BELLEAIR SHORE, Fla. — A fight over who controls part of a Pinellas County beach is drawing new attention after Pinellas County formally urged state regulators to reject a petition filed by the Town of Belleair Shore.
The dispute centers on the erosion control line, or ECL, which is a legal boundary established as part of beach renourishment projects. Belleair Shore is asking the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to remove the town's portion of that boundary. The town argues it was improperly applied because the town never participated in the beach renourishment project that created it.
Opponents, including some residents in neighboring Belleair Beach, fear removing the line could eventually reduce public beach access and strengthen private property claims over portions of the beach.
Now, Pinellas County has officially taken a position.
In a letter signed by County Commission Chair Dave Eggers, the county urged the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to deny Belleair Shore's petition.
"Remaining silent on this matter could be interpreted as consent or a lack of concern, neither of which reflects the County's position,” Eggers wrote.
Generally speaking, the wet sand portion of Florida's beaches is protected for public use under the Florida Constitution. However, the fight in Belleair Shore centers on part of the dry sand portion of the beach, where the erosion control line plays an important role in defining certain property rights.
County leaders argued that removing the erosion control line could complicate future beach renourishment projects, increase costs, and reduce publicly accessible beach area. The county also stated that Belleair Shore benefits from publicly funded beach renourishment projects because sand naturally migrates south from neighboring communities over time.
Eggers also said that granting the town's petition could strain the county's somewhat fragile relationship with the Army Corps of Engineers, which plays a key role in permitting and supporting future beach renourishment projects.
"The county letter was nice to see because we've got some really solid support," said Joseph Manzo, a Belleair Beach homeowner who opposes the petition. “I never like to count the victories before they happen, but I was really very, very happy to see that the county agreed with us.”
Frank Bankard, a Belleair Beach council member who has been outspoken against the proposal, said the county's position validates concerns that Belleair Shore benefits from regional beach renourishment projects, even though sand is not directly placed on its shoreline.
"You can see how wide this beach is right here now," Bankard said, while pointing to part of Belleair Shore’s coastline closest to its boundary with Belleair Beach. "It's just the sand has totally pushed it right down there with the current."
Belleair Shore has defended its petition.
In a previous statement to Tampa Bay 28, town leaders said the erosion control line was "improperly put in place" for a beach renourishment project the town never joined and said officials are simply trying to correct that mistake.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will ultimately decide whether the erosion control line remains in place or is removed.
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