Last month the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners approved a new Noise Ordinance. It contains provisions to prohibit unreasonably loud noises, with particular attention to prohibiting such noise after 10:00 pm. However, for Pensacola Beach the Ordinance left in place the current rule of not permitting noise above 70 decibels at any time, 24/7, in both the Core Area and residential areas. The County asked the SRIA to come back with a recommendation for a revised ordinance for Pensacola Beach which would differentiate between the needs of the Core Area and the residential areas.

PBA, who has been working on this issue for two years, met with SRIA staff and with SRIA Board members, and on August 29th the SRIA approved a recommendation to the County that the residential areas of Pensacola Beach adopt the County standards of “no unreasonable noise, especially after 10:00 pm”, but that the 70 decibel rule stay in effect in the Core Area, where many businesses have bands, etc. that perform after 10:00pm. We are pleased with this progress, and will now work with the BOCC to get it adopted by the County.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Pensacola Beach, Florida--Casino Beach Parking Lot, West End (Near Ft. Pickens Road Entrance)

Download Event Flyer

Free Paper Shredding

We have contracted with Gilmore Services to provide a shredding truck and operator. Anyone may bring 50 lbs. of household documents to be shredded. No business may participate. Just drive up to the truck and your documents will be unloaded and shredded.

 

Community Yard Sale

 

We will once again host another community yard sale called ‘Junque in Your Trunque’. All sellers must register in advance and we can accommodate up to 50 sellers. The cost to have a table is $20 for non-members and free to paid members of PBA. 

 

Applications are also available at the Pensacola Beach Visitor's Center or the Island Times Newspaper. Completed applications can be dropped off at the Visitor's Center or mailed to PBA, PO Box 1261, Gulf Breeze, Florida, 32562. You MUST submit an application and a check to sell.

At ‘Junque in Your Trunque,’ you may sell household items; no retail, arts/crafts, consumables, plants, animals or hazardous material. All items sold must be allowed by law. Additionally, we would like to expand the items to be sold to include surf boards, paddleboards, wet suits and others items used to enjoy the beach. Each seller will be assigned a parking space where you will pull in your vehicle and sell your items from the rear of your vehicle. Bring a table to display your items. If you plan to bring a trailer you must advise us in advance.

Donations

Goodwill Easter Seals will be on site for anyone wishing to make donations, whether or not you are a seller in the Yard Sale. For sellers, they will take items you do not sell if you would like to donate them. They accept all household items, clothing, toys, as well as computers and related electronic, small household appliances such as irons, toaster ovens, microwaves and TVs. An attendant will be on hand to receive the items and issue receipts.

 

ECUA Recycling Information and Children’s Artwork Display

 

ECUA will be on site with their beautiful new recycling truck and giveaways to promote free recycling on

Pensacola Beach. Artwork from the Pensacola Beach Elementary School Art Contest will be on display.

 

Turtle Conservation Center

 

The Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center will be on site to sell coffee and water in reusable containers to raise money to build a center to rehabilitate injured and sick sea turtles.

 

From 10:00 am until 11:30 am we are hosting a Sea Turtle Homecoming on the stage at Casino Beach. This is a celebration of our sea turtles who return to nest. This is a fun, educational event to increase awareness of how we can coexist with these amazing visitors and still enjoy our beach. There will be family fun activities, games and contests, and information for children and adults.

 

Sponsored by the Pensacola Beach Advocates, the Holiday Inn Express Pensacola Beach, the Margaritaville Beach Hotel and ECUA.

Let your voice be heard !  Escambia County is holding a public hearing on the two proposed dog parks on Pensacola Beach this Thursday, Feb. 21^st at 5:30 in the County Building chambers at Palafox and Government streets.

At the PBA annual meeting on November, we held a straw poll on the dog parks, and PBA members voted 3 to 1 against the dog parks.  In January, the SRIA approved two dog parks for a one year trial period.  The locations are both on the Gulf – at parking lot B, just east of Park West, and parking lot E, just east of Portofino.  Dogs will be allowed from sunrise to 10:00 am (7:00 to 10:00 during turtle nesting season), and they must be on a leash.  Owners are required to pick up the dog feces.

 

Now the issue is now before the Board of County Commissioners.  If you have an opinion on the dog parks – for or against – PBA encourages you to attend the public hearing on Thursday and let your voice be heard.  It is important that the Commissioners hear from the public on this issue.  They will be voting on it this Thursday Feb 21st.

On Tuesday, November 6th, the FL Supreme court heard oral arguments on both the Navarre Beach case challenging taxation of leased land and the Pensacola Beach residential challenge of taxation of leased improvements. We do not know when the court will make their final ruling. Please note that if you have had any change in ownership on a property that is involved in the lawsuit you should send an email to beachtaxes@gmail.com. For more information visit http://www.pbeachtaxsuit.com. 

The Santa Rosa Island Authority has approved a one-year trial of two dog parks on Pensacola Beach. Escambia County will vote to approve or dis-approve this decision soon. The parks are to be located at Park East (past Portofino on the Gulf side where the elevated bathrooms are located) and Parking Lot B (an open section of Gulffront next to Portside Villas prior to the public park/picnic area on Ft. Pickens). Dogs must be leashed and off the beach by 10:00am.

Have you filed your claim? The class action settlement with BP provides for many Beach leaseholders to file for a claim for loss of use and enjoyment of their property. All Gulf Front properties are eligible, and many Sound Side properties also qualify. The award amount is based on the 2010 assessed value of the property, but the minimum award is $2,800. You can find out how to determine if your property is eligible and how to apply for these benefits at the PBA website, www.pbadvocates.org at the BP Oil Spill Claims page. It is not difficult to do this yourself. If you need assistance, there is a claims office on the west side of town who can provide assistance.

Escambia County has formed a committee of 9 citizens to review applications for the estimated $100 million in RESORE grant monies that will come to the County from the BP fines. The Committee will rank the applications and make recommendations to the Escambia County Commissioners.  PBA has been actively  working with the SRIA and Commissioner Grover Robinson to be sure Pensacola Beach is  seeking RESTORE funds for improvements like beach nourishment, Improvements to pedestrian crosswalks, a boardwalk on Quietwater Sound, and improvements to the Casino Beach pavilion.

PBA Beachkeepers participated in the selection of an environmentalist for the RESTORE Committee. The 22 environmental groups in Escambia County selected Christian Wagley as their representative.  We are confident that he will do a great job representing  our interests.

Grover Robinson nominated SRIA Board member and Beach resident Tammy Bohannon for the RESTORE Committee, and she has been confirmed as a member of the Committee.

Through the efforts of PBA members Lila Cox and Beverly McCay, the SRIA has secured a $500,000 grant from BP to promote eco-tourism on Pensacola Beach.  The grant will pay for an “Eco-tour” of about 40 signs on dune walkovers, public piers and parks throughout the beach explaining our birds, sea turtles, plants, dunes and other natural features of our barrier island. QR codes and text links on these displays will allow smart phone technology to connect to the VisitPensacolaBeach.com web site. Most of the funds will be used to promote eco-tourism in the spring and fall shoulder seasons.  Great job Lila and Beverly!

Bright lights can disorient nesting sea turtles or the young hatchlings. Escambia County is the only Florida County that has nesting sea turtles that does not have a lighting ordinance to protect them. PBA Beachkeepers has been working with the Escambia County environmental staff on a draft ordinance to make our Beach lights more turtle friendly. Balancing the desire to be more turtle friendly with the desire of some commercial leaseholders to have attractive lighting for their businesses is proving to be a challenge, but good progress is being made.

The process will involve getting approval of the SRIA, the Planning Board, and finally the Escambia County Commissioners.  PBA will keep you informed as to when public hearings will be held.

PBA Beachkeepers is combining two successful events into one this year.  On Saturday morning, April 20th, at the Casino Beach parking lot they will have a family-friendly event to kick off the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season.  Also, they will sponsor a recycling event featuring free shredding of personal financial records and a giant yard sale.  More information will be relayed to you as the event draws nearer.

March 18th to 20th will mark the annual Power Up Energy Expo in Fort Walton Beach. The event features exhibits and forums on renewable energy and alternative sources of fuel.  The exhibits are free, but the lectures and forums have a small fee. You can learn more at www.powerupenergyexpo.com.