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Who owns the beach? A heated battle plays out in the Florida Panhandle

Sep 4, 2026 · Debbie Elliott

Originally published by NPR News Read the original

Who owns the beach? A heated battle plays out in the Florida Panhandle
A beachgoer uses the boardwalk at Ed Walline Regional Beach Access off Scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. This stretch of the Gulf Coast has become
A beachgoer uses the boardwalk at Ed Walline Regional Beach Access off Scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. This stretch of the Gulf Coast has become

After years of fighting over who gets to use the beach, and where, in Walton County, Florida, public-use advocates are calling for a state constitutional amendment to finally settle the matter.

(Image credit: Erich Martin for NPR)

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