Brevard County Florida Banning Metal Detecting

[Hangingfor8]

Brevard County Florida is trying to sneak a new law through that would stop all digging of holes on the beach. We need to ban together and fight this. It's just another way to stop metal detecting. The don't care that we fill in our holes and often remove dangerous garbage from the beaches.

 

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[DizzyDigger]

Brevard County Florida is trying to sneak a new law through that would stop all digging of holes on the beach. <snip>

I can see it now....big bunch of 3 year olds will be playing in the sand (with a plastic
bucket and shovel) and some cop is gonna give 'em a ticket for it?

Not going to go over well with the beach visitors, as those kids will dig deeper
holes than any detectorist, and then won't fill 'em up. Would love to be a fly
on the wall when that pissed off momma tells the cop what he can do with his
citation..

 

[gsxraddict]

too many law makers, with to much time on their hands/. Digging on the beach doesn't hurt anything.

 

[Hangingfor8]

I agree, but we can't let this go through because we all know who they'll go after.

 

[bikerlawyer]

Where can I find the proposal?

 

[Hangingfor8]

It's been on Brighthouse Cable Channel News13 today. Here's a link. Cocoa Beach Commission considering beach changes

 

[ropesfish]

OK..Below is the text from the article snatched from the Channel 13 web site:
The way I read it they are stating that digging holes in/on the beach is illegal now and that the Cocoa Beach city commission is considering an ordinance to allow digging of holes 18 inches or less.
Was anyone aware that it is illegal or is this just a poorly written article?

by Jerry Hume, Reporter
Last Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013, 9:20 AM
COCOA BEACH -- It may soon be legal to dig holes in the sand at one Brevard County beach.
Cocoa Beach’s city commission is planning to fine tune some of its ordinances, including digging on the beach.
The commission is looking to better define what holes can be dug in the sand.
There are currently restrictions for the safety of beachgoers and sea turtles.
Under their proposal, people can’t dig a hole 18 inches or deeper. The intent, they said, isn’t to crack down on kids making sand castles on the beach.
The commission is also looking to allow some gas grills on the beach, but not charcoal.
They also want to limit the area where tents can be placed next to each other.
The commission may take action in May.

link to article (@ 1:43 PM EDT 4/22/2013 http://www.cfnews13.com/content/new...icles/cfn/2013/4/22/cocoa_beach_commissi.html

 

[Power Guy]

They have been talking about this for years. At first they proposed no digging during the hatching season. Then they tried closing the beach during hatching times. ( Locals lost a lot of $$) Now this? Maybe they should do something about all the cigarette butts on the beach. Most people know to leave the turtles alone. ( some are just plain stupid).

 

[Hangingfor8]

I think in the first line it's a typo... I think they meant illegal

 

[seeker41]

hangingfor8,
they did this last year as far as I know! it was in the news and on the forums! the purpose and intent was to stop the digging of "unreasonably deep holes" , the kind that kids and spring breakers tend to dig and then leave. .....any hole that you could step into and injure yourself.

detectotist's that leave their holes open and do not concern themselves with the publics image of detecting , causing damage to a bicycle tire and rim , a tourists or locals ankle would probably also fall into this ticketable offense, and they should!!!
chuck.

 

[Bum Luck]

hangingfor8,
they did this last year as far as I know! it was in the news and on the forums! the purpose and intent was to stop the digging of "unreasonably deep holes" , the kind that kids and spring breakers tend to dig and then leave. .....any hole that you could step into and injure yourself.

detectotist's that leave their holes open and do not concern themselves with the publics image of detecting , causing damage to a bicycle tire and rim , a tourists or locals ankle would probably also fall into this ticketable offense, and they should!!!
chuck.

What a concept! Punish the ones that leave holes, not the ones that fill them back in. Duh.

 

[sabre15]

I agree, my family went to cocoa beach last weekend after the cookout, the cigarette butts are sickening and disgusting. We will not be going back there again, the law makers should worry about the litterbugs not the holes!

 

[ropesfish]

Here is a link to a more comprehensive news report:
http://www.floridatoday.com/article...Cocoa-Beach-wants-fine-tune-beach-regulations

Essentially it says: "• Holes dug in sand or dunes would be limited to 18 inches deep, or no deeper than the knees of the group’s shortest person."
Who writes this stuff?

I looked through the Cocoa Beach Municipal Code and found how the code is presently:
Cocoa Beach, Florida, Code of Ordinances >> PART II - CODE OF ORDINANCES >> Chapter 5 - BEACHES, FILLS, BOATS AND WATERWAYS >>ARTICLE II. - OCEANFRONT REGULATIONS >>
Section 5-34 (C)(4) @ this web address: Municode
Sec. 5-34. - Use of municipal beaches and facilities.

(a)
Beach rangers. The duly appointed and identified beach rangers shall be responsible for identifying violations and pursuing compliance from persons violating the city code provisions and/or ordinances.
(b)
Reasonable command. It shall be unlawful for any person to deliberately disobey any reasonable command of a duly appointed and identified city beach ranger while in the legitimate performance of his duties, such commands being intended to ensure the safety of persons using the beach or structures erected thereon.
(1)
A reasonable command shall be preceded by a verbal warning to such person to cease the activity or behavior, which is jeopardizing the safety of those using the beach or the structures thereon; such person shall be given a reasonable opportunity to comply with the warning. Said reasonable command shall be made in the presence of or by a certified law enforcement officer acting on behalf of the City of Cocoa Beach.
(2)
A reasonable command shall include, but not be limited to adherence to those rules and regulations found in subsection (c) of this section.
(c)
Rules and regulations. Absent a permit issued by the city, all persons entering or on the beach, or structures erected thereon, when directed by a beach ranger, police officer or other enforcement official of the city, shall comply with the following rules and regulations, and failure to follow the reasonable command of said official shall constitute a violation of this section. A reasonable command shall include, but not be limited to, the following commands:
(1)
To refrain from engaging in any activity or to act in any way which is likely to cause endangerment to himself or others.
(2)
To cease doing any act or creating any condition which does or is calculated to encourage, aid, abet, or start a riot, public disorder or disturbance of the peace; and it shall not be necessary to prove that that person was solely responsible for that riot, public disorder or disturbance of the peace.
(3)
To refrain from loitering so as not to obstruct the free flow of pedestrian travel in the marked beach safety access lanes.
(4)
To cease digging holes or tunnels in the sand to the extent it endangers the safety of the person(s) digging or tunneling, or the safety of others.

So...digging on the beach will be limited to 18 inches if they pass/approve the ordinance. Another brick in the wall installed by bureaucrats between the citizenry that elected them and the freedom of those citizens to do as they please.

I'm going to stop before I get on a rant about government making their citizens so secure that they have no freedoms left.