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Watersound Parkway backed up the full length yesterday at 530pm headed north. Probably needs to be 4-laned and/or proper tun lanes added on each end. The sad part is they just added a turn lane on north end and that end was the one backed up.

I saw a recent TDC report and was wondering why the decline? Is it true what some say that the lack of beach access (private beaches) and more people are making tourists go elsewhere? A decrease in the number of visitors and a 9.4% decrease in room rates led to a decrease in direct spending...

https://defuniakherald.com/news/dune-allen-property-owners-file-quiet-title-lawsuits-for-accreted-lands-on-the-beach/ By DOTTY NIST A number of Dune Allen property owners are seeking court judgments that their lots in the south Walton County subdivision include “accreted lands” extending all...

A sprawling storm hit the South with tornado warnings and high winds that blew roofs off homes, flipped over campers and tossed about furniture in Florida on Tuesday. Another storm brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half a foot of snow, stranding people on highways...

Not much detail to report but saw this on a BCC meeting report...I assume this is a SWARA project. Approved Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Artificial Reef Construction Grant agreement for the construction and deployment of 23 prefabricated modules in the Fort Panic near shore permitted...

By DOTTY NIST Court judgments involving the owners of three Blue Mountain Beach parcels have provided for beach property south of their lots, extending to the mean high water line (MHWL), to become the property of those owners. The beach property is located in Blue Mountain Beach Subdivision...

https://defuniakherald.com/news/sheriff-announces-changes-to-deal-with-unruly-teens-on-the-beach/ THIS WAS THE scene earlier in the year at the Dogwood/Thyme Neighborhood Beach, access, which has been a gathering place for large groups of teenagers on some occasions. By DOTTY NIST Walton...

I guess I'm out of touch. Is this where we're at now in America and why so many people have landlords or no home at all? "Working people" affordable housing is $200k+ ??? The Bluffs at Juniper Also getting a favorable BCC decision at the meeting was The Bluffs at Juniper, a request on behalf...

Needs to do some serious upgrades. can't even keep my power on when it's 20 degrees.

Just stop. It's disturbing, wasteful and weird.

What I get out of this is continuing the effort to make the TDC simply a county department directed by the BCC and other managers. Apparently we have a whole never mentioned entity called the DMO with county managers and employees and the TDC is just a handful of advisors. Kind of head spinning...

As Peach Creek Subdivision by DR Horton has grown, fertilizer runoff has caused runaway weed and algae growth, choking the creek. Just a part of the more widespread development that is killing the Choctawhatchee Bay. There is still more land that DR Horton has clear cut to expand the...

I like the idea of innovating the rental and living situation and we need help with more and lower cost rentals in SoWal - especially for singles or young couples (workers). I'm not sure how the laws are and somehow we would have to ban them as vacation rentals. Maybe approve them only in...

The Walton County Sheriff's Office is seeking information after "Section 8 Does Not Belong Here" was spray painted on a mobile home this past weekend. CrimeStoppers say the message was painted on a mobile home on Point Washington Road on either Saturday or Sunday. "The mobile home had painted...

Eighty citations with the accompanying $500 fines have been issued to people caught in recent weeks on Walton County beaches violating double-red flag warnings and entering dangerous surf in the Gulf of Mexico. The $500 fine for entering the water when double-red flags are flying has been in...

Countdown to destruction! For 2021, NOAA is predicting another active Atlantic hurricane season. Here’s what they are currently predicting with a 70% confidence on the ranges: A likely range of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) Of those, 6 to 10 could become hurricanes...

The planning commission has approved a proposal to be voted on by the BCC that any future changes to the 50-foot height limit in South Walton require a super majority vote by the BCC - three votes plus one out of five for the limit to be raised or lowered. I find it unsettling that this issue...

Just next to (west side) of Publix, approved by planning commission to be built - about 1/3 the size of a typical Home Depot.

Approved by planning - 92 townhomes, restaurant, commercial space and 50-room hotel just west of 331 on Chat Holly Rd. A lot of other stuff happening in the area including 150 townhomes nearby on Indian Woman Rd. called Hawk's Landing.

Sugar Dunes Access - Sugar Dunes Condominiums Owners Association and the property owner to the west of the access are claiming the county has no right to the access which has been there for decades. Suing to have it removed forever. More sickening news for South Walton.

Golf carts on the road are bad enough. What do y'all think about scooters and 3 wheelers, motorized skateboards, bikes, and other stuff? I think we're about to see an explosion of scooters like Panama City Beach and Destin. Destin is in the process of banning scooters. Should we do that now...

This makes me so mad. :pissed: We already have a problem with sign pollution. The Walton County Sheriff's Office will be placing signs up and down Scenic 30A and connecting roads for golf carts (LSV) - a whole list of laws like no texting while driving, seatbelts required, stay off bike path...

“This is a virus that, if you’re in good shape, you’re probably going to be OK,” DeSantis said on Thursday. “So, why would we want to dissuade people from going to be in shape?”

Gov. DeSantis’ vacation-rental ban challenged Property owners and a vacation-rental management company have filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, accusing him of violating their constitutional rights by shutting down vacation rentals during the public health crisis caused by...

Will the beaches keep closed until all businesses including rentals re-open or will we have a phased plan in place? Here is what Okaloosa County is considering: All phases are presumed to have social distancing measures remaining in place at this time, subject to future modification as each...

I know I know there's a law how you can spend it. Change the law! Small businesses need our help and they are vital to our tourism economy. Okaloosa county is helping with grants to small businesses. Walton is a lot richer. What say you?

This is impressive - kudos to the artist. A beautiful paining by Eric Henn that would be hard to do on the ground!

Plain talk from a Walton County Tourist

South Florida Legislator Evan Jenne calls controversial law created through passage of HB 631 “a wildly unpopular law.” As the fight over who owns Florida’s beaches moves beyond the shores of Walton County, a bill has been introduced to repeal HB 631, which on July 1, 2018, began wreaking havoc...

South Walton County resident Daniel Uhlfelder talks with Walton County Sheriff's deputies about where exactly is the line between public and private beach near the Vizcaya neighborhood in Dune Allen.

TALLAHASSEE — A group of Walton County residents on Monday took their case for the repeal of the law created through passage of HB 631 to the doors of the Florida Capitol. RELATED: Bill filed to repeal controversial HB 631 Wearing bright yellow shirts bearing the message “repeal the bad beach...

As many know, the county bought the old Sandcastles building on 331 to move the visitor center and offices to. It was determined that the old building would be demolished and a new building built. from TDC: During their Dec. 9 meeting, the TDC Advisory Council voted to accept conceptual plans...

I saw an article in the Beach Breeze recently about a guy who got approval on Beachfront Trail to build a house on a 33 foot wide lot. I was wondering how you do that. What are typical setbacks and how narrow would the house have to be?

Due to Walton County’s high visitation rates and relatively low population, it is one of nine counties in Florida which can collect a “High Impact Penny” as part of its tourist development tax collections. During its July 9 meeting, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners unanimously...

Tourist Development Tax collection showed an impressive 20.28% increase in South Walton for May 2019, compared with the previous year. The Tourist Development Tax, or bed tax, is a four percent tax collected on hotels, condos and other short term rentals. It is the best way to gauge visitation...

I see more and more of our public rights of ways being taken by property owners - no parking signs, landscaping, fences, etc. The shoulders belong to the public. Please stop letting owners prevent us from using. Eventually I'd like to see most of our roads have developed parking like recently...

I am seeing more and more webcams in rental homes. I'm wondering why. Who's watching? Are they OK? Even Legal?

Pay attention people. If we are going to slow the ruin of this place we can not allow developments this dense. More than a couple of units per acre is going to be our ruin. The apartments, condos and townhomes are big enough of a problem. Keep single family home lot sizes reasonable. example -...

Greyhound racing ending in 2020 by amendment that passed yesterday. What will become of it?

On the agenda at the next BCC meeting: Request for approval of a 7 month contract for $38,000 to DMO Proz Home for a study on how the TDC should spend its money.

Can someone remind us of the laws that apply? Are signs allowed on public right of ways?

Seems like regular people and businesses have a lot of guidelines and restrictions on keeping SoWal scenic but utility companies do whatever they want no matter how atrocious - flags, markers, poles, stakes, boxes, barriers, fences, trash, wires.... So much stuff in plain sight that people...

Those who frequent the town of Seaside soon will notice some changes. Construction on a new boardwalk being built between the Coleman Obelisk and Bud & Alley’s recently started. “Where you are walking on sand now is getting a boardwalk,” said architect and urbanist Dhiru Thadani. A large new...

The website now has a paywall. Not sure that's a viable model. What about login for existing print subscribers?

And by Freeport coming I mean the orgasmic splendor of franchises, strip malls, and homogenized American anywhere. :confused: The capitalist racetrack between the bridge and I10 goes vroom vroom vroom! Waffle House, McDonalds and Dairy Queen starting their engines. Any guesses on how long...

from wzep... Is this about re-election and/or trying to repair/improve relationships with certain commissioners?

There are 44 species of snakes found in Florida that also enjoy the sunshine. Of that list, 6 are considered venomous and dangerous to humans: • Copperhead • Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin • Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake • Timber Rattlesnake • Pigmy Rattler • Coral Snake Florida’s snakes play a...

SWFD units on scene at Trigger Trl in Seacrest. Engine 1 arrived and found third floor of structure involved in fire. Several SWFD units are on scene and now have the fire knocked down. One occupant was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast for smoke inhalation. Units remain...

If locals don't treat our environment right, if we don't take care of our beach, then tourists will do even worse. Things like this say it's ok to do whatever you want on the dunes for example. I took out the company name because I'm not in to public shaming but rental companies should know...

It appears that #28 and #36- #40 all go together. It appears that the money from #28 will be used to purchase #36-#40. Per agenda for the BCC meeting Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Link to the BCC Meeting (you might have to cut & paste into your browser)...