Brian Littrell from the Backstreet Boys expressed concerns that the local Sheriff’s Office in Florida couldn’t adequately protect his valuable beachfront property from trespassers, prompting him to request a legal order.
The petition, submitted last month by Littrell’s company in Florida’s Panhandle region, highlights the ongoing conflict between affluent beachfront property owners and the public, especially in a state that boasts 825 miles of sandy coastline.
Under Florida law, beach sand below the high tide mark is publicly accessible.
While many homeowners claim ownership of sand up to the average high water line, various counties have enacted local laws allowing public access to beaches for activities like sunbathing, fishing, and walking when there has been historical usage.
Records indicate that Littrell’s company acquired the property in Santa Rosa Beach, located in Walton County, for $3.8 million in 2023.
A representative from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office stated on Wednesday that they would not comment on the ongoing lawsuit.
“The Walton County Sheriff’s Office prides itself on addressing any situation with professionalism and a customer service approach,” said Public Information Officer Lindsey Derby in an email. “This will always be our mission moving forward.”
In the legal filing, Littrell’s company noted that beach chairs, umbrellas, and small tables were set up, alongside a “No Trespassing” sign indicating the area was private property.
However, such measures seemed ineffective, as the petition claimed that numerous trespassers continually “hostile, bully, and harass the Littrell family by trespassing daily.”
The sheriff’s office had failed to act on requests to remove trespassers, forcing the family to hire private security, according to the petition.
Walton County, which has been home to several celebrities, including Littrell, for the past two decades, has found itself at the center of a significant dispute over beach access between private property owners and the public.
A law introduced in Florida in 2018, originating from a Walton County ordinance, prohibited local governments from establishing regulations about public beach access without notifying homeowners, conducting public hearings, and having courts determine whether certain beaches had been historically open to the public.
This year, Florida lawmakers approved a new law returning local governments to authority over beach access regulations, and Governor Ron DeSantis signed it last month in Santa Rosa Beach, the town where Littrell resides.
