During a special meeting on August 26th, the Santa Rosa Island Authority adopted a policy to encourage master leaseholders to reduce lease fees for sublessees on Pensacola Beach. The policy, adopted in response to the unanimous decision to allow Escambia County to take over the duties of the Public Works and Public Safety departments and to cut lease fees for master leaseholders by 50 percent, states that master leaseholders who refuse to pass on proportional dollar-for-dollar reductions to sublessees will be denied the 50 percent reduction by the Island Authority. The policy will not alter any leases, nor will it have an impact on a master leaseholder’s revenue.
There are 1,505 master leaseholders and 2,243 sublessees on Pensacola Beach paying lease fees ranging from $100 to $3,000. It is estimated that at least 95 percent of residents will see a reduction in their lease fees under the policy. An example for reducing fees will be sent out at the end of the month with the October bill and outlines a 28.5 percent reduction in lease fees for sublessees and has no effect on master leaseholders’ revenue.
For additional information on this topic or generally about your property rights, contact Will Dunaway.
Further information can be found here:
