Another property owner sues state over waterfront property

BAY ST. LOUIS — A second waterfront owner has filed a lawsuit against the state seeking return and restoration of his beachfront property in Bay St. Louis.

Some downtown waterfront owners have been at odds with the city and the state over the plans widen Beach Boulevard and build a downtown harbor. They say it infringes on their property rights.

The Sea Coast Echo reports the latest suit was filed on behalf of Scott M. Favre Public Adjuster, LLC, of Kiln in Hancock County Chancery Court against Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.

A previous lawsuit over the same issue was filed against both Hosemann and the City of Bay St. Louis by the Murphy family, owners of a piece of land near the Favre property along Beach Boulevard.

The Murphy suit, filed last summer, said Hosemann has wrongly claimed the family’s property is part of public tidelands, when it is actually private upland property.

The properties involve land the city wants to use for its proposed luxury marina. Claiming that at least portions of the land are included in public trust tidelands, the secretary of state had agreed to lease property to the city for marina or other waterfront improvements uses.