Beaches remain open only to residents, business owners and employees until 4 p.m. Tuesday

Beaches remain open only to residents, business owners and employees until 4 p.m. Tuesday

Effective until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Pinellas County barrier islands will remain accessible only to residents, business owners, and their employees with a Barrier Island Re-Entry Permit or other documentation.

To gain access to the barrier islands, residents must provide their Barrier Island Re-Entry Permit or photo ID and reasonable proof that they reside or have legitimate business on the barrier islands. Examples of this include vehicle registration, property tax or utility bill, and proof of employment (paystub, work ID, uniform, and work orders).

In addition, licensed tow truck drivers and licensed contractors (with a visible license number displayed on their commercial vehicle), such as plumbers and electricians, will be given access.

Until the restriction is lifted at 4 p.m. on Oct. 1, individuals will not be provided access to go to vacation rentals or hotels. Individuals or organizations who want to "street feed' will not be permitted access unless they have coordinated with Pinellas County Emergency Management.

These restrictions are in place as a result of a meeting among the Pinellas County Administrator, mayors, and city managers. The decision was made to maintain public safety and to allow residents the opportunity to assess damages to their homes. The barrier islands are still without power and many streets are impassable due to debris and other safety hazards.

We will provide updates when there are changes to the barrier island restrictions.

Gulf Boulevard closure update

As of 6 p.m. Sunday, closed sections of Gulf Boulevard will reopen. These sections were: north and southbound lanes of Gulf Boulevard from 150th Avenue (Tom Stuart Causeway) south to 140th Avenue in Madeira Beach and Park Boulevard Bridge to 196th Avenue (Tiki Gardens County Park) in Indian Shores.

Gulf Boulevard from Belleair Beach to St. Pete Beach will all be reopened to residents, business owners, and employees with their Barrier Island Re-Entry Permit or photo ID and reasonable proof that they reside or have legitimate business on the barrier islands.

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office