SIESTA KEY, Fla. — The battle continues over a rope fence, rocks and "no trespassing" signs put up on Shell Road in Siesta Key by a homeowner.
Beach-goers say it's blocking off beach access.
“It’s disappointing, you know, we the locals kind of consider this our little gem so we don’t have to go all the way to Siesta Beach and now that it’s getting blocked off it’s just disappointing,” Melissa Ford said.
Ford says she lives right across the street and visits the beach access off Shell Road every morning. After receiving complaints, the county is getting involved.
Sarasota County's Environmental Protection Division sent a letter to the homeowners. In the letter, it says the rope fence is "unauthorized construction seaward of the Gulf Beach Setback Line."
The letter also says the rocks installed on the shore along the fenceline have "no County permit history." After reviewing records, the county says historic aerial images shows the rocks on the beach were installed by a previous owner and have been there since 1974.
Sarasota County told the homeowners they have until Friday, Jan. 24, to apply for permits to move the rocks and remove the post and rope fence.
"I hope they take it down," Ford said. “I know there’s been a lot of partying and some obscene things that they don’t appreciate and, of course, I appreciate that they live on the beach and they are exposed to that all the time.
"I’m not so I’m sure that’s upsetting to them but it’s just going to be an eyesore and again, like I said, this is our little spot and that kind of ruins it."
10News talked to the owner and she would not comment on whether she'd be taking the fence down or not. The homeowner, Michelle Olson, says the fence and signs were put in after surveillance video caught people having sex and partying behind her home.
Olson says it's private property and she's not blocking public beach access, but beach-goers and say otherwise.
The county refused to comment further on the situation, but records show they will be re-inspecting the property next week.
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