Private Beaches in South Walton - Customary Use Updates & SB1622

[BeachDad175]

Passed in the Florida Senate today, 35-2

One step closer

 

[SoWal Buff]

Passed in the Florida Senate today, 35-2

One step closer

What's next?

 

[Jim Tucker]

The bill proposed by Senator Jay Trumbull regarding customary use has passed in the Senate.

As of Thursday morning, the legislature passed Senate Bill 1622 in a 35-2 vote. The bill aims to repeal a 2018 statute that ruled on customary use, impacting Walton County.

Currently, out of Walton County’s 26 miles of beach, about 17 miles are privately owned, leaving just 9 miles open to the public.

The bill effectively gives Walton County’s local government the ability to create its own ordinances regarding customary beach use.

 

[Dawn]

I believe they would have to sue the state since it will be a state law.

But if the bill gives Walton County the ability to create (or recreate) it's own ordinance, won't we be back to zero?

 

[Lake View Too]

But if the bill gives Walton County the ability to create (or recreate) it's own ordinance, won't we be back to zero?

The way I see it, yes. If Repeal becomes law, County would declare CU, then lawsuits will begin, except it will be BFO’s suing County rather than County suing BFO’s, but I have been know to be wrong before.

 

[Dawn]

The way I see it, yes. If Repeal becomes law, County would declare CU, then lawsuits will begin, except it will be BFO’s suing County rather than County suing BFO’s, but I have been know to be wrong before.

Thank you!

Wouldn't it be grand if local, regional, national groups and local rental companies, realtors, and HOAs joined the county and got a lot of money behind them?

 

[leeboy]

What's next?

The Florida Senate voted 35-2 Thursday to repeal a controversial 2018 law that restricted public access to beaches in Walton County.

SB 1622, sponsored by Sen. Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, would eliminate the law that nullified Walton County’s customary use ordinance. Senators Don Gaetz and Kathleen Passidomo cast the only dissenting votes.

The bill has evolved since its committee hearing. The updated legislation includes provisions that establish the erosion control line for certain Gulf Coast counties as the mean high-water line, to be determined by a survey conducted by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. It also addresses beach restoration projects for areas designated as critically eroded.

The companion bill in the House (HB 6043), sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, passed favorably through the Judiciary Committee on April 8 and has been added to the Second Reading Calendar, moving it closer to a full House vote.

“This bill is about more than beaches—it’s about protecting a way of life that’s been part of Walton County for generations,” Trumbull said in a statement after the vote. “For decades, families have walked these shores, cast lines at sunset, watched their kids chase waves, and made memories that define what it means to live—and visit—here.”

The 2018 law specifically affected Walton County because it exempted beach access ordinances established before January 2016, while Walton County’s ordinance was adopted in October 2016. This created a unique situation where Walton County beaches became increasingly privatized.

“Somewhere along the way, a line was drawn—one that said Walton County didn’t deserve the same protections every other Florida community received. SB 1622 fixes that,” Trumbull said.

If passed by the House and signed by the governor, the law would take effect immediately upon signature, as specified in the bill text.

 

[Ron]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Walton County Gets Good News On the Customary Use of Beaches

Walton County - April 25, 2025 - The Walton County Board of County Commissioners received welcome news Thursday, thanks to the efforts of Sen. Jay Trumbull.

The Florida Senate met in regular session in Tallahassee and Senate Bill SB-1622, dealing with Customary Use of the Beaches and future Beach Renourishment, passed by a vote of 38-2.

Commissioner Danny Glidewell, who was in Tallahassee, expressed his sincere thanks for Sen. Trumbell's efforts on behalf of Walton County.

"This was a bill that Sen. Trumbull sponsored and advocated for to his fellow senators. He got this passed for us today and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. We could not have done this without him," said Commissioner Glidewell. "This will be a great benefit to our county and will especially aid our tourism industry, which is the number one driver of our local economy," he added.

Sen. Trumbull filed SB-1622 in February, and it is an act relating to recreational customary use of beaches; repealing s. 163.035, F.S.

According to the executive summary: With respect to those counties adjacent to the Gulf of America having at least three municipalities and an estimated population of less than 275,000, the committee substitute revises the underlying bill to:

Bypass certain existing statutory procedures for establishing the erosion control line (ECL) on critically eroded beaches and declare the mean high water line to be the ECL.

Direct the Board of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to prepare and record, in the official and platting records of the counties subject to the bill, certain documents confirming the ECL's location on critically eroded shorelines, but only if an ECL has not already been established.

Authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to proceed with beach restoration projects for areas it has designated as critically eroded, and provide that notwithstanding existing law, such projects do not require public easements.

Include legislative declarations that the state does not intend to extend its ownership claims beyond what it already owns, and that beach restoration projects for critically eroded beaches are in the public interest.

Co-sponsors of the bill were Senators Darryl Rouson and Lori Berman. The bill has one more hurdle. It will now go to the Florida House of Representatives for a final vote next week.

 

[bob1]

Just like the "ancient and uninterrupted" customary use of our beaches, our local guvment and TDC should always and forever use "Gulf Of Mexico"!!!

 

[James Bentwood]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Walton County Gets Good News On the Customary Use of Beaches

Walton County - April 25, 2025 - The Walton County Board of County Commissioners received welcome news Thursday, thanks to the efforts of Sen. Jay Trumbull.

The Florida Senate met in regular session in Tallahassee and Senate Bill SB-1622, dealing with Customary Use of the Beaches and future Beach Renourishment, passed by a vote of 38-2.

Commissioner Danny Glidewell, who was in Tallahassee, expressed his sincere thanks for Sen. Trumbell's efforts on behalf of Walton County.

"This was a bill that Sen. Trumbull sponsored and advocated for to his fellow senators. He got this passed for us today and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. We could not have done this without him," said Commissioner Glidewell. "This will be a great benefit to our county and will especially aid our tourism industry, which is the number one driver of our local economy," he added.

Sen. Trumbull filed SB-1622 in February, and it is an act relating to recreational customary use of beaches; repealing s. 163.035, F.S.

According to the executive summary: With respect to those counties adjacent to the Gulf of America having at least three municipalities and an estimated population of less than 275,000, the committee substitute revises the underlying bill to:

Bypass certain existing statutory procedures for establishing the erosion control line (ECL) on critically eroded beaches and declare the mean high water line to be the ECL.

Direct the Board of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to prepare and record, in the official and platting records of the counties subject to the bill, certain documents confirming the ECL's location on critically eroded shorelines, but only if an ECL has not already been established.

Authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to proceed with beach restoration projects for areas it has designated as critically eroded, and provide that notwithstanding existing law, such projects do not require public easements.

Include legislative declarations that the state does not intend to extend its ownership claims beyond what it already owns, and that beach restoration projects for critically eroded beaches are in the public interest.

Co-sponsors of the bill were Senators Darryl Rouson and Lori Berman. The bill has one more hurdle. It will now go to the Florida House of Representatives for a final vote next week.

Thanks for answering the question of when the house will vote. I assume we'll get a day soon.

Isn't there 2 hurdles? - house passage AND signature from the Governor?