LETTER: Property owners beware

My Seagrove Beach neighbors recently returned to their home "in the Grove" from a lengthy time out of state.  When they arrived, the discovered that "somebody" had placed yellow ribbon around most of their large trees in the front yard and that "somebody" had also climbed their backyard privacy fence, placed yellow ribbon around several trees there, and exited, leaving their back gate unlocked. 

After contacting numerous county offices, all with negative replies as being involved, they called a local surveyor. The surveyor admitted he had been given the wrong address by an architect who wanted property cleared for construction and had (erroneously) placed the ribbon on the trees to indicate those to be cut down. 

The surveyor told my neighbors that Florida law gives surveyors the legal right to access private property without the property owners permission. 

It's difficult for me to believe that this is true.  However, property owners should be aware that, true or not, at least one surveyor believes this to be the law. Also, incredibly, at least one surveyor and his crew aren't concerned that they are directed to clear a property that has a clearly inhabited home already present. 

You'd think that "somebody" would check property records and call the listed property owner, for verification, before they contemplate cutting trees on a property.  Property owners obviously must beware.

Alan Whittle

Seagrove Beach