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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – It has become simpler for beachgoers to access various segments of the beaches along the Gulf Coast. Thanks to a new law signed by the governor, previous limitations on access to certain beach areas have been lifted.
Walton County resident John Dillard said communities have been at odds over public access to the shore for years.
“People can tell you where to sit and where you can’t sit with security guards and what often feel like bouncers,” Dillard said.
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The 2018 legislation had restricted public access to only the area below the ‘average tide line.’ Above this line, known as ‘dry sand areas,’ required a complicated process by local governments to be designated for public use.
The new law, enacted on Tuesday, eliminates the old restrictions. It grants permission for walking, fishing, sunbathing, and swimming in zones that had been considered private property by landowners.
“This bill is about restoring local control, cutting red tape, and putting our residents first. It goes even further to strengthen our coastal communities,” Governor Ron DeSantis said.
The measure also makes it easier to restore eroded beaches in Gulf Coast counties with smaller populations.
According to Dillard, this isn’t an attempt to take the property from those who own it.
“It provides a way for public beach access when none previously existed,” Dillard said.
