PRIVACY POLICY
Town of Belleair Shore — Official Website
Effective Date: July 23, 2026 | Last Revised: July 23, 2026
Town of Belleair Shore, Florida — Municipal Government
Scope of This Policy
This Privacy Policy applies exclusively to the official website of the Town of Belleair Shore, Florida (the “Town”). It does not apply to the Town’s internal operations, offline records, or any website operated by third parties, even if accessible via links on this website. By accessing or using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
1. Introduction and Overview
The Town of Belleair Shore, Florida (hereinafter “the Town,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a Florida municipal government entity committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of public data. As a local government, the Town recognizes that the privacy and security of information provided by residents, visitors, and members of the public are of paramount importance.
This Website Privacy Policy describes how the Town collects, uses, stores, and protects information gathered through its official website. It is intended to inform the public about the Town’s data practices in clear, plain language that is accessible to all residents and website visitors.
As a Florida governmental entity, the Town operates in accordance with applicable state and federal law, including Florida’s Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes), the Florida Digital Bill of Rights, and other relevant statutes governing government transparency and data privacy. The Town collects only the information necessary to operate and maintain this website and to fulfill its municipal responsibilities.
This policy was last reviewed and updated on July 23, 2026. The effective date of this policy is July 23, 2026.
2. Information We Collect
The Town collects limited categories of information through this website. We collect only what is reasonably necessary for website operation and the delivery of municipal services.
2.1 Automatically Collected Technical Data (Server Logs)
When you visit this website, our web server automatically records certain technical information. This data is collected passively and does not require any action on your part. Automatically collected technical data may include:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address of the device used to access the website
- Browser type and version (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)
- Operating system of the device used
- Referring URL (the webpage from which you arrived at this site)
- Pages visited on this website and the sequence of those pages
- Date and time of each visit or page request
- File sizes and response codes returned by the server
This information is recorded as part of standard web server log files and is used for the limited purposes described in Section 3 of this policy.
2.2 Voluntarily Submitted Information — Online Petitions (WPForms)
The Town’s website includes online petition forms powered by the WPForms plugin. If you choose to submit a petition through this website, you may provide personal information such as:
- Your full name
- Your email address
- Any other fields included on a specific petition form (which may vary by petition)
Submission of petition forms is entirely voluntary. You are not required to submit any petition form to access information on this website.
Important Notice: The Town of Belleair Shore does not operate general contact forms on this website. No general contact form submissions are collected, processed, or stored through this website. Residents wishing to contact Town staff should use the contact information provided in Section 12 of this policy.
2.3 Payment Information
The Town accepts certain municipal payments (such as fees or fines) through the third-party payment portal located at mypaymentportal.com. All payment transactions, including the collection of payment card data, are conducted exclusively on the mypaymentportal.com platform.
Important Notice: The Town of Belleair Shore does not collect, store, process, or transmit payment card data or other financial information directly through this website. Any payment information you provide is submitted directly to mypaymentportal.com and is governed by their privacy policy and terms of service.
2.4 What We Do Not Collect
Important Notice: The Town of Belleair Shore does not use Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, or any similar third-party web analytics tracking service. The Town does not track user behavior across websites, and does not use any behavioral advertising or cross-site tracking technologies.
3. How We Use Collected Information
The Town uses information collected through this website strictly for legitimate municipal and operational purposes. The following describes the specific purposes for which each category of data is used:
3.1 Server Log Data
Automatically collected technical data from server logs is used solely for the following purposes:
- Monitoring and maintaining the security of the website
- Diagnosing technical problems, server errors, and website malfunctions
- Improving website performance, reliability, and the overall user experience
- Detecting and investigating unauthorized access attempts or other security incidents
3.2 Petition Form Data (WPForms)
Information submitted through online petition forms is used to record and process citizen petition submissions for legitimate municipal government purposes. Petition data is reviewed by appropriate Town staff and may be entered into the Town’s official records as part of the municipal petition process.
3.3 Payment Data
Payment data is processed entirely by mypaymentportal.com for the purpose of accepting municipal fees, fines, utility payments, or other authorized municipal charges. The Town receives only confirmation and transaction records (such as a confirmation number, amount paid, and account credited) and does not receive or retain raw payment card data.
3.4 No Commercial Use or Third-Party Sharing
The Town of Belleair Shore does not sell, rent, trade, disclose, or otherwise share personal information collected through this website with third parties for marketing, advertising, or commercial purposes of any kind. Personal information is used only as described in this policy and as required by law.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
A “cookie” is a small text file that a website places on your device to store certain information. The Town’s website uses only a limited set of cookies strictly necessary for the website’s proper operation. The following describes the cookies that may be set when you visit this website:
4.1 WordPress CMS Cookies
This website is built on the WordPress content management system (CMS). WordPress may set functional or session cookies that are technically necessary for the website to operate correctly. These may include:
- Session cookies for users who access any password-protected or restricted areas of the website
- Cookies to remember comment preferences if public comments are enabled on any page or post
These cookies do not collect personal information for tracking or marketing purposes.
4.2 WPForms Session Cookies
The WPForms plugin may set a temporary session cookie to assist in preventing duplicate petition submissions. This cookie is functional in nature and does not track your activity across other websites.
4.3 UserWay Accessibility Widget Cookies
The Town’s website includes the UserWay ADA accessibility widget to help ensure the site is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. UserWay may set cookies to remember a user’s accessibility preferences, such as:
- Font size settings
- Color contrast preferences
- Other accessibility display options selected by the user
These cookies are set to preserve your chosen accessibility settings between visits. Use of the UserWay widget is voluntary.
4.4 mypaymentportal.com Cookies
When you navigate from this website to the mypaymentportal.com payment portal, that external website may set its own cookies on your device. Those cookies are governed exclusively by mypaymentportal.com’s own privacy policy and terms of service, not by this policy.
4.5 What We Do Not Use
Important Notice: The Town of Belleair Shore does not use Google Analytics cookies, advertising cookies, social media tracking pixels, cross-site tracking cookies, or any third-party behavioral advertising technologies on this website.
4.6 Managing Cookie Preferences
You may configure your web browser to refuse all cookies, to alert you when cookies are being sent, or to delete cookies that have already been set. Please note, however, that refusing or deleting certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website, including the ability to submit petition forms or access any password-protected areas. Instructions for managing cookies are typically found in your browser’s “Settings” or “Preferences” menu.
5. Third-Party Services
This website integrates with the following third-party services. Each service is used for a specific, limited purpose. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of each third-party service for complete information about how those services handle data.
5a. WordPress
This website is powered by WordPress, an open-source content management system. WordPress software may process certain technical data as part of the normal operation of the website, including page rendering, content delivery, and server-side processing. WordPress is a software platform; specific privacy practices depend on the hosting environment used by the Town. The Town’s use of WordPress does not independently result in personal data being transmitted to Automattic, Inc. (the company behind WordPress.com) unless the Town uses WordPress.com-hosted services.
5b. WPForms
WPForms is a form-building plugin used on this website exclusively to power online citizen petition forms. Information submitted through WPForms petition forms is stored in the WordPress database on the Town’s own web server. WPForms does not independently collect, share, or sell form submission data to third parties. The Town retains full control over petition data submitted through WPForms. For more information, visit the WPForms privacy policy at wpforms.com.
5c. mypaymentportal.com
mypaymentportal.com is a third-party payment processing platform used by the Town to accept municipal payments, fees, and fines online. All payment transactions are conducted exclusively on the mypaymentportal.com secure platform, under their own terms of service and privacy policy. The Town is not responsible for the privacy, security, or data practices of mypaymentportal.com.
Users are strongly encouraged to review mypaymentportal.com’s privacy policy and terms of service before submitting any payment information. The Town receives only transaction confirmation records and does not receive, store, or process payment card data.
5d. UserWay (ADA Accessibility Widget)
The Town’s website includes the UserWay accessibility widget, which is designed to help ensure this website meets ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) accessibility standards. The UserWay widget provides tools that allow users to customize their experience, including text size, contrast, cursor, and other accessibility settings.
UserWay may collect limited usage data related to interactions with the accessibility features of the widget. This data is governed by UserWay’s own privacy policy, available at userway.org. The use of the UserWay widget is voluntary and is provided as a public service to ensure this website is accessible to all members of the public, including those with visual, motor, cognitive, or other disabilities. The Town is not responsible for the privacy practices of UserWay.
6. Data Security
The Town of Belleair Shore takes the security of information collected through this website seriously and employs reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect such information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include, but are not limited to:
- Restricting access to petition form data to authorized Town personnel only
- Maintaining the website on a secure web hosting environment
- Regularly reviewing website security configurations and software updates
All payment transactions processed through mypaymentportal.com are conducted using industry-standard encryption protocols, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology. This encryption is designed to protect financial data transmitted between your device and the payment portal.
Security Limitation Disclosure
No method of transmitting or storing data over the internet is completely secure. While the Town employs reasonable safeguards, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of any information transmitted to or from this website. Users transmit information at their own risk. If you believe your data may have been compromised, please contact the Town immediately using the contact information in Section 12.
As noted elsewhere in this policy, the Town does not store payment card data of any kind.
7. Florida Public Records Law
The Town of Belleair Shore is a Florida governmental entity and is subject to Florida’s Public Records Law, codified at Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Florida’s Public Records Law establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to government records and is one of the most expansive public records laws in the United States.
Information submitted to the Town — including information submitted through online petition forms on this website — may constitute a “public record” under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, and may be subject to public disclosure upon request, unless a specific statutory exemption applies. The Town is legally obligated to produce public records in response to lawful public records requests, even if the information was submitted privately.
Notice to Users
Users should be aware that submissions made to the Town through this website — including petition form submissions — may not remain private under Florida law. The Town cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information submitted through this website that constitutes a public record. If you have concerns about the public record status of a particular submission, you are encouraged to consult with legal counsel before submitting information.
To submit a public records request to the Town of Belleair Shore, or for questions regarding the public records status of information you have submitted, please contact:
Town Clerk / Public Records Custodian
Town of Belleair Shore
PO BOX 8, Indian Rocks Beach FL 33785
Phone: (727)-593-9296
Email: clerk@belleairshore.com
Website: belleairshore.com
8. Children’s Privacy
This website is intended for use by the general public and is not directed to, designed for, or intended to attract children under the age of 13. The Town does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through this website.
The Town’s online petition forms are intended for use by adult residents and members of the public. If a minor under the age of 13 submits information through this website without verifiable parental consent, such submission is in violation of this policy.
If the Town becomes aware that it has inadvertently received personal information from a child under the age of 13, it will take prompt steps to delete such information from its records to the extent permitted by law, including applicable Florida Public Records Law requirements. Parents or guardians who believe their child has submitted personal information to this website should contact the Town immediately using the contact information provided in Section 12.
9. Links to External Websites
This website may contain hyperlinks to external websites and online resources not operated or controlled by the Town of Belleair Shore. These external links are provided for the convenience of website visitors and do not constitute an endorsement by the Town of any external website, organization, product, or service.
External websites linked from this website include, but may not be limited to:
- com — Third-party payment portal for municipal payments
- org — UserWay accessibility services
- Links to Florida state government websites, county agencies, or other relevant government resources
- Links to other resources provided for informational purposes
The Town is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, terms of service, or data security of any external website. When you navigate away from this website by clicking an external link, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. Users are strongly encouraged to review the privacy policies of any external website they visit before submitting personal information.
10. Your Rights and Choices
The Town of Belleair Shore respects your rights with respect to personal information collected through this website. The following describes the rights available to users:
10.1 Right to Request Access
You may submit a written request to the Town to inquire about what personal information, if any, the Town holds about you that was collected through this website. The Town will respond to such requests in a reasonable time frame and in accordance with applicable law.
10.2 Right to Request Correction
If you believe that personal information the Town holds about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that the Town correct or update that information. The Town will review such requests and make corrections where appropriate and legally permissible.
10.3 Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR)
The Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR), codified at Section 501.701 et seq., Florida Statutes, provides Florida residents with certain rights regarding personal data processed by covered businesses. The FDBR primarily applies to for-profit businesses meeting specific revenue and data thresholds, and its direct applicability to Florida municipal governments may vary. To the extent the FDBR applies to the Town’s online activities, the Town is committed to honoring the rights of Florida residents thereunder, including rights of access, correction, deletion (subject to limitations), portability, and opt-out of certain processing activities.
10.4 Limitations Under Florida Public Records Law
Please note that Florida’s Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) may limit the Town’s ability to delete or withhold certain information submitted to the Town, as such information may constitute an official public record that the Town is legally required to retain. The Town will evaluate all deletion requests in light of applicable legal obligations.
10.5 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the rights described above, or to submit any privacy-related request or inquiry, please contact the Town using the information below:
Privacy contact/Town Clerk
Town of Belleair Shore
PO BOX 8, Indian Rocks Beach FL 33785
Phone: (727)-593-9296
Email: clerk@belleairshore.com
Website: belleairshore.com
The Town will acknowledge receipt of privacy requests and respond within a reasonable period as required by applicable law.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
The Town of Belleair Shore reserves the right to review, revise, update, or otherwise modify this Privacy Policy at any time, at its sole discretion, to reflect changes in law, technology, Town operations, or other relevant circumstances.
When this policy is updated, the revised version will be posted on this page. The “Last Revised” date at the top of this document will be updated to reflect the date of the most recent changes. The Town encourages visitors to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how the Town is protecting the information collected through this website.
Your continued use of this website following the posting of any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acknowledgment of those changes and your agreement to be bound by the updated policy. If you do not agree with a revised policy, you should discontinue your use of this website.
Material changes to this policy — such as changes that significantly alter the types of information collected, how information is used, or the rights available to users — will be noted prominently on this page when posted.
12. Contact Information
If you have questions, concerns, or comments about this Privacy Policy, or about the Town of Belleair Shore’s data practices with respect to this website, please contact the Town using the information below:
Town of Belleair Shore
PO BOX 8, Indian Rocks Beach FL 33785
Phone: (727)-593-9296
Email: clerk@belleairshore.com
Website: belleairshore.com
The Town endeavors to respond to all privacy-related inquiries in a timely and thorough manner. If your inquiry concerns a public records request, please direct it specifically to the Town Clerk as identified in Section 7 of this policy.