Beach House construction makes splash for neighbor

A dispute at Longboat Beach House is getting noisy.

Longboat Key police have been called four times since mid-December to the 22-unit condominium at 4311 Gulf of Mexico Drive, where resident Roland Jackson complains that ongoing construction of the unit beneath his residence is interfering with his quality of life.

Jackson said he plans to file a lawsuit later this week against the condo’s board of directors.

“My whole point is they have been ignoring my requests,” said Jackson, who accuses board members of harassing him.

Police reports state that Jackson first called police Dec. 9 after arguing with construction workers at the unit. He asked police to accompany him back to his unit to speak to the workers.

A construction crew supervisor spoke to police and said Jackson put his radio out on the balcony and began playing loud music and started banging pots and pans together on the second-floor walkway, according to the report.

Then, on Dec. 20, David Touchton, who is treasurer of the Beach House board of directors, called police to report that Jackson was playing his music loudly and deliberately setting off his car alarm to retaliate against construction noise.

Touchton said he does not know Jackson but called police because of the sounding car alarm. He doubted other board members have had much contact with Jackson because most of the five-member board lives out of state.

“I’ve seen him before, but I’ve never had a conversation with the gentleman,” Touchton said.

The police report describes the construction noise as “not out of the ordinary for general construction” and states that Jackson’s BOSE stereo system was playing music “with the volume at a very high level.” Police told Jackson the construction noise was legal and that music had to be “at a reasonable volume not to affect others in a negative way.”

A Jan. 8 report states that Jackson threw water on a tile installer while he was working. Police filed a probable cause affidavit for battery against Jackson and told him he could have electrocuted the worker, who was uninjured but had to change clothes, according to the report.

Jackson called police Jan. 10 to report after-hours construction noise. Police warned a contractor who was installing carpet in a different unit that she was in violation of a town ordinance that prohibits construction work after 5 p.m.

Jackson admits to playing music loudly to drown out noise but denied other allegations, including reports that he banged pots and pans together or that he deliberately dumped water on the worker. He said he was sweeping dirt off his balcony in preparation for a Realtor visit and started rinsing it off, and the contractor happened to be underneath the balcony.

“Next thing I know, the police are at my back door saying I’ve battered someone,” Jackson said.

Mike Decker, who owns the unit below Jackson, said he has never met Jackson and does not know why he’s complaining.

“The construction work has been done in accordance with the permits obtained through the town of Longboat,” Decker said. “We’ve complied with all the terms on the building permits.”

Call log
The following incidents were reported to Longboat Key police:

3:02 p.m. Dec. 9
Civil disturbance

2:24 p.m. Dec. 20
Noise

10:45 a.m. Jan. 8
Civil disturbance

6:05 p.m. Jan. 10
Code enforcement