Beach OKs ordinance to tackle litter

PANAMA CITY BEACH - The City Council granted final approval Tuesday to a pair of resolutions intended to make its beaches cleaner and safer
   
Council members passed a second reading of a resolution holding property owners responsible for continual trash cleanup on beachfront property; noncompliance will result in a fine of $250. The old ordinance gave property owners a 24-hour window for litter cleanup.
   
Some said the new statute was too vague and unfair to property owners.
   
Beach hotelier Julie Hilton recommended the word "allow" be removed from the phrase "cause or allow litter to be deposited" so property owners would not be fined for the conduct of litter bugs. She was joined by Ward 4 Councilman Ken Nelson, who said the city should target litterers, not property owners.
   
City Attorney Doug Sale said the language was intentionally generic and should not be interpreted literally. Other council members agreed, and the measure passed with Nelson the lone dissenting vote.
   
Mayor Gayle Oberst said pictures taken by the Tourist Development Council in the wake of Spring Break convinced members additional steps needed to be taken to protect the city's beaches. She said the ordinance would be enforced with a "thinking, common sense" approach.
   
"There will be some code enforcement people out there to say, 'Hey, you need to go clean this up,"' Oberst said. "We want to encourage them to clean up messes and not have them waiting all day long."
   
In addition to trash pickup, property owners will be required to post or display the flag warning system in initial rental units.
   
Eleven people drowned in waters off Bay County beaches in 2008. Though most hotels already distribute pamphlets or have information on rip currents available, many of the condos do not, Oberst said.
   
Sale said aside from sending a clear and consistent message to the public about the dangers of rip currents, the measure would be a clear and definitive discharge of duty to property owners, decreasing the likelihood of liability should an incident occur.
   
Officials said the ordinance, which passed unanimously, would increase beach safety by making tourists more aware of potential hazards.
   
"This is an attempt to make sure every person that visits knows our flag system," Oberst said. "Every unit will have a flyer or permanent information displayed with information about our (flag) system."
   
Officials said the TDC would help with initial printing costs and documents would be available at the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.