• Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
New posts

steel1man

Beach Fanatic
Jan 10, 2013
2,291
659
Posted on: August 28, 2017
2017 BEACH VENDOR POST SEASON MEETING


2017 BEACH VENDOR POST SEASON MEETING

You are hereby notified that the Walton County Tourist Development Council Beach Code Enforcement staff will hold a meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the South Walton Annex located at 31 Coastal Center Blvd. Santa Rosa Beach, FL.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the 2017 Beach vending season and general beach vending issues.

All current and prospective beach vendors are encouraged to attend. Please email Tricia@visitsouthwalton.com with any questions or comments.

( Purpose of meeting to discuss 2017 vending Season, possibility of TDC responding to 100's of complaints vocal and email? Slim to None)...............
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
Special Meeting for Vendors???

Look for a new push to ban all tents.

I still would love to know how vendors can operate on a public beach without paying fee?

...and now, that the BCC has blessed all beaches as public with customary use... Where does this go?

"All current and prospective beach vendors are encouraged to attend."



 

FactorFiction

Beach Fanatic
Feb 18, 2016
494
409
Special Meeting for Vendors???

Look for a new push to ban all tents.

I still would love to know how vendors can operate on a public beach without paying fee?

...and now, that the BCC has blessed all beaches as public with customary use... Where does this go?

"All current and prospective beach vendors are encouraged to attend."

There are pre and post season vendor meetings every year (at least for the last few) in order to get and give feedback (post season) about what went well, what didn't, and hear suggestions. The pre-season vendor meetings cover the rules of the beach with emphasis on new rules that may have changed since last season.

Regarding: Look for a new push to ban all tents. Not disagreeing, but why do you say that and are you in favor of banning all tents or not?
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
There are pre and post season vendor meetings every year (at least for the last few) in order to get and give feedback (post season) about what went well, what didn't, and hear suggestions. The pre-season vendor meetings cover the rules of the beach with emphasis on new rules that may have changed since last season.

Regarding: Look for a new push to ban all tents. Not disagreeing, but why do you say that and are you in favor of banning all tents or not?

The tent issue is really interesting. I've hear the "Safety" argument that they blow away if unattended, etc. I also have heard that families need them for "shade"... I'm on the beach a lot and I can tell you that I've never seen at tent blow away and I've also seen dozens of tents, sit taking up space, for hours on end, UNOCCUPIED. The tents seem to get larger and larger. Perhaps a limit on size (oh we have that, but no enforcement).

I think defining exactly what a "tent" is, would be a good starting point.
 

Jimmy T

Beach Fanatic
Apr 6, 2015
866
1,235
The tent issue is really interesting. I've hear the "Safety" argument that they blow away if unattended, etc. I also have heard that families need them for "shade"... I'm on the beach a lot and I can tell you that I've never seen at tent blow away and I've also seen dozens of tents, sit taking up space, for hours on end, UNOCCUPIED. The tents seem to get larger and larger. Perhaps a limit on size (oh we have that, but no enforcement).

I think defining exactly what a "tent" is, would be a good starting point.

To be fair, the 6' canopy rule is difficult to enforce. Most tourists and locals didn't even know about the rule. I did see code enforcement try to do their job many times with the tents during the peak season at Grayton this year. But as usual, enforcement of other rules was lacking.
 

FactorFiction

Beach Fanatic
Feb 18, 2016
494
409
So, do you think a ban on all tents would be a good idea? I'm just asking. I don't use them, but clearly a lot of people do and it does create a lot of issues with enforcement and reserving space on the beach. I have also heard complaints from various owners, management companies, and even beach maintenance about having to pick up and dispose of them. There is also the consideration that many popular beach areas either already ban tents or at least restrict where they can be used.

John G., there is actually a fairly decent definition of tent in the beach activities ordinance, but to your point, it doesn't get uniformly enforced.
 
Last edited:

gailforce

Beach Lover
Aug 29, 2015
122
102
57
Seacrest
Whatever is decided about tents, the proper authorities must enforce it, instead of turning residents into Code Enforcements' dispatch.
 

Will B

Moderator
Jan 5, 2006
4,530
1,279
Atlanta, GA
The tent issue is really interesting. I've hear the "Safety" argument that they blow away if unattended, etc. I also have heard that families need them for "shade"... I'm on the beach a lot and I can tell you that I've never seen at tent blow away and I've also seen dozens of tents, sit taking up space, for hours on end, UNOCCUPIED. The tents seem to get larger and larger. Perhaps a limit on size (oh we have that, but no enforcement).

I think defining exactly what a "tent" is, would be a good starting point.

Was at SRB the last week of July. A dust devil kicked up right on the beach. Took out one big tent which proceeded to take out a bunch of umbrellas and two smaller tents all of which landed in the surf. Amazingly, the lifeguard was no more than 10 yards east of where it happened, and he never saw it...
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
Was at SRB the last week of July. A dust devil kicked up right on the beach. Took out one big tent which proceeded to take out a bunch of umbrellas and two smaller tents all of which landed in the surf. Amazingly, the lifeguard was no more than 10 yards east of where it happened, and he never saw it...
Fortunately it sounds like no one was hurt. That's good and its an argument vendors will use to ban all tents if possible, safety...

With a vendor, there is an attendant there "watching" as will be said. With a touron, they set up shop and leave for the day. No one to "watch" until its too late...

Again, definition of what is a tent and what's a baby shelter needs to be clear.

To answer a prior question a few posts back, I am for banning all large tents. I define a large tent as one that is over the current size limit as it is actually larger as the support ropes extend an additional two feet out.

Where this ban should take place is a completely different topic...
 
New posts


Sign Up for SoWal Newsletter