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County bans booze, dogs from Shell Key Preserve

Commissioners approve the plan, which also addressed overnight camping.

By NICK JOHNSON, Time Staff Writer
Published October 3, 2007

	A broken beer bottle is left at a campfire on the southern tip of Shell Key Preserve. The draft of the 2007 Shell Key Management Plan called for a ban on alcohol in the preserve and surrounding waters. It's Your Times: Discuss the decision Tampabay.com Beach Guide
[Times photo: Martha Rial]

It's official: dogs and alcohol are banned from Shell Key.

County commissioners unanimously approved the draft 2007 Shell Key Preserve Management Plan on Tuesday afternoon.

It will replace the current plan, in place since the county leased the preserve from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2000.

Will Davis, director of the county's environmental management department, presented the commission with the major changes included in the draft, more regulation for overnight camping, a ban on dogs and a ban on alcohol.

Shell Key is the only county managed preserve that allows dogs or open drinking and has become a popular hangout for the area's boaters.

Although alcohol is banned on the main island, it is allowed in the surrounding waterways. Glen Wilson of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said that makes it hard to control partying and drinking there.

Many boaters had previously criticized the plan as an attempt to scare them off, saying that they drank responsibly and enjoyed bringing their dogs to the island.

Davis said the new plan was more an attempt to bring the rules up to date and stop excessive partying.

"Does an alcohol ban really eliminate alcohol? No, it doesn't. Does it eliminate the behavior that we're concerned about? Yes," he said.

Davis also explained to the commissioners why the ban on dogs was proposed. "It's a serious problem because one dog running through a nesting colony on one day has the potential to destroy the colony."

The lease agreement between the county and the DEP requires the preserve to be managed for the preservation and protection of such shore nesting birds, and public use that won't disturb them.

The county staff referred to the original plan as a compromise, allowing alcohol and dogs.

Chairman Ronnie Duncan thanked the environmental management staff for their patience and effort.

"It's really hard to put the genie back in the bottle, and that's what we're doing here," Duncan said.

Nick Johnson can be reached at nickjohnson@sptimes.com or 893-8361.

[Last modified October 2, 2007, 22:45:15]