The blockade of a disputed beach access path at the west end of 78th Street in Holmes Beach is headed for change.
Planning and zoning administrator Chad Minor wrote in an April 5 email to The Islander that part of an illegally built fence on Travis Resmondo’s property at 99 78th St. and 101 78th St. was to be removed April 8, after press time for The Islander.
It has been two years since Resmondo first blocked what used to be a beach access path frequented by neighbors along the north side of his property with ropes, bollards, plants and signage, claiming it as private property.
The blockade has faced legal scrutiny since May 2022, when some nearby property owners teamed up to file a lawsuit, but there have been no developments in the case since June 2023.
During the downtime, Resmondo installed a pool and travertine deck in his backyard, as well as a fence built along the northern and southern property lines and westward onto his beachside lot at 99 78th St.
The fencing encloses several dozen feet of a walkway easement where the beach access path had been located, further blocking its entrance from the roadway.
City staff inspected the property in February and found the fence was built in violation of an approved permit, and issued a notice of violation.
Resmondo’s contractor, Bradenton-based Tom Sanger Pool and Spa, has applied with the city for a permit revision but needs approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to finalize a new location for the fence.
In the meantime, they asked the city to let the fence remain during the permitting process, especially during spring tourist season. The city approved the request.
However, Minor wrote April 5 that DEP approval was taking “longer than expected,” so the contractor was set to remove the fence from the walkway easement and place a temporary fence to meet pool safety requirements.
