Dear Aunt Clara
Sweet Tea Diplomacy or Code Enforcement on Perdido Key?
Aunt Clara offers advice to a Perdido Key resident whose neighbor turned their shared driveway into a paid tourist parking lot.
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Ever since summer kicked into high gear, my next-door neighbor has been charging beachgoers to park in his driveway and on our narrow shared easement. This leaves zero parking for actual residents on our little lane, and tourists keep blocking my driveway while trying to turn around. Is it unneighborly of me to bring this up over a cold sweet tea, or should I go straight to code enforcement before the next holiday weekend?
— Towed in Perdido Key
Sweet Tea Diplomacy on the Key
Dear Towed in Perdido Key,
Ah, summer on the Gulf Coast! The salt air is sweet, the Blue Angels are flying high, and suddenly every six feet of gravel near the sand looks like a gold mine to enterprising neighbors. I completely understand your frustration. There is nothing quite like coming home from a long day only to find a rental SUV planted across your driveway while a confused tourist searches for their flip-flops.
Before you unleash Escambia County Code Enforcement, I always recommend starting with a porch-side chat and a tall glass of sweet tea. Most folks respond much better to a friendly heads-up before county officials show up in their driveway. Invite your neighbor over and keep the conversation focused on safety, neighborly respect, and basic access rather than trying to burst his side-hustle bubble entirely.
Be crystal clear about two non-negotiables: the shared easement and your personal driveway access. You can say something along the lines of, “I know folks are desperate for beach parking, but when cars line our shared easement and block my driveway, it creates a real hazard and keeps me from getting into my own home. We need to keep that shared lane completely clear at all times.”
If he is a reasonable soul, he will restrict his parking operation strictly to his own private pavement and actively guide his paying guests so they do not obstruct your property. You might also place a couple of tasteful, temporary signs near your property line to gently direct lost drivers away from your space.
However, if the sweet tea goes sour and he continues selling off your shared access—or if cars continue trapping you in your own driveway—you have every right to take official action. Running an unpermitted commercial parking lot and blocking a shared right-of-way violate local county ordinances. Contact local code enforcement or the sheriff’s non-emergency line to report blocked access. You gave him a gracious neighborly warning; anything after that is entirely on him.
Warmly,
Aunt Clara
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