MANATEE COUNTY -- A new bill signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott is drawing a new line in the sand.
- New law may limit access to portions of the beach
- Beachfront homeowners to declare portion of property as private
- Officials say law won't have big affect in Manatee
The law states that staring July 1, beachfront homeowners can declare the portion of their property on the sand as private.
It's certainly raising red flags for some.
"I can't imagine what it would do to Florida tourism if homeowners decided to do that," said beachgoer Linda Osterman.
However, Charlie Hunsicker with Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources says beachgoers on Anna Maria Island really won't see any changes.
That's because public funds have been used to renourish the beach.
"In Manatee County the wet sand/dry sand, those traditional access rules, they do not apply," he said.
The same goes for the majority of Pinellas County beaches. Hunsicker says only very small sections of beach on Anna Maria Island and in Pinellas County have not received public funds.
"The sands there have been placed by public funds and maintained by public funds, so the public will always have right of access over that property," Hunsicker stated.