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Escambia County Closes All Public Beaches
March 20, 2020
Escambia County issued an emergency order Friday afternoon closing all public access beaches in the county effective at midnight. The order will remain in place through April 2.
The order closes the sandy portion of public beaches — sound side and Gulf side, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. Persons are not prohibited from going to the beach for a scenic drive, food pick-up, etc.
The closure includes public beach areas, public beach access ways and public beachfront parks. Boat ramps, the fishing pier and the Bob Sikes fishing bridge will remain open to the public.
Violation of the order is a misdemeanor offense.
The commission also voted to go all-electronic tolling to Pensacola Beach effective immediately. Sunpass or other electronic tolling or toll-by-plate will be in effect.
The Escambia County Commission voted unanimously for the beach closure after three and a half hours of discussion.
Santa Rosa County has closed Navarre Beach and the pier effective at midnight Friday .Okaloosa and Walton counties closed their public beaches Thursday morning.
In Alabama beaches closed under an order from Gov. Kay Ivey.
Comments
24 Responses to “Escambia County Closes All Public Beaches”
Everyone should go to the beach and stick up their middle finger. Can’t do anything if we all join together. That’s how I feel about this over reaching and reacting B S. Hey, will the Escambia County Commissioners return my 2020 property tax then? I live on the beach and use vacation rentals to pay my bills. All this with roughly 180,000 people affected world wide, out of billions total population.
What about places like navy point or the end of fairfield?
No Roger, the safest place to be is at home or in your yard, minimizing public contact. Every beach around us is closed so when you advertise it’s open, it’s like a moth to a candle effect. Why do we want a concentration of people converging together? People touching things, coughing, needing to use bathrooms which means exposing workers as they clean, more restaurants, trash, contamination, used tissue, beer cans…I see a waste of contamination, exposing others. If the open air is what is meant to be the safest, why hasn’t the CDC or any other government agency suggested the same? They easily could have suggested everyone go to the beach, mountains or desert for 14 days and everything would be cured.
We will all survive nit going to the beach for 2 weeks, I promise. If a hurricane hits here, you’ll be away from the beach even longer. Trust me, you’ll be ok.
@Ella Potts
Think. The lethality of the virus is based on total number of infected. They claim that it’s between 1%-2% lethal.
What about the thousands, tens of thousands, or possibly millions infected, but are undiagnosed? What happens to the lethality rate then?
Dig deaper…these “the sky is falling” numbers just aren’t adding up.
Ella Potts wrote “I think every state city and country should all follow protocol this is no joke people do you want to see your mother or brother or children die cause you cant go to the beach a few weeks..Or take out your boat?? Fools
.I mean where are your brains!!!”
Ella, are we banning some of these things to stop the spread of this virus OR are we banning things to show support for stopping the spread of this virus? Calling people ‘fools’ for taking out a boat is ..well foolish on your part. Someone in a boat is not hanging out in crowds. Of course we don’t want to see anyone get sick or die from this but let’s just not be silly with the bans. Ban things that actually contribute to the spread.
Total idiots open air places safest place to be.
This is ridiculous these are just the thing you need to keep open . open air places with space ate safest place you can be . total idiots
To answer some of the questions:
Yes you can take your boat out,
Fort Pickens is closing along with access to Opal Beach, Johnson Beach, and the National Seashore. The sandy portions of the PUBLIC beach for both Pensacola and Perdido Key are closed. This also includes Johnson Beach and the state beaches. Additionally, included in the ordinance is if your car is parked along the side of the road in Perdido Key and you’ve walked over the dunes to the beach, the Sheriff’s Office can immediately tow your vehicle. The BOCC made sure to include that in the ordinance,
No, you cannot shore fish,
If your home is on Pensacola Beach then no, you cannot since ALL of that beach is public beach. This differs from Perdido Key because the beach area directly behind the condominiums is private property up to the “mean water line” or the wet portion of the sand,
The rivers are still available as an option.
I think every state city and country should all follow protocol this is no joke people do you want to see your mother or brother or children die cause you cant go to the beach a few weeks..Or take out your boat?? Fools
.I mean where are your brains!!! People now days think they are so entitled!! Do the right thing stay home so everyone can be safe
Not much longer I expect they’ll send a brute squad to your home to beat you about the head and shoulders if you dare to stick your head out of your door.
Someone’s getting a little drunk with power.
Henry, of course you can take your boat out. They are stretching it by making the soundside illegal. This is someone who is wanting complete control. Soundside? There are never people there!
What about the beaches along our lovely rivers? We locals still have that hopefully as long as one stays off private property.
Is boating still permitted?
This is illegal. George Orwell 1984 is here ladies and gentlemen
Thank you for making a responsible decision finally.
Sarcastically awesome. Im glad i didnt decide to seclude with a campsite on loop b at ft pickens. It was one of my first thoughts. Nope, looks luke molino is my answer for camping seclusion. Thanks for helping me go cabin fever crazy with one more place im not allowed to go.
@Henry Coe, I imagine as long as its not a party boat with more than 10 people you would fine. If you are just going fishing, I say enjoy. Just stay off the beach.
I live on the beach. Can I walk in front of our townhome? Thanks
Fort pickens is closing at 5:00 pm today. Indefinitely they said. And all campers must be gone by 11:00 tomorrow. We just left. So this information is from rangers at fort pickens.
I wonder if they have any say over Johnson Beach since it is a National Park?
So much for sunshine and fresh air.
So, what about shore fishing??
Should have been done a week ago. Follow the money.
So what about fort pickens and the campground ?
Can I take my boat out?