Bonfire Business for Grayton

[Yzarctoo]

Hard to believe that our county has granted a license for a Business that will build bonfires for their clients on Grayton Beach. The ad was in the Walton Sun this AM:

Papa Jack's Beach Bonfires

He is offering a Grayton Beach Introductory Special for $350.

I, for one, am very disappointed to see that a business has been allowed to be set up that will bring bonfire material on to our beach and no matter how well they try to clean up, there will be traces left on our beach.

Not sure why Grayon has been on such a "hit list" for the county recently, first it was the driving on the beach, then it was the one way of Hotz, then the building of a observation deck, and now a Bonfire Business.

Grayton Beach is only so big and can only accomodate so much, and now a business of bonfires?

County Ordinance

Sec. 10-2. Lighting of any bonfire or campfire.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or other legal entity to ignite or maintain, or participate in the maintenance of, a bonfire or campfire between the vegetation line or the coastal construction setback line, whichever is a greater distance from the water's edge, and the Gulf of Mexico in Walton County, Florida, without a permit as provided herein.

(b) It shall also be unlawful and a violation of this article for a person to fail to clean up as provided herein.

(c) All fires shall be limited in size to three feet by three feet by six inches, and only combustible material free of nails, glass and other potentially dangerous items may be used in any fire.

(d) All persons desiring to obtain a 24-hour permit for a fire on public or private land within the area described herein above shall apply for 24-hour permit from the county tourist development council. All applications for permits shall set forth in detail the full name and address of the applicant, the date and time the fire is to be set, the kind or type of fire to be set, the materials to be burned, the specific location of the fire, the safeguards to be taken to protect the public and other property from injury and such other information as may be prescribed by the county tourist development council, which shall prescribe the form of application and furnish such application forms to applicants upon request.

(e) The fee for the issuance of the daily permit shall be $1.00, with a refundable deposit of $49.00, for the cost of site clean-up. The deposit for a 24-hour permit shall be refundable upon the filing of a certification by the county tourist development council that the site of the fire has been cleared of any nails, glass, metal or any other materials, trash and debris.

(f) Permits shall not be issued when the county has good reason to believe that the proposed fire will endanger the public health, safety, welfare or other property.

(g) Issuance of a permit by the county shall not excuse or relieve the applicant from any liability or responsibility for damages which may result from carelessness or neglect in setting, starting, looking after or guarding a fire.

[wrobert]

There is no such thing as a business license in Walton County. There is no such thing as an occupational tax in Walton County. Let freedom ring!

As for the bonfire ordinance looks like that they have gotten that one finally fixed.

Hopefully the guy is collecting and remitting sales tax to the State of Florida since he is providing materials in addition to services.

[kurt]

I saw him driving in WaterColor yesterday with a giant sign in the back of his truck. I was taken aback and then realized it was a sign of the times.

[Jdarg]

Just hope he is cleaning up after the bonfires, instead of tossing all the burnt wood into the lake.

[swantree]

i constantly get requests to have bon-fires on the beach, am i for one am happy to give a local vendor the chance to do business in a creative manner. I would hope that he is using sound green business practices. i would think that this a great alternative to the regular tourist who may not participate in such thinking and just go down and leave everything behind!

[Teresa]

having an evening bonfire on Grayton Beach is one of the most relaxing and wonderful things to do here! and we've enjoyed many such evenings over the years. thank goodness we can still have a bonfire - but glad to see some regulations pertaining to size and clean up.

good luck to the bonfire business - I am sure he will want to meet ordinance requirements and beyond in order to succeed. rather pricey but worth it to have someone handle it for you. (the size of the bonfire is rather small for the trouble though).

we prefer to build our own bonfire - its just part of the fun.

[Snerd]

I think it's great but a bit pricey especially since we have our own firewood and barrel. If he's going to stay in business he will have to clean up after himself, something that not all touristas do.