In Inweekly’s Jan. 8 issue, I listed four issues that the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners needed to resolve in 2026: paratransit, Pensacola Beach parking, Perdido Beach access and the use of discretionary funds to help nonprofits fill service gaps. Read “Outtakes—Escambia County’s Full Plate.”
- The commissioners appear ready to address public beach access not only on Perdido Key but also on Pensacola Beach at 9 a.m. on Feb. 5 at its next Committee of the Whole.
Customary Use
For years, county leaders have debated “customary use,” the public’s right to use the dry sand area of the beach for recreation, even where that sand is part of private waterfront parcels and when that use has been “ancient, reasonable, without interruption, and free from dispute.”
- Perdido Key has seen conflicts where condo owners claimed sections of dry?sand beach as private, while county officials and residents pointed to long?standing public use and old easement language in deeds. The customary use issue has now popped up on Pensacola Beach.
“Customary use on Perdida Key, it’s going to have to be dealt with by his board,” said Commissioner Steven Barry. “In my opinion, it’s not going to go away. You now have some of District 4 advocates that have taken up the mantra.”
The commissioners agreed to put it on the agenda for the next Committee of the Whole and to make it a discussion-and-action item for the next regular meeting, which would be two weeks later. The goal is to give the public substantial time to offer input to the board.
City Issues
In the same issue, we wrote about four lingering issues Mayor D.C. Reeves has on his desk for 2026. From the memorial plaza that has yet to be built after funding controversies to a deadly intersection, these problems challenge the city’s capacity to make meaningful improvements for its people.
Throw in the Bluffs Park—closed for nearly three years—and a multi-million-dollar funding dispute with the Escambia Children’s Trust over childcare dollars, and the picture is clear: 2026 will be defined by City Hall’s ability to move these critical projects from discussion to completion.
General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Plaza: The proposed memorial to honor Pensacola’s first Black four-star general remains stalled over funding and stewardship issues. After the foundation failed to raise private funds, their 2024 request for $1 million in tourist tax revenue was rejected by the TDC as illegal, though County Clerk Pam Childers argued it qualified as a museum. The county commission offered to overrule the TDC if the city would assume liability risk, but Mayor Reeves refused to put city taxpayers on the hook. The foundation’s original stewardship agreement expired in June 2025, but new city administrator David Stafford is now reviewing a potential new agreement presented by foundation co-founder Cris Dosev in December.
Pensacola’s Deadly Intersection: The first intersection off the Chappie James Bridge at Gregory Street and 14th Avenue has become a critical safety concern with 22 crashes and three motorcycle fatalities in 2025—triple the average of previous years. The bridge’s design encourages acceleration, with inadequate infrastructure to slow drivers. Red-light camera data shows the Ninth Avenue and Gregory Street intersection issued 8,274 citations from February to October, making it Pensacola’s most dangerous intersection. Mayor Reeves has submitted a formal request to FDOT, and Secretary Tim Smith indicated that the agency has begun an internal review in Chipley to evaluate potential solutions, though no report has been released yet.
Pensacola Bay Bluffs Park: The 22.5-acre park on Scenic Highway has been closed since March 2023 because of extreme weather damage, causing sagging decks, missing guardrails, and cracked boardwalk beams. Gov. DeSantis awarded $2.2 million in June 2024 for restoration, and consulting firm HDR is now designing the new park with community input. Mayor Reeves has cautioned that reopening depends on the scope of improvements chosen—simpler, primitive trails could open by mid-to-late 2026, while complex projects requiring specialized construction would take longer. The city is working through a six-month checklist of requirements from granting agencies before construction can begin, with final plans requiring Conservation Florida’s approval.
Escambia Children’s Trust: The city and the Escambia Children’s Trust are locked in a $3.1 million dispute over Community Redevelopment Agency funds from 2021-2025, including late fees and interest. Mayor Reeves argues the tax increment funds should never have gone to ECT and wants them spent on solving the childcare crisis, while ECT Executive Director Lindsey Cannon wants the money for countywide children’s services grants and argues ECT should receive a CRA exemption like the Downtown Improvement Board. After months of contention and another demand letter from the city attorney, both sides have been meeting to find common ground. They’re working toward a February resolution in which the city would credit ECT for past after-school program grants and submit a new grant request to use the remaining CRA funds for Pensacola’s childcare access program.
