MADEIRA BEACH, Fla — If you ask some of the residents of Madeira Beach their thoughts on a restaurant placing chairs and tables on the beach, you'll get comments like this: "Drunks, overflowing garbage pails, and everything. Is that what we want?"
Those were a portion of Ray Leone's comments during a Madeira Beach City Commission workshop meeting in May. He and more than a dozen other residents took to the mic during the public comment section of the meeting to share their opposition to Caddy's putting furniture in the sand.
This all boils down to what is considered private property and public property on the beach.
The owner of Caddy's said the restaurant was granted a liquor license with certain stipulations about placing tables on the beach. That stipulation, according to the city, specifically says the "public beach." The restaurant is allowed to put tables and chairs anywhere that's considered private property.
So, is the beach area behind Caddy's public or private property? It depends on who you ask.
"So we have determined now that we do own to the mean high water line, which is the dry sand on the beach," Marcus Winters, the owner of Caddy's, shared.
In the last city commission workshop, the city attorney shared he ordered a title search for the property, which is being reviewed now.
"What really is the issue here is when Caddy's alcohol beverage permit was approved a couple of years ago, they agreed that they would not put chairs on the public beach," City Manager Robin Gomez said. "The question is: What is the public beach?"
Winters said he had his attorney review his property information, and found that he owned the property down to the mean high water line. He said his attorney sent that information to the city, who acknowledged and agreed with the letter.
"Everybody is in agreement that, you know, Caddy's does own on to the mean high water line and we do have the rights to the beach," Winters said. "So we're not we're not going blocking off the beach... it's beach chairs."
When asked if Winters could provide the emails he referenced, he declined, stating it was against his attorney's preference. 10 Tampa Bay has made a public records request for the emails and is awaiting the city to fulfill the request.
Winters said he plans on placing chairs and umbrellas on the beach next week. During the last commission workshop, the city manager said no furniture would be added until the next workshop meeting later in June.
"There'll be no votes or no decisions taken but at this point, nothing will happen out on sand until that item is discussed here at the June 26 workshop at the earliest," Gomez explained.
Winters said he does not plan to place any tables in the sand. If guests want to order, they will have to walk up to the bar as he is not allowed to serve drinks or food on the sand.
"My staff will be very, very attentive to the beach, we will clean everything up, we will put more receptacles on the beach," Winters said.
Malique Rankin is an Emmy award-winning general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.