Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/130753
Sarasota News Leader May 17, 2013 Page 40 partments to discuss the 1995 beach cleanshore protection structure such as a reveting policy, the memo continues. The resulting ment or seawall …" determination was the need to improve the policy's language, including a clarification of • The owners or designated representatives provide written permission to the county "what areas of the beach are or could be conthat also acknowledges "the historic cussidered 'public' or customarily used by the tomary use of the beach or access by the public for consistency with the law." public." The discussions resulted in agreement that the county could spend taxpayers' dollars to The form for that written permission will be clean private beaches if the following condi- available online, the memo notes; it can be submitted to Parks and Recreation electronitions were met: cally or in person, "even to staff on the beach." • The beach is in close proximity to a county-owned beach or access that has been Commissioner Nora Patterson, who lives on customarily crossed or used by the public. Siesta Key, voiced concerns that the form is "pretty vague. It doesn't exactly conform to • A public purpose can be established. what you said in your report," she told Brown. • "The area to be cleaned is landward of the The County Attorney's Office staff wrote it, approximate mean high water line and sea- Brown replied. ward of any pronounced escarpment, dune, vegetated area, access bridge or stairs or "Then I'll say nothing," Patterson responded. A county crew loads seaweed into a truck for removal from a beach. Photo courtesy Sarasota County