Jean Hanlon told the Gulf County Board of County Commissioners that a piece of land and an adjoining roadway his family once used to reach the Dead Lakes has been sold multiple times and now has a septic tank and a camper on it. "And it has specific statement in there what would take place and how my granddad would want that piece of property done and treated in the event that it ever was abandoned... it specifically states that that road or that piece of property reverts back to the family," Hanlon said during public comment.

County Attorney Jeremy Novak told commissioners that title transfers and defective deeds over decades are generally private civil matters. "If there's been conveyances of property out there along this road that his grandfather and his generations before him dedicated, then that would be a private civil matter," Novak said. He added the county's interest would be limited to whether a county road providing public access to the Dead Lakes has been denied.

Novak said his office can research historical title records, county maintenance records and any reversionary deed language should the board direct it to do so. "If his ancestors obviously gave it to the county with that purpose and that's now being denied, then we need to obviously address that," Novak said. He estimated the search would require examining title history back to the 1940s.

Hanlon pressed commissioners for documentation showing when the county purportedly received title to the parcel. "I want this to go on record... I've asked the county to produce a document telling me or showing me who conveyed the property of Plantation Road to the county," he said.

Commissioners asked Novak to research and return with legal findings and options. Novak said he would seek limited authority to examine title reports and county records and to advise the commission on next steps; the attendees indicated consent for the attorney to proceed. The research will clarify whether the county has a legal interest that would permit it to re-establish public access or whether Hanlon's remedy is a private civil action against current property owners.

The commission did not take formal action to alter property rights at the meeting; rather it directed staff to investigate and report back so the board and Hanlon can decide whether to pursue enforcement of a public-access right or for Hanlon to pursue private legal remedies.