Judge dismisses condo suits challenging P.K. beach access

Judge dismisses condo suits challenging P.K. beach access

Six lawsuits filed filed by Perdido Key condo associations challenging the 75 ft. public access easement along the Gulf of Mexico have been dismissed by Circuit Court Judge Jan Shackelford.
The 75-foot perpetual easement for public use was included in the original 1957 deeds when the U.S. government conveyed 64 Gulf-front lots to the Gulf Beach Subdivision, a 1.5-mile corridor stretched from the subdivision’s eastern edge to Perdido Key State Park.
Judge Shackelford ruled that all 64 lot owners in the subdivision are indispensable parties to the litigation and must be included in any lawsuit challenging the easement. The case could continue if additional property owners join the suit.
In 2023, then commissioner Jeff Bergosh found a clause in a land deed opening up miles of beachfront for the public that was once considered private. Condo owners objected to the public access and filed suits, but the judge dismissed them.