http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/...idents-Split-Over-Beach-Access-296797901.html
WALTON COUNTY-- If you plan on visiting South Walton Beach you may want to be careful where you sit. It could land you in jail. A property owner has blocked off the area near his home, and says it's trespassing if you encroach upon it. As the weather warms up, many people are resting up on South Walton Beach and one thing that's probably not on their minds is trespassing.
"It's very inconvenient for those people," said resident Vickie Erickson. "They should be able to use any part of the beach. I just don't think it's right."
But the homeowner of a property along Fort Panic Road has blocked off their property from public use all the way into the Gulf of Mexico.
"I love it. I think it's a great idea," said neighbor Bryan Irwin. "Before he built it, everybody from the public beach was coming down and fishing and hanging out and so he built it to keep them out of here."
But Walton County Sheriff's Office officials say if people set up in the wet sand they are not trespassing. However if they're near the home or dunes they could be charged, and if they are somewhere in the middle it depends on the situation.
"Just because they have a house on the beach, you know if it was secluded where they're wasn't so many people like there is here it would be different, but it's not. This is a public beach and they should not be allowed to do that," explained Erickson.
Even though it is a public beach, private properties do sit next to it and officials say property owners are allowed to block off a limited amount of land.
"It's not public property. I guess the perception is it's public, but it's not. So it's all private. Before the fence, all the public beach people were coming down and you'd come out in the morning and your spots are taken," said Irwin.
A judge sided with the property owner after the county issued them citation for blocking off the area behind their house. The homeowners said they're not breaking any laws.
