Hurricane Ian: Pinellas County Barrier Islands Now Closed For Storm

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas deputies began restricting access to the Pinellas County barrier islands at 7 a.m. Tuesday in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

Only residents or those with legitimate business on the barrier islands will be allowed access. The restricted access will continue until the storm passes the Pinellas County area.

Cities/communities where access is restricted to barrier islands:

• Belleair Beach
• Belleair Shore
• Clearwater
• Dunedin Causeway/ Honeymoon Island
• Indian Rocks Beach
• Indian Shores
• Madeira Beach
• North Redington Beach
• Redington Beach
• Redington Shores
• St. Pete Beach
• Tierra Verde
• Treasure Island

The following people will have access to barrier islands:

• Residents
• Property owners
• Business owners
• Business employees
• Contractors

To gain access to the barrier islands, people must provide their Barrier Island Re-Entry Permit or a photo ID and reasonable proof that they live or have legitimate business on the barrier islands.

Examples of this include:

• Vehicle registration
• Property tax or utility bill
• Proof of employment (pay stub, work ID, uniform)
• Work orders

Additional law enforcement will patrol all the mandatory evacuation areas to ensure public safety and protect property during this event. This includes the Pinellas County barrier island communities.

Updates will be provided when there are changes to the barrier island restrictions.

As Hurricane Ian continues to intensify, the National Weather Service has updated the warnings and watches along the Gulf Coast.

A storm surge warning and hurricane warning are now in effect for Pinellas County.