What is Beach Access?

In the 1950s, property owners in the South Venice Subdivision were promised in writing "access" to the community beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Non- transferable

cards were issued, certifying the status of someone as a qualifying

property owner and thus entitled to use the beach.

This card was then used as a pass to the wooden bridges that went over the water separating the mainland from Manasota Key where the community beach is located.
 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers later destroyed the bridges to build the Intracoastal Waterway. After thousands of lawsuits, the courts ordered that access to the beach would be in perpetuity and would be by ferry. The SVCA was appointed trustee of the

beach properties and given a sum of money to build a boat house and

to purchase the boat and motor for the first ferry.
 

The beach properties are held in the South Venice Beach Endowment Trust,

a 501(c)3 tax-exempt trust. Grants and donations are used for future capital development.

Your South Venice Beach Ferry

How many communities do you know of that have a pristine beach with a ferry boat to get you to it? This truly unique experience is part of the joy of living within the South Venice subdivision. The ferry holds 18 passengers at a time and leaves the dock every half-hour between 9:30am and sunset every day (except Wednesdays) to carry you to your private beach on the Gulf of Mexico.

Coast Guard licensed captains operate the ferry.

The Beach Access Committee of the SVCA Trust manages the maintenance of the ferry,

the boathouse and the parking grounds.

Ferry fees of $70 per family per year support the costs of maintaining this service.