DUNNELLON, FL (352today.com) – Marion County hopes a new trespass ordinance will deter people from engaging in dangerous and wanted behavior.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) passed an ordinance unanimously last week relating to trespassing on county-owned property.

One place that’s received a lot of attention recently is the bridge by Blue Run Park and the pipe that’s underneath it. It’s on County Road 484 leading into Dunnellon and is owned by Marion County.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners passed a trespass ordinance on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in hopes of keeping people off the pipes below the County Road 484 bridge above the Rainbow River. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today
The County Road 484 bridge that leads into Dunnellon is adjacent to Blue Run Park. Courtesy: Ben Baugh/352today

The popular ecotourist destination attracts swimmers, tubers and kayakers. Signs indicating not to jump off the bridge do little good. The county says a number of people ignore those warnings, are shimmying across the pipe and hanging off the pipe, which is suspended above the Rainbow River.

Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant attended a City of Dunnellon workshop on Monday, Aug. 5, where the bridge and stormwater drainage pipe were a topic of discussion. The subject of trespassing those individuals who engage in the dangerous behavior was also addressed.

Officials say stormwater runs through the pipes, and if they were to break, the contaminants would spill into the water.

The newly approved ordinance allows county staff to work with law enforcement to charge violators with trespassing.

Background

The ordinance codifies a resolution that was previously approved by the board in 2015 regarding trespassing individuals that are on county owned property, citizens, visitors and other individuals.

“Since that resolution was adopted in 2015, there has been some case law that indicates that trespasses have to be for a finite amount of time, and an appeals process has to be provided,” said Dana Olesky, chief assistant county attorney, during the BOCC meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6. “This ordinance cleans up those two issues from the previous resolution, and also enables and designates the individuals who would be able to trespass individuals from county property, and what the method of the trespass warning will be, the duration of the trespass warning and also outlines what the appeals process is.”