Policy on Personal Beach Chairs vs Vendor

[Misty]

Thank you!

That's not all of them. The entire list can be found on the Walton County homepage.

www.co.walton.fl.us/

 

[Born&Bread]

We are back at Sowal and see that the beach chair rentals are now $365 for 6 days. When we first started visiting Sowal there weren't very many vendors and now the beaches are completely dominated by the . Further, the beaches are all divided up in small portions this year with ropes and signs stating where you can sit and can't sit depending on where you are staying.

Anyway, if we wake up early and go down to the beach to set up first, then walk the beach with the kids, can these vendors move my things? I just don't want to be behind 3 rows of chairs because I can't see my children in the water.

Thanks so much!

Who charges $365 a week for chairs. That is crazy.

 

[Born&Bread]

Letters with notification of the new Ordinance have been going out and they give a July 15th deadline for beach front owners to remove their signs, posts, chains, ropes, barbed wire, etc.

It also advised of a $500 fine...

Folks, we seen Sheriff Mike and the BCC do the "Walton Two Step" and win on dancing with the Stars.

Next we are going to see TDC Code Enforcement show use something called "Walton County Selective Enforcement".

July 15th, owners will be cited.

The problem here is that TDC Code Enforcement, is really good and has the track record to prove it, in giving "verbal warnings" and "written warnings" on other violations. Rarely do they issue a summons or civil infraction (fine).

If they plan to enforce the new Ordinance, I'll expect the vendors that stack chairs in the dunes and all the other left overs on the beach to not only be removed but also fined the same amount.

Anything less would scream of selective enforcement and one could argue discriminatory practices by a government agent / agency.

Sniff, sniff, smell another law suit!

I know of selective enforcement of the beach ordinance. Read the ordinance about ATV's on the beach. Then go to Sandestin on old 98. NO ATV'S ON THE BEACH FOR VENDORS NEXT YEAR. They will be on 30a next.

 

[Born&Bread]

"No. The vendors are not allowed to move your beach set up."

If a vendor's setup is unoccupied and not marked "reserved", Can it be moved?

I asked the same thing. No they cannot neither can you. If a vendor sets up a set on private property they don't have to be rented. If it's on county property then it has to be rented at some point that day.

 

[Born&Bread]

This new addition to rentals (12x12 cabanas with hammocks, etc...) are going to break beach communities.
Hopefully voters will wake up! Vendor issues are getting out of hand and a major source of the beach problems facing the county.

What about the cheap ones that are 12x12 that Walmart sells?

 

[Born&Bread]

I was talking to a code enforcement guy the other day. He stated it's not a vendor problem its a public beach vs private problem. He said on county beach they only use 50% and it is strictly enforced and followed by the vendors. He said the public not renting chairs can use 100 % of county beach. He said most of the time when you see a bunch of unrented chairs its on private property. He said as long as they have permission from the owners of the property they can set up how many ever sets they want. In some cases the owners want them to line the beach up to keep beachgoers off of their property. He said the vendors have it bad because they are caught in the middle.

 

[Bob Wells]

I was talking to a code enforcement guy the other day. He stated it's not a vendor problem its a public beach vs private problem. He said on county beach they only use 50% and it is strictly enforced and followed by the vendors. He said the public not renting chairs can use 100 % of county beach. He said most of the time when you see a bunch of unrented chairs its on private property. He said as long as they have permission from the owners of the property they can set up how many ever sets they want. In some cases the owners want them to line the beach up to keep beachgoers off of their property. He said the vendors have it bad because they are caught in the middle.

So they want the vendors to set up on their property to keep beachgoers off. Doesn't that sound a contradictory? You sure it isn't more about the property owners charging for the use of their beach?

 

[Born&Bread]

So they want the vendors to set up on their property to keep beachgoers off. Doesn't that sound a contradictory? You sure it isn't more about the property owners charging for the use of their beach?

Private property owners do get paid by vendors for their beach space but they contract the vendors to line the beach so only there renters can use it. Have you been to Watercolor, Sandestin, Rosemary, Seascape?

 

[LarsAtTheBeach]

Private property owners do get paid by vendors for their beach space but they contract the vendors to line the beach so only there renters can use it. Have you been to Watercolor, Sandestin, Rosemary, Seascape?

I was under the understanding that the beach service vendors bid the use of beach with the property owners/resorts?
And that bidding process provides a percentage of the vendors gross to the property owner?

 

[Bob Wells]

Well it still seems odd they don't want to people on their beach, unless they can get paid. So if I sit on the beach without renting a chair, what happens?