Sanctuary by the sea trying to stake out a "private beach"

Sounds like just another claim made by a developer/realtor that was a bold faced lie to garner more sales. When will these people learn that the laws of Florida ensure that the majority of the beaches here are "public", that the "mean high tide line" varies year by year and that someone buying "beachfront property" doesnt mean that they get a "private beach". There is a good portion of that beach ...in FRONT of that multi-million dollar property that will always be for public use. They can put up all the signs they want, but it wont change the state statutes of the Florida. Until these owners can show me a VALID survey showing the MHTL..I am not moving my chairs or towel or whatever I am parking my A$$ on at that time. If the person telling me to move does not have a certified copy of a recent survey, they can not prove where the MHTL is.. when they can prove I am on property north of that MHTL....then I will move.

The private vs. public beach issue starts every year about this time. It will be up to the courts to decide the issue and my hope is they do it soon and use some common sense in doing so.

Yes jodie you are correct. I just looked it up as "The mean high tide line" is the average of the highest tides over a 18.6 year period as determined by some gulf authority which i forgot the name.they have 16 yr old beach chair kids showing some official looking papers. whats so funny is this is some of the least crowded parts of the beach on all of 30-a. what other condos try this? i know some have and they failed. i promise you after 1000's of renters whith ones coming weekly they'll tire from trying to enforce this bogus law.

Perhaps we should hold the spring soiree on the beach in front of these condos? lol

Perhaps we should hold the spring soiree on the beach in front of these condos? lol

That's a pretty good idea. There is a public walkway next to Sanctuary that leads right to the beach.

andy its not a public walk way next to the sanctuary, its a private deaded access for the complexes of preserve,redfish and sanctuary. the deal was to get that from sanctuary the other parties agreed to keep the walkway up when it needs maintance.

andy its not a public walk way next to the sanctuary, its a private deaded access for the complexes of preserve,redfish and sanctuary. the deal was to get that from sanctuary the other parties agreed to keep the walkway up when it needs maintance.

Thanks for the correction. It is not locked and used by Bannerman Lane folks and others all the time.

The Supreme Court is still reviewing the case, once that ruling comes down we're either good or pucked. Based on their current rulings if you don't own gulf front property you might want to become familiar with this:

Welcome to Florida State Parks

the people in the bannerman estate use the walkway as they have a gate cut.I've met and talked to lanier smith? older guy who is very nice. he owns the first home on the dunes and from what i understand very wealthy and he tried to block the sanctuary sale many yrs ago.as far as the walkway goes. its deaded access to the wet sand and its in the legal papers of the sanctuary. as far as the supreme court ruling goes i've read a ton on it and please correct me if i'm wrong but what does that have to do with the topic above? i thought the supreme ct case is about the county or states right to nourish a beach and create a beach front were there is none. in other words its not the right of the state to create a beachfront if none there. does this overide were a home can claim a private beach to the high water mark?in other words please explain how the 2 mingle with each other. thanks

the people in the bannerman estate use the walkway as they have a gate cut.I've met and talked to lanier smith? older guy who is very nice. he owns the first home on the dunes and from what i understand very wealthy and he tried to block the sanctuary sale many yrs ago.as far as the walkway goes. its deaded access to the wet sand and its in the legal papers of the sanctuary. as far as the supreme court ruling goes i've read a ton on it and please correct me if i'm wrong but what does that have to do with the topic above? i thought the supreme ct case is about the county or states right to nourish a beach and create a beach front were there is none. in other words its not the right of the state to create a beachfront if none there. does this overide were a home can claim a private beach to the high water mark?in other words please explain how the 2 mingle with each other. thanks

Ray, you are right about the issue at hand regarding the Supreme Court case, but ultimately that ruling will weigh very heavily on which grain of sand that used to belong to a farmer in Georgia now belongs to a trust fund baby who doesn't like someone enjoying "their" beach.

The Beaches are for everyone to enjoy!

Actually, I feel sorry for the developers that feel the need to try and own the beaches like sad little children who don't know how to share their toys. Most people aren't out to cause distruction of property except maybe to the ugly signs that destroy an otherwise pristine view. This area is seeing so many changes that are so sad to those of us fortunate enough to have known it when.... I feel so blessed and cursed by this. I mean most people come to this area and think it is amazing because they never saw the coastal dune lakes without huge developements surrounding them.I guess in the end mother nature will take it all back and this gives me comfort .Meanwhile ,it is just shameful that a pregnant woman got told she had to leave Stalworth lake and tourist who had been making memories with his family for seven got dragged away.All beacuse of lines in the sand.

One develpement actually stuck an American flag next to private beach sign. As if that is patriotic.It's more like capitalism run amuck.Our beaches and all of our coastal dune lakes are for everyone to share, cherish, and preserve.

to South Walton. You may want to do a search on gulf front trespass, apparently the procedure for the Sheriff's department to determine if you are on "their" property is far too complicated and time consuming to actually go anywhere.

Thank you for the information. Maybe we should just tell the next fraternity that there's free beer in front of these condos..hee..hee

what is so sad is this part of 30-a is one of the least crowded. i suspect the pig sanctuary has done this to impress there million dollar hope to be condo owners. its a ploy to sell condos to show"they're exclusive".
whats so funny is sanctuary is probably the worst guld front condo on 30-a as many of the back conod's are a 4 min walk to the beach. to call that "gulf front" is a sham.they have the temp signs in as somebody stole there others the beach chair guy told me. i suspect after a while they'll give up as 500 new renters a week sit on there sand

Thank you for the information. Maybe we should just tell the next fraternity that there's free beer in front of these condos..hee..hee

You'll need to explain that they need to build a giant bonfire so the beer truck knows where to go.

Giggle Mermaid, giggle away...

2007 top end sale price: 3.5 mil
2009 top end sale price: 1 mil
2010 top end sale price: 750K
2011 top end sale price: 650K
2012 top end sale price: 500K

(Maybe this should be moved to the real estate forums?)

Giggle Mermaid, giggle away...

2007 top end sale price: 3.5 mil
2009 top end sale price: 1 mil
2010 top end sale price: 750K
2011 top end sale price: 650K
2012 top end sale price: 500K

(Maybe this should be moved to the real estate forums?)

30-A Shopper: Everything in life isn't about money...is it?

30-A Shopper: Everything in life isn't about money...is it?

For Sanctuary, creating perceived added value to compensate for falling values is likely the reason they've stepped up efforts to claim the beach. They've really been hit hard in the downturn.

For Sanctuary, creating perceived added value to compensate for falling values is likely the reason they've stepped up efforts to claim the beach. They've really been hit hard in the downturn.

Hm. Interesting how many posters simply assume that this bruhaha is all because of a bunch of rich, "trust fund" babies greedily depriving innocent folks of their god given beach rights. I guess the facts are not important to some people. The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

Hm. Interesting how many posters simply assume that this bruhaha is all because of a bunch of rich, "trust fund" babies greedily depriving innocent folks of their god given beach rights. I guess the facts are not important to some people. The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

All beaches in Florida are public below the mean high tide line. If folks want to setup their umbrellas right in front of your heavily depreciated condos, they can, and you can do nothing to stop them. Thank goodness for that!

All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

That's quite neighborly of them lucky. One fact is is still in question though, and that is: 'who owns the beach?' Until that is determined, I think customary use will be the catchphrase of the day.

Hm. Interesting how many posters simply assume that this bruhaha is all because of a bunch of rich, "trust fund" babies greedily depriving innocent folks of their god given beach rights. I guess the facts are not important to some people. The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

Please refresh my memory. I thought the area to the east of Sanctuary by the Sea was private, not state park. The closest State Park in that direction would be Grayton Beach SP, and it is quite a hike away.

Shot from a week ago at Stallworth PUBLIC access - there appears to be some resistance. Folks were camped out all over the beach.

.... The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk.

The private property owners immediately & adjacently east of SbtS might take issue with your version of "the facts".

murray the facts are the state park is around 100 yards east of the board walk when you enter the beach area. the state park stretchs from little redfish dune lake east. and yes its fine if the greedy people of sanctuary want a private beach. BUT I SURE AS HELL WILL SET UP THE BIGGEST TENT IN THE WORLD BELOW THE MEAN HIGH TIDE LINE. FROM WHAT I COULD SEE TONIGHT THAT WAS A NICE 5-10 YARDS FROM THE WATER. LETS SEE HOW THE PEOPLE IN THE CHAIRS FEEL WHEN THERE VIEW IS LEGALLY OBSTRUCTED. the legal deed from people who live in the preserve and sanctuary at redfish give them unimpeded legal right of way to walk to the mean high tide line. I SPIT ON POLITICIANS WHO EVER ALLOWED PRIVATE PEOPLE TO OWN ANY PART OF A BEACH.