SRIA Board Wrestles with Unending Lease Renewals, Split Decision Leaves Pier Approval in Place
The Santa Rosa Island Authority at their January 28 full board meeting discussed renewal requests for leases which had just been renewed for a second 99 year term. Steve and Martha Luppert, whose freshly renewed lease is valid until April 30, 2155, requested a renewal to 2254. Tom Jardine also wanted to renew his lease, which is set to expire on September 29, 2167.
The leaseholders state that their lease allows them to make these requests without end. The SRIA Board Attorney Mary Jane Bass advises the Board that the lease which is still in its original 99 years, has been renewed once. Given that, it is not ripe for another renewal.
Board Members Bruce Childers and Jeremy Johnson believe a policy should be in place to give clear guidance to the Board, staff and leaseholders. They do not, however, concur on the method. Johnson said without a policy, he believes there is nothing prohibiting the leaseholders from making unlimited requests.
Johnson’s motions to approve the renewal request for each leaseholder received no second. The requests, then, were not granted. No other action followed.
Childers explained that the lease was granted for 99 years and that should be the maximum number of years on a lease at a given time. For example, if a leaseholder wants to renew his lease in 2026, then the term would be extended to 2125 no matter how many years remained on the initial lease.
“The intent, as I read it, is for people to have 99 year leases, and only a 99 year lease. That, to me, would be the optimal policy here, and it would clear up a lot of confusion. We wouldn't have people coming back,” said Childers.
As such he wanted the board to begin crafting a policy to reflect that idea. The staff will begin to gather board input on a draft policy to present at a future meeting.
A proposed pier has garnered a great deal of attention. The Board was asked to reconsider its approval of a Pier Amendment for the leasehold at 1001 Panferio. The Pier Amendment is one of the documents necessary in the permitting process for construction of a residential pier. The document outlines the repair, insurance, use and maintenance requirements. The leasehold at 1001 Panferio is immediately east of Baby Beach.
The Board, on December 17, 2025, voted unanimously to approve the Pier Amendment for 1001 Panferio. Childers apologized for his vote to approve. He, at the January 28 meeting, stated that new evidence determined that the pier will negatively impact Baby Beach’s sand accretion, the leaseholders don’t have riparian rights and the pier would be taking away public land for private use.
Pensacola Beach leaseholder Tom Jardine reminded the Board that the lease system does nothing to protect the public lands and thought the decision should be reversed.
Pensacola Beach leaseholder Steve Luppert has been voicing his concerns about the soundfront piers legality with regard to upland leaseholders being granted use of public lands, unsafe conditions, and impact to public beach areas for a long time. He noted that the SRIA Executive Director stated that the piers are private, but there has been no documentation forthcoming to support that.
Melissa Pinto, representing a group from Pensacola, called Save Pensacola Beach, noted that this problem kicked off, “three Executive Directors ago.” She added that the staff is not adequately informing board members about statutes regarding riparian rights and public lands nor a letter from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Northwest District Director Elizabeth Orr. Pinto said Orr’s letter communicated DEP had determined they had erroneously issued this permit, and not only this permit, but other previous permits were in question. She added that Orr outlined three possible remedies: the SRIA become a co-applicant on the permit; the SRIA extend the lease to the water; or the SRIA grant a riparian easement.
SRIA Executive Director Mike Burns said he has been in continuous communication with DEP providing documentation as to piers on Pensacola Beach. He noted that DEP permits are subject to local jurisdiction.
Pino stated Save Pensacola Beach’s official position includes two-parts, “From here on out, any privately funded infrastructure is prohibited over public lands that are zoned for recreation and conservation on Santa Rosa Island. The second part of that is at which time that the existing docks cannot be repaired, there's a prohibition against building them again.”
Board Member Elizabeth Timothy thanked the speakers who said that permits were issued in error by the SRIA Board since 2018. While that got her attention, she noted that the leaseholder has been given approval at each step and has relied on those approvals to move forward incurring $40,000 costs. She had some concern over reversing the pier amendment approval after-the-fact. Timothy said the Pier Amendment protects the SRIA. She followed that with support for changing procedures moving forward, and being better informed prior to a vote.
The SRIA Board vote to rescind the Pier Amendment approval failed 3 to 3. Voting to rescind the approval were Childers, Johnson and Charles Thorton. Timothy, David Peaden and Jerry Watson voted against rescinding the approval. The approval stays in place.
In other business:
A request from Portofino Island Resort to use $9,950 from the Portofino Island Improvement Fund to replace failing pavers on CR 399 was approved.
Finance Department Director Vickie Johnson presented the November 2025 financials. Commercial and residential lease fee collections totalled $449,787. This was a 71 percent increase over November 2024, due to the increase collection rate which will be dedicated to fund Beach fire-rescue services.
Pensacola Beach Chamber CEO Jessica Simpson reports 31,000 guests were welcomed at the Pensacola Beach Visitor Information Center during 2025. The Chamber manages the Center under contract with the SRIA.
The SRIA Committees meet next on Wednesday, February 11 at 5 p.m.