If you've ever set up your beach chair and quietly wondered whether you were actually allowed to be there, St. Pete Beach wants to help clear things up. The city is hosting a free public seminar on Florida's customary use doctrine — the legal principle that determines when the public has the right to use privately owned dry sand beaches that have historically been open to everyone.
The event runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Pete Beach City Hall Commission Chambers and comes on the heels of months of local debate sparked when a waterfront business posted 14 "No Trespassing" signs along the shoreline. Though those signs were removed after being found to violate city rules, the episode prompted neighboring property owners to install their own markers — and hire attorneys to challenge the city.
In response, city commissioners passed an ordinance banning permanent private property signs within 50 feet of the mean high-water line. Supporters say it keeps the beach looking inviting and protects longstanding public access, while some property owners argue that visible signage is essential for deterring trespassing and aiding law enforcement.
Under Florida law, the wet sand below the mean high-water line is state-owned and open to the public. The dry sand above that line is frequently privately owned — but that doesn't automatically mean the public can be excluded. Customary use rights can be recognized by courts when a stretch of beach has been used by the public in a way that is ancient, reasonable, continuous, and uncontested. Those rights, however, must typically be established beach by beach, so access can vary from one stretch of sand to the next.
With millions of visitors heading to Pinellas County beaches each year, understanding exactly where public access ends matters for everyone from vacationers to longtime residents. FOX 13 News first reported on the seminar and the ongoing beach access debate in St. Pete Beach.
