By Mayor Mark Sheldon
Having just had several consecutive days of 70-plus degree temperatures, we are excited for the busy spring and summer seasons!
You can’t live in this part of the country and not look forward to consistently warmer temperatures, outdoor activities like bike riding and kayaking, pulling our flip-flops and shorts out, the return of our special events, and going to the world’s most beautiful beaches!
Especially after a harsh winter by Panhandle standards, and the slow-down of our economy and the loss of some of our personal freedoms due to the lingering pandemic, we so look forward to being out and about and enjoying our beautiful environment.
This time of year we really start to see our natural environment come alive, with the grass greening up, and flowers and trees starting to bud. We also see more people moving about, as locals, visitors and vacation homeowners weary of winter back in their hometowns, come out or come down to enjoy Panama City Beach.
The beach continues to focus on being a family-friendly destination. Safety is and will remain a top concern for our 14,000 residents, 4.5 million annual visitors and our thousands of daily commuters who live elsewhere but work on this side of the bridge.
As our busy season approaches, we recognize that people of all ages, including college-age students, will be on Panama City Beach. As such, we would like to remind everyone of our rules.
• No alcohol is allowed on the sandy portion of the beach during the month of March.
• Alcohol sales end at 2 a.m. during the month of March.
• Overnight scooter rental is not permitted.
• Climbing, jumping, or throwing items from balconies is not allowed.
• Parking in closed businesses’ parking lots is prohibited.
• Parking is prohibited in unmarked or unpaved portions of the roadway after dark.
• Metal shovels are not permitted on the beach, and any holes dug in the sand should not be deeper than two feet.
• Dogs are not allowed on the beach, except at the Dog Beach, which is marked with signage and is located to the west of the Russell-Fields City Pier at Pier Park. Dog owners are required to pick up after their dogs and there is a limit of three dogs per person.
• When double red flags are flying, you must not get into the Gulf. The water is closed to swimmers during double red but can be utilized by surfers tethered to boards.
• No fires are allowed on the beach except through beach bonfire vendors.
• Gatherings on the sandy beach may require a special event permit. Check with the Building & Planning Department with the City to see if you need a permit.
• Do not block beach accesses which are used by emergency vehicles.
• No vehicles are allowed on the sandy beach.
• Low-speed vehicles are prohibited on roads with speeds of 36 mph or more. This includes Panama City Beach Parkway and Hutchison Boulevard.
• Leave no trace on our beaches. Remove all tents, chairs, umbrellas, and trash nightly.
We want everyone to enjoy the warmer days and our beautiful sandy beaches. But we also want everyone to be safe. If there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at City Hall.
