BELLEAIR BEACH, Fla. — You will not get far on the seaside with out seeing a tent or an umbrella. Native New Yorker Jacqueline Castaneta shortly realized why.
“We were here for a month, and the first couple of weeks, we didn’t have an umbrella or anything. You can see I’m a little burnt. We just bought this the other day. We love it. It’s our second time using it,” she mentioned whereas having fun with a seaside day in Pinellas County.
One place Castaneta will not be utilizing her tent is Belleair Shore Beach in Pinellas County.
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Back in 2020, the city handed an ordinance banning all temporary shade structures, which leaves beach-goers like Diamond Acklin and Jada Johnson upset.
“We were just talking about going to buy some (tents) just to enjoy it if we want to be here longer, but for someone to say ‘yeah, no’. I don’t like that,” Acklin mentioned.
“After like two hours, that sun is draining,” Johnson added.
For many, a tent or umbrella offers much-needed safety from the solar’s UV rays. The Centers for Disease Control mentioned most pores and skin most cancers is brought on by overexposure to UV rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation mentioned 5 or extra sunburns doubles your threat of pores and skin most cancers.
“I get pre-skin cancer cells, so I need protection. We’re doing a beach marathon. We’re here all day,” Castaneta mentioned.
The Cancer Statistics Center estimates Florida will see 9,650 new circumstances of pores and skin most cancers this yr. It’s the fifth most identified kind, by the middle’s estimates. It additionally mentioned 610 individuals would die. Many of these circumstances are estimated to be present in Tampa Bay.
“To not be able to have anything, that’s discriminatory. That’s harmful to people,” Acklin mentioned. “Not everyone has the ability to enjoy the sun, to take in sun. People sunburn, people have conditions. People should be able to enjoy the beach regardless.”
There are a number of ordinances at Belleair Shore Beach, which embody no meals and no bikes. The ordinance banning non permanent shade constructions is the one one at present in the course of a authorized battle.
Belleair Shore mentioned it was made “in the best interests of the health, safety, ad welfare of the community.” But one city over in Belleair Beach, persons are pushing again.
ABC Action News spoke to former Belleair Beach Mayor Joseph Manzo on July 19; he is additionally the legal professional behind the lawsuit. He mentioned he believes the ordinance was handed to provide Belleair Shore’s beachfront property homeowners a extra non-public seaside expertise.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s absurd,” Manzo mentioned in an earlier interview. “They’ve got a view 24/7. All we want is some shade protection from the sun.”
On Monday, some Belleair Beach residents plan to ask their city council to guard tents and umbrellas on their facet of the sand whereas additionally asking to see what they will do in regards to the ban only a mile away.