At the May 19 Escambia Commission Regular Meeting, the commission granted a special event permit exemption to the Leave No Trace Behind Ordinance to Johnny Chisholm for the annual Memorial Day LGBT festivities on Pensacola Beach through the Santa Rosa Island Authority. The permit allows personal items to be left on the beach overnight from Friday, May 27 until Monday, May 30 in the following designated areas only: between beach walkover 28A (dog park) to approximately ¼ mile east of beach walkover 29D, or the University of West Florida boundary. Overnight camping and campfires are not permitted.
Escambia County passed the Leave No Trace Behind Ordinance in August 2015, making it illegal to leave personal property unattended on the beach after sunset without a permit. The ordinance is common in coastal communities as a way to help reduce litter and to make beaches sea turtle-friendly. The Santa Rosa Island Authority and Escambia will continue to focus on educating all our visitors on our new policies, and only warnings will be issued during Memorial Weekend.
When visiting Pensacola Beach, residents and tourist are asked to:
- Fill in any holes in the sand and knock down sand sculptures at day’s end to remove obstacles blocking sea turtles’ nesting activities.
- Remain at a distance from nesting sea turtles and hatchlings.
- Properly dispose of trash and discarded gear. Sea turtles can become entangled in old fishing nets and lines or ingest plastic bags and wrappers, mistaking them for jellyfish.
- Turn out beachfront lights after dusk and close blinds and curtains in beachfront homes, condos and hotels.
- Do not disturb nesting females or hatchlings by using flashlights, flash photography or lanterns at night.
- Remove personal belongings from the beach at the end of each day. Items such as umbrellas, tents, beach toys and chairs left unattended on Pensacola Beach overnight will be removed and disposed of by cleaning crews each night after Memorial Weekend.
To view the Leave No Trace ordinance, click here.
