what many have been espousing.  This is what my research is indicating....

Update on Beach Access #4: Notice to Proceed Issued, Construction to Begin Imminently

Previously--Nearby Condo Owners were the only ones who could access the County's 300' of Gulf Frontage on Perdido Key.  Heck, they even advertised it.  And they have banded together to fight against opening the beach--because they enjoyed keeping the rest of us out.  They lost, YOU the taxpayer won, and the beach access is being constructed over the next 4 months  :)

The Saga to #OpenOurBeach at Perdido Key is finally, at long last, entering it's last stanza.

Most that follow county issues locally know the agonizing, frustrating story well. (For those that don't-- here is some background on the issue)

I had the opportunity to speak with Natural Resources Director Tim Day early last week, and he reported to me the good news that the contractor building this access site and that has been awarded the contract to do so, Chaver's Construction, has now been issued the coveted Notice to Proceed to begin the final phases of the construction of the west side's most long awaited, largest free public beach access site.  It will accomodate nearly 40 cars, including handicapped drivers, it will have mobi-mats allowing for access to the beach by those persons who are mobility-challenged, and together with the adjoining 200 feet of Gulf of Mexico frontage owned by the Crab Trap restaurant (management of which has stated publicly that once the site is constructed, the public will be able to use their 200 feet in addition to the county's 300 feet) will create nearly DOUBLE the ammount of free public beach access on Perdido Key than what currently exists.

According to Tim Day--it will be about 120 construction days--so hopefully this access will be open in time for Spring Break 2022.  I can't wait to celebrate with a HUGE party on the site the day it opens!!

Because, while it is better late than never----we waited much too long to #OpenOurBeach!!

#Research to #OpenOurBeach, Part II--Site Visit

Sunday afternoon was a beautiful day in Pensacola.  It was especially nice at the beach--where I spent my afternoon.

I started out in Perdido Key at the Crab Trap Restaurant where I parked, went inside, made a purchase, then walked out to the beach.  There is a very nice stretch of beach out behind the Crab Trap that was being enjoyed by dozens of patrons. 

Just to the East of this spot, the Escambia BCC owns 300 feet of beachfront on the Gulf of Mexico. 

This stretch of beach was also being enjoyed by dozens of folks as well!  

Although the parcel of land has a prominently placed "No Trespassing" sign on the front, and despite the fact that the gate is chained shut--a steady flow of residents from the condominium on the North side of Perdido Key Drive walked on a wooden "walkover" that is reserved for their exclusive use only and proceeded to utilize the county's portion of the beach.  Right now, however, the general public taxpayers that paid for this beach cannot access it.  How can this be allowed to continue?

This smacks of unfairness.

 Right now there are Condominium complexes adjacent to our existing three beach access points that have placed "no trespassing signs" all the way down their property lines to the beach.  Access #'s parking lot was lined with cars toting out of state license plates (nearby condo's with limited parking spaces send their guests to our public lot, I'm told).  At acess #1, the condos on the right and left actually had two uniformed sheriff's deputies monitoring the boundary to ensure the general public did not "trespass" and attempt to use "their beach."

Access points #2 and #3 were jamm-packed full of cars--no spaces available.

It was depressing to see, and given a lot of what is going on around the country and the state concerning beach access--it should be setting off alarm bells for all of us in the County.

We need to #OpenOurBeach   We need to

Accessibility the Potential Casualty in the Fight Against Opening Beach Access #4 in Perdido Key

If those opposed to opening beach access #4 in Perdido are successful, a handicapped-accessible Escambia County-owned beach location would be one of the casualties.......

For those who have not followed the deliberate attempts to keep 300 feet of publicly-owned, prime Gulf-Front beach property inaccessible to the general public, you can read all about this ongoing, sordid spectacle here.

Several of us are working to open this beach, and we will #OpenOurBeach.  But there have been a few setbacks that have thrown us off of the timeline we were given by staff last year at this time.  

Most recently, it is a red herring, faux argument straw-man concocted to advance the fiction that opening this beach might "draw a lawsuit" for the county and leave vulnerable, protected wildlife species "unprotected."  This is total BS garbage, a smokescreen. 

You see,  there are these special interests, those with hidden agendas, and their bidders (primarily nearby condo owners who have a padlocked, "no-trespassing" private walkover to access our beach) who like the comfortable status-quo.  They don't want us to do what we said we would do (provide public access) when we purchased this property with taxpayer funds in 2013;  they like things just the way they are right now.  It is very, very comfortable for them as it now stands presently.

It goes a little something like this:  

"We can use this beach, we live here and we have access to it that you cannot use--our access point is Private--we don't want you here!"   See how that works?

And meanwhile, NOTHING is being done to protect the habitat and the dunes at this parcel.  A casual walk to this parcel from the nearby Crab Trap Restaurant will illustrate this in stark terms:   Litter, rubbish, used fire-rings and footprints all through the dune system that is supposed to be the protected habitat for the mouse.

As of today, sadly, Escambia County has failed to do either of the things it said it would do when it spent $ Millions on this property in 2013.  No protection for the habitat, no public beach access.

But thankfully, now we are finally seeing the forward progress that many of us have longed for and pushed for--because contrary to the fake news, false narratives proclaimed by some--- this was never political--it is and always has been about access to that beautiful beach.

So the project has now officially been socialized with The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, initial plans have been drawn up that indicate 36-37 parking spots with room for emergency vehicles to access and turn around if necessary, a location and infrastructure for a permanent restroom facility to be constructed in the future has been included--and most importantly--Handicapped, accessible "mobi-mats" will be utilized at this site to allow citizens with disabilities to access this beach.  This will be Escambia County's only handicapped-accessible, free- beach access point in Perdido Key once it is constructed!

The project is going to the County's Development Review Committee in December, and will be brought back before the board for funding (which we will make available from oil-spill proceeds I believe) in January if all goes according to plan according to conversations I have had with relevant staff members.

Because this is the right thing to do, opening this beach for all of us to use.   And no matter what anyone says--we will #OpenOurBeach !

Simmering Anger from a few Because We Were Able to #OpenOurBeach for All

There are a few that really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, DID NOT want us to open Beach Access #4 on Perdido Key.  They lost, the taxpayers who own the property (you) won!

One week ago today we opened Beach Access #4 at Perdido Key.  It was a love fest--one of the most positive days I remember in my five + years on the Board of County Commissioners.

After 9 long years, we finally were able to #OpenOurBeach !!

Since that time, though, there have been a few folks who have tried to rain on the parade.  Like "Jones"....

"Bergosh:

Are you the moron that is responsible for opening up another access to the beach to let a flood of trespassers on to the beach?  This is going to allow every red neck drunk up and down the highway to come on to the beach and campout on private property that belongs to the folks owing homes on the beach These people using this access will not respect private property. If this does in fact pan out like I think it will I will find a way to make sure you are held personally $ accountable. I look forward to meeting you one day.  

-----Jones"

To which I responded

“Jones”

I’m the commissioner who pushed for, found the funding for, and fought against the special interests FOR opening this parcel of land.  The “Morons” (your term) are the ones who favored having a taxpayer-paid for, 300 foot parcel of gulf front property (purchased expressly FOR public beach access and habitat conservation) sit behind a locked gate with no trespassing signs keeping taxpayers out---- while nearby condo owners and others used and trashed the lot with litter and trampling walks up and down and all through the sensitive habitat-----all the while preventing the owners (the taxpayers who bought it) from using it for 8 years. Yes, those were the “morons” (to coin your pejorative term) that lost this issue, thankfully.Call me anytime if you’d like to discuss 😊  850-293-1459"

"Jones" didn't call........  And then I got this one from "Jeanette":

"...I just watched the YouTube Video you did at the opening of the new public access on Perdido Key and as a resident of Perdido Key was deeply offended.  Your comments regarding the “locked beach walkover” showed your complete ignorance of deeded beach access.  That easement has existed since the land was sold to the County and the walkover was paid for and maintained by private funds and those same private funds pay to clean that area of beach because the County does nothing..."  

 Both of these emails just oozed with disdain for the public, the taxpayers, the owners of this beach.  Just utter resentment that anyone else ought to be able to enjoy the beach.

Jeanette, of course, was wrong.  Her "deeded access" went away when the Sundowner South property was sold to the taxpayers.  They maintained "only" a 6' access easement for a walkover they owned.  But that did not give them permission to use the county's 300' of beach (which they did anyways, not surprisingly, as we didn't enforce a "no trespassing" on them as they always did to us).  What should have been mandated was that the access easement should have come with the stipulation that the walkover could only be maintained in place if it was left unlocked and accessible to the public.  That's what should have happened in 2014 to insure everyone could use that taxpayer owned beach--not just the folks at Sundowner North.  But it didn't---and that condo's occupants used our beach for 9 years when we couldn't, and kept their "walkover" locked with "no trespassing" signs affixed.  Man, what a comfortable status quo they negotiated:  a private beach paid for by the taxpayers where the taxpayers couldn't go.   So yes, Jeanett's assessment of "deeded access" was flawed--according to staff:

"Sundown North has “deeded access” to 6’ of beach between the Crab Trap and Beach Access #4. There are no additional rights for Sundown North residents over the general public to utilize the county property."

"...The County owns the 4.04 acre property on the Gulf front, south of Perdido Key Drive, which it acquired from the Trust for Public Land, which acquired it from Sundown Owners Association, Inc...The only recorded easements excepted from coverage in the County’s title insurance policy are Gulf Power’s.  There is a six foot strip that runs along the western boundary of the County’s parcel.  The County does not own this.  I assume that the Sundown condo owners on the north side of Perdido Key Drive retained the six foot strip" 

We'll Finally, After Nearly 9-Years, #OpenOurBeach Next Friday at 9:30!

A brand new, free public beach access point in Perdido Key will open one week from today--more than DOUBLING the County's current Gulf-Front, free access footprint on Perdido Key---It's a great day for Escambia County!

It was a dog-fight and a battle to get this done.  

Lots of credit goes out to my counterparts on the BCC (3 of them) AND lots of folks who fought with us against a very comfortable status quo that existed where nearby condo owners accessed and used the county's beach but residents who OWNED this land were shut out behind a locked gate and "No Trespassing" signs.  

But with determination and lots of pushing--even through litigation---we shattered that status quo, got to work, and  got this done!  

At 9:30 in the morning one week from today we will finally #OpenOurBeach at Beach Access #4 in Perdido Key!

.....The county will issue the below press release later this morning on MyEscambia.com 

Click HERE to View in Browser Perdido Key Beach Access #4 to Open on March 4 Escambia County will host a grand opening ceremony for the new Public Beach Access #4 at 16470 Perdido Key Drive on March 4, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. The new beach access will be open sunrise to sunset and features a permeable concrete parking lot with 35 parking spots, an ADA-compliant AccessMat dune walkover and educational signage about protected wildlife. The site will add an additional 300 feet of public beach access on the western side of Perdido Key, adjacent to the Crab Trap restaurant. Escambia County District 1 Commissioner and Chairman Jeff Bergosh, who represents Perdido Key, stated: “A lot of folks have worked very hard for eight long years to see this project come to fruition—and on March 4th --this beach access will finally be available for public use! A HUGE thank you goes out to all the staff and citizens who worked to make this day a reality! This new access point will allow us to more than double the existing amount of free public beach access on Perdido Key for all the citizens of Escambia County to enjoy—which in and of itself is a remarkable accomplishment. But this is only the beginning of the work our office plans to pursue to create more free access points on Perdido Key for our citizens’ use in the years to come. I look forward to aggressively moving in that direction—but in the meantime, I look forward to utilizing this newly completed beach access #4 very frequently-- along with all the citizens of Escambia County—and it will be open just in time for Spring Break! This is a great day for Escambia County!” The site was acquired in 2014 in part with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide public beach access and conserve critical habitat for threatened and endangered species. It was the former site of the Sundown Condominium which was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The original concrete pad and building debris were removed in the summer of 2020 and the prior parking lot’s shell base was reutilized for the new public access. Funds for construction were provided by the Tourism Development Tax (TDT). The site is also home to designated Perdido Key Beach Mouse habitat and the site will be managed in accordance with the Perdido Key Habitat Conservation Plan. Fencing will prevent pedestrian and vehicular trespass into protected habitat areas, while signage will educate visitors about threatened and endangered species that utilize the site, including beach mice, nesting shorebirds and sea turtles. Escambia County would like to thank the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and US Fish and Wildlife service for their cooperation in the acquisition and development of the project. For more information, please contact the Office of Community and Media Relations at 850-595-1647 or email cmr@myescambia.com.   Community and Media Relations Phone: (850) 595-3476 Email: cmr@myescambia.com After Hours Media Line: (850) 595-1647 You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive alerts for MyEscambia.com. Click here to unsubscribe from email alerts. Florida has a very broad public records law. Under Florida law, IP addresses and both the content of emails and email addresses are public records. If you do not want your IP address and the content of your email or your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in person. Escambia County is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to facilitate participation in county meetings or other county services, programs, or activities. For information or to make a request at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting or other county activity, visit myescambia.com/ADA or call 850-595-4947. Home to more than 300,000 residents in northwest Florida, Escambia County is the westernmost and one of the oldest counties in the state. The mission of Escambia County government is to provide efficient, responsive services that enhance our quality of life, meet common needs, and promote a safe and healthy community. With nearly 1,800 employees, we pride ourselves on being the perfect climate for everything - building a business, raising a family and enjoying recreational pursuits. Picture-perfect white sand beaches and clear, emerald Gulf waters draw millions of vacationers to Escambia each year, especially to Pensacola Beach, named the #4 Top U.S. Beach in 2020 by Tripadvisor. WalletHub ranks Pensacola, Navarre among best 2021 beach towns to live (pnj.com).

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Approves Construction of Perdido Key Beach Access #4!

This is FANTASTIC news for those of us who love spending time at the beach in Perdido Key.

It has been a struggle, a long, drawn-out struggle.  Read about the long fight for this beach access here.

But now we are at a major watershed moment.  The last big document we needed is now here.  Read it for yourself.

This document allows for the construction.  Our environmental staff have worked hand in hand with the department of Fish and Wildlife and other stakeholders to design an access point that both provides access to the beach for citizens and guests, but one that also meticulously follows the Habitat Conservation Plan to protect the endangered species that live on this property.

This is truly a win-win--for humans and animals.

Now--there are still those that are disgruntled, those that wanted to continue the status quo where this parcel remained sequestered behind locked gates and was only to be used by locals, the nearby and across the street condo owners,  as their own, personal private beach.  Yes, yes--although they feigned indignation about the "danger" to the "critical habitat"---this trope of "concern" was always nothing but a ruse.....That's a known fact of reality so far as I am concerned.  It was and still is all about them, their agenda, and their use of this property and a simultaneous disdain for cooler-dragging day visitors like me.  

But their efforts failed.   Again---the true reason these condo owners and other interested persons fought this access development for you and I is/was because they wanted this beach to be their own beach---they did NOT want day visitors like you and I visiting THIS BEACH.

So they filed a lawsuit which went nowhere.  And it is going nowhere. DOA.

We will soon, very soon, complete the work to #OpenOurBeach.

Meanwhile, we have approved $225,000 in TDT funding to construct this access (which may be a bit short due to increased construction costs which may necessitate an infusion of an additional $50-$70K from the TDT--no problem. ), we have 100% plans, we are moving forward.

Staff is Moving Forward with Plans to #OpenOurBeach

The comfortable status quo is ending, the beach access that taxpayers purchased 5 years ago will be opened--that ball got rolling in earnest last night.

Dozens of speakers excoriated us for letting that property just sit idle for all these years, chained up preventing citizen access.

Meanwhile, condo owners and other nearby locals continue to use this property as their own private beach.  They even advertise the fact that they have their own private boardwalk to "The beautiful Gulf of Mexico"  see the picture below, from their marketing materials available online.

The Condominium across the street from our 300' beachfront property advertises their "private boardwalk" to the Gulf of Mexico--where they currently utilize taxpayer purchased property as their own "private beach"--while you and I are locked out of this beach.  Is this fair?

Beach access is becoming more and more precious in Florida, and this parcel that was acquired back in 2014 should have been opened years ago. Additionally, the mouse habitat that is also an important component of what this property is to be used for should also be protected.  We have not done this, either.  Shame on us for that.  Currently, there is no signage on the dunes warning pedestrians to stay out of the property to protect the habitat.  Instead, there are footprints all over that property and litter strewn about.  It's as if every facet of what we should have been doing with this property under the grant we received to purchase it has been ignored purposely.

That is ending.

Because now that the board has expressed its collective displeasure over this parcel not being opened for public access, as the board voted to do 5 years ago--staff has now been firmly directed to bring two plans to the next meeting to describe what it will take to get this access open.

The feckless attempts at deflections and protestations that this somehow does not align with the Perdido Key Master Plan all fell on deaf ears last night.  Intelligent, unbiased people realize very quickly this is not an "either or" scenario.  We can and should seek to purchase additional gulf-front access to the east near the core--which is directly in alignment with the goals of the PKMP.

But opening this particular parcel (that we already paid for and own) is the right thing to do, and it does not go against the Master Plan--in fact Public Beach Access is Encouraged in the PKMP!   Moreover, the zoning of this parcel HDR-PK allows for beach access as a conditional use once the Board of Adjustment weighs-in.  So very soon that process will begin as well.

Meanwhile, the comfortable status quo is ending, we are now working toward opening this parcel.

The irony is thick:  Condo owners are using our beach here as their private beach, attempting to keep the public out.  Meanwhile, a little ways down the road at our tiny 60' Beach access #1--both sides of that public beach have no trespassing signs going all the way to the water.  Sheriff's deputies guard the beaches on either side, keeping the citizens out of the Condo Owners' "private beaches"

The Indefensible Position:  Condo Owners want to enjoy their "private beaches" and our publicly purchased beaches while also keeping the public off of their "private beaches"----and our public beaches!!!  What?!?

It's ridiculous.  Yes we need to open our 300' Gulf front property now, which will double our free beach access on Perdido Key.

This is what staff is now working to do.  No more excuses, no more explanations, no more stonewalling.

We will #OpenOur Beach !

USFWS Approves Escambia's Conservation Management Plan for Beach Access #4--Letter Received Today!

Staff provided the two page letter (above) and the complete 40 page approval package from The United States Fish and Wildlife Service for Escambia County's Habitat Conservation plan at Beach Access #4.  The salient two-pages of approval are above, and/or you can read the entire package here for lots of additional historical information on this project.

The important thing to note is that the USFWS concurs with Escambia in that this development of this parcel is consistent with the original grant application as well as the modification from 2013 for the addition of the public access component.  This is vital as it dispells lots of rumors, innuendo, and misinformation from those in opposition to this project for selfish and emotional--not logical or rational--reasons.

Next step is we will fund the cost delta needed to finish the construction and #OpenOurBeach, bring in two contractors, and finish this long-overdue project that will protect habitat for endangered species while simultaneously providing desperately needed free public beach access and parking on Perdido Key.

Lack of Follow-Through on Board Action and Votes Part I: Two Issues, Separate but Uncannily Similar

When the Board of County Commissioners makes a vote, the action behind that vote should be respected, and the action should be taken as quickly as possible.  That is the way a normal board functions.

Even if the vote is fractured, once the vote is taken, the vote is the vote.  That's the way our representative form of government works in our Constitutional Republic.

Look no further than the Kavanaugh confirmation from just yesterday.  A fractured, broken U.S. Senate took a vote, a nomination barely passed, and yet Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in a mere two hours later.  Say what you want about the brokenness of DC--but once that decision was made, it was consummated at light-speed.

Because that's the way it should work--even if you are a politician on the losing end of a tough vote...

And I know what it feels like to be on the bottom of a losing vote.  It's no fun.

When I was on the school board for many years, I was on the bottom of a lot of votes.  For example--I voted against our brand new middle school being built in Beulah, because I knew we didn't need it  (we have excess capacity district-wide at the middle school level and a decreasing overall enrollment-trend in Escambia's public schools), and we needed another elementary school in Beulah, not a middle school.

I also knew this would result in busing students from way outside of Beulah into Beulah--and I supported (and still support) neighborhood schools, not social engineering and busing of students from miles and miles away to meet enrollment demographic targets.   I lost that vote, and that middle school was built.  And everything I predicted would happen, did happen. C'est la vie.....

But at least that action went forward.  A vote was taken and the action moved forward.

Because in order to function, once the vote is taken --board action must be respected and enacted forthwith!

Now that I am on the Board of County Commissioners,  I see issues where previous board votes, action, and direction are not being honored but rather they are being delayed, watered-down, and/or drastically modified after critical votes have been taken.

Obviously, the board can change course if they so choose.  This is a given and it comes with its own set of problems (i.e. if the board changes course abruptly, on multiple fronts, at multiple times--the board could appear to be wishy-washy, indecisive,  or even feckless) This is not good.....

Two issues I can think of (both of which were voted on and funded multiple times before I even joined the board) that illustrate this phenomenon are the public beach access at Perdido Key and the Jobs Creation Project at OLF 8.

Perdido Key Beach Mouse Habitat and Public Beach Access ---property was purchased in 2013 for $3.1 Million dollars with the purpose of creating protected beach mouse habitat  AND for providing Public Beach access.  To  date, the board's vote on that matter has not been followed;  we