Angela Anderson has a cheeky proposal for Jacksonville Beach. But those who dare to bare it all best do it elsewhere, Mayor Charlie Latham says.

Anderson of Jacksonville has launched an online petition drive to designate as "clothing optional" a 1-mile section of the sandy shore of Jacksonville Beach. That would be about a quarter of the city's 4.1 miles of beachfront.

"It's not happening on my watch," Latham told the Times-Union on Tuesday about the proposal to allow bare buttock crackage, ta-tas and other private body parts to be fully exposed.

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"This something that we're not real interested in exploring," said Latham, adding he and other Jacksonville Beach leaders want the city and its shoreline to be "as family friendly as possible."

"We're very proud of who we've become as a community and that [clothing optional beach] is not consistent with our vision for family friendly. And we would encourage those folks to look for a private beach somewhere where they can express themselves," Latham said.

The petition at www.change.org had 258 supporters as of late Tuesday afternoon, according to the website. A similar petition is directed at Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown.

"The majority of people, I'm sure, wouldn't consider nudism to be family friendly," Latham said.

Anderson told the Times-Union the issue is about respecting everyone's beliefs. There are no clothing optional beaches in Northeast Florida, which is unfair to those like herself who believe in nudism.

Nudism, she said, is "purposely nonsexual." She said nudism can "help with self-esteem, relaxation and overall well-being."

"Simple nudity takes away judgment [based] on the body," said Anderson, who has passed out fliers advertising the petition at the Beaches as well as downtown Jacksonville.

Designating just a portion of the beach clothing optional would be respectful of both those who believe in nudism as well as those who disagree, she said.

"If you think that the body is disgusting or you think that it should be hidden, then you are welcome to believe that but why am I not entitled to participate in my own beliefs as well?" said Anderson, noting the practice of simple nudity is a recreation like anything else.

Neither Jacksonville nor Jacksonville Beach have any clothing optional beaches. Even if nudity were legally permissible on public beaches, it is not something Jacksonville Beach would pursue, Latham said.

"All the guys who sign this doggone thing, are expecting Cheryl Tiegs on the beach, and what they are going to get is middle-age fat people like me," Latham said.

Latham said when he previously lived in Key West there were private beaches that were clothing optional. But no public beaches. What might work in one community doesn't mean it is appropriate for Jacksonville Beach, he said.

"We are dedicated and committed to the idea of a family friendly downtown and beach area. That is what we are going to stay focused on," Latham said.

Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075