say bye byee

http://staugustine.com/stories/102309/n ... 9947.shtml

Why sit back and watch it happen?

No more driving on the beach, but that does not mean that we cannot ride there. The ramp will still be open, so just leave a car on the south side drive up to the ramp and launch there. All it means is that there will be less fishermen lining the beach to interfere with our riding.

As far as fighting it, this is simply the enforcement of a rule by the National Park Service. We could try to fight it, but it will be a long hard fight with an environmental impact review, and my feeling is we would probably lose in the long run. Better to just deal with it, and keep ripping the inlet, cause it is one of the best spots in northeast Florida!

Some observations,

1. The property line shows Matanzas National parks boundary ends at the high water mark (St. Johns Property Appraisers Office). If that is accurate, the majority of the beach driven on is under state of Florida jurisdiction.

2. The NPR rule indicates vehicles can only be in a place designated for vehicles. Under state law, and under county jurisdiction, this section of beach is a designated travel way for vehicles (FS 161.58)

3. Even it the NPS owns the beach below the mean high water mark, Customary Use of the area for recreation is granted under the Florida Constitution X, 11. In a recent lawsuit in Volusia County (Trepanier v. County of Volusia), the common law doctrine of "Customary Use" of the beach was establish as including "beach driving" -- that section of the case was affirmed by the 5th Dist. Florida Appellant court.

4. Possibilities -- the NPS has primarily infringed on the jurisdiction of St. Johns County FS 161.58. NPS has infringed on the citizens rights under the state constitution and case law under Trapanier.

pwnt! TY SHINE!

Here is a link to a new website trying to get people organized to save beach driving at Matanzas. Please show up to the St. Johns County Commission Meeting at 8:30 a.m. on December 15th in the County Auditorium located at 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, FL.

Google Map Click Here

The signs are in place to disallow beach driving from the beach ramp on the north side of Matanzas Inlet all the way to the inlet itself, where we normally ride. St. Johns County is fighting back. From the minutes of the St. Johns County Commission Meeting on Tuesday, December 15, 2009:

Presenter – Jan Brewer, Environmental Division Director - District 3
1. Consider a Resolution requesting that the National Park Service maintain the current
beach access and beach driving at Fort Matanzas National Monument and requesting
the Federal Congressional representatives for the citizens of St. Johns County to
initiate immediate legislative actions to temporarily allow beach driving to continue
until such time as the Monument’s General Management Plan is complete and implemented.

http://www.clk.co.st-johns.fl.us/minrec ... 9arbcc.pdf

Unless this passes, this Thursday, December 31 New Years Eve 2009 could be your last chance to drive down and kiteboard on the north side of Matanzas Inlet without having to lug all of your gear down the walkway or exercise other options.

I found this site looking for a surfboard and found this post on the front page. Go to red drum tackle and look at beach access issues in Cape Hatteras, there are a few links also. Access to our beaches are being shut down without our say, get involved and stay involved.