Turtle luring lights may force owners to shell out

BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY

VIERA - The sign and lights that shine at night at the Chevron station where
A1A splits into Orlando and Atlantic avenues just south of Cocoa Beach
attracts more than tourists and locals whose tanks are running on empty.

It also attracts disoriented sea turtle hatchlings.

The gas station has been cited four times in the past five years for
violating the Marine Turtle Lighting Ordinance, records show. Each time the
problem was corrected.

Looking to make an impression on the owners, Brevard County code enforcement
officials have asked a special magistrate to fine the business $1,000 a day
until the owners fix the newest light problem this year.

"The only way to get their attention is to start putting fines per day
against them," Code Enforcement Director Bobby Bowen said.

The ordinance requires lights not be visible from the beach in order to
protect turtle hatchlings, which travel to the ocean at night. Lights lure
hatchlings away from the ocean and onto the dunes or even onto A1A where
they get squashed.

Since turtle season began May 1, the county has issued at least 44 notices
of violation, Bowen said.

"It's a real concern now because the turtle eggs are hatching," Bowen said.

The lights from the Chevron station are so strong that they cast a shadow on
the beach across the street, Bowen said. "The sign and lights are
overwhelming," said Jennifer Kerr, the code enforcement officer who wrote up
the most recent notice of violation for the gas station.

She said the owners are cooperating with Code Enforcement to fix the
problem.

"We weren't aware there was a problem until we received a phone call last
week," said Jim Hiltz a spokesman for the Tampa-based company that owns the
property.

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