South Walton TDC pursuing new visitor center site

[Jdarg]

Do people really stop at the center and say "hey, this place looks nice, let's completely change our plans and stay in South Walton"? I have a feeling they were already on their way to a vacation destination somewhere in the area, or would not be heading down 331 or along 98. Putting the TDC center on the south side of 98 will not entice people from our feeder markets to stay here instead of Destin or other Panhandle places- their plans were made before they arrived here, but it is a nice place to pick up maps and info, and the offices are nice.

Bay and Okaloosa counties seem to do just fine without big TDC buildings. If they have them, I have never noticed, and they have so many ways in to their beach areas.

We already have a "nature discovery center". It is called the E. O. Wilson Biophilia center, and it is amazing. It is in the forest. We "discovered" it.

 

[Abby Prentiss]

Do people really stop at the center and say "hey, this place looks nice, let's completely change our plans and stay in South Walton"? I have a feeling they were already on their way to a vacation destination somewhere in the area, or would not be heading down 331 or along 98. Putting the TDC center on the south side of 98 will not entice people from our feeder markets to stay here instead of Destin or other Panhandle places- their plans were made before they arrived here, but it is a nice place to pick up maps and info, and the offices are nice.

Visitor centers aren't to entice people to stay, although I bet it would get a few who are passing through the great nothingness which exists between PCB and Destin. I have talked to lots of tourists on 30A who say they had passed many times on 98 and never had a clue there was anything here. Then they decided to take a look. Had no clue at all and were amazed.

However i think the center would mostly be about education for what's here, wildlife, safety, and mostly for businesses to get exposure.

IMHO if just one visitor stops at the center, learns about rip tides, and it saves their life then the tiny bit of forest and the money is worth it! Although i do understand the worry about taking private land and setting a precedence. But I believe the forest service doesn't want that either and the agreement will be made in a way that it will not set a legal or moral precedence.

 

[Jdarg]

People won't be stopping by the TDC to be educated about riptides and wildlife. If tourists want to learn about stuff like that, they will seek it out- we don't have to move that place to brand new location. There are vacationers who will seek out nature info and facts about an area, and there are those who don't care- they are at the beach on vacay. Locating the TDC in the new location might get a few more people through the door, but only because they pretty much would run right into it.

Spend the dollars on getting good info in vacation rentals, on websites, and in our markets.

 

[Truman]

A few more!? First I am interested in numbers. I had heard some but it was awhile ago. Before the DOT cut off the place there were a lot of visitors and after the number was about 1/10th or less. It's no exaggeration that the place is worthless as a visitor center now but is only offices and a meeting space.

A new center with easy access I'm guessing would get several hundred thousand visitors a year. No people aren't stopping there to get necessarily educated about a rip tide but if they stip there to walk the dog or find a rental and accidentally get educated and don't die in the gulf then thet is worth it to me I agree with Abby.

I really think it can be a win win win if people stop getting huffy (not you Jdarg) and talk to each other. Business people and environmentalists need to work together because one can benefit the other. We should work hard to promote and educate about our amazing resources and do some business at the same time. The great nature we have benefits business and businesses should hug trees. Taking opposite sides is stupid and is cutting of your rose to spite your place.

I know there are people who don't watch public land touched and I respect that but they also need to be reasonable. AT least open your eyes and ears and listen to what forestry has to say.

Ok sorry so long.

 

[Jdarg]

I understand that the current site is kind of worthless, but I don't think we need a new one disguised as a "discovery center". We need smaller locations at strategic places, at beach accesses, resort communities, etc., which would be a lot cheaper than constructing a whole new center.

Regarding rentals, it is the internet age. Everybody has booked their rentals before they get here, so I doubt any rental discoveries happen except for the random "fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants" travelers. TDC dollars need to be spent in our vacation markets, when people are making their plans, and spreading out the availability of info about our area by having multiple small locations will reach far more people that one central location.

 

[NotDeadYet]

IMHO if just one visitor stops at the center, learns about rip tides, and it saves their life then the tiny bit of forest and the money is worth it! Although i do understand the worry about taking private land and setting a precedence. But I believe the forest service doesn't want that either and the agreement will be made in a way that it will not set a legal or moral precedence.

Essentially what you are arguing is that people are more important than the forest, and therefore it is okay to take some land that was purchased by the state specifically for conservation and convert it to a use some people see as more beneficial. Once you accept that premise and go down that road there is no end to it. In case you hadn't noticed, people depend on so-called 'nature' for food, air and water, which is to say we depend on it for our very lives. We are not separate from 'nature.'
There are many other good places and opportunities for rip tide education. Until all those other avenues have been thoroughly taken advantage of, please don't try to tell me that opposing this new visitor center is akin to condemning someone from drowning in a rip tide, because that is the other logical extension of your argument.

 

[Truman]

I understand that the current site is kind of worthless, but I don't think we need a new one disguised as a "discovery center". We need smaller locations at strategic places, at beach accesses, resort communities, etc., which would be a lot cheaper than constructing a whole new center.

Regarding rentals, it is the internet age. Everybody has booked their rentals before they get here, so I doubt any rental discoveries happen except for the random "fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants" travelers. TDC dollars need to be spent in our vacation markets, when people are making their plans, and spreading out the availability of info about our area by having multiple small locations will reach far more people that one central location.

Good points. A lot of times people plnn their next vacation while they are here though. I will say that Seaside and Watercolor and other developers do an excellent job marketing. Even individuals do great marketing of the area. Do we need to tax to advertise for more? Heck this website has probably brought more visitors and full time residents than anything ever done in SOuth walton.

 

[Truman]

Essentially what you are arguing is that people are more important than the forest

While I am not a fan of all people and there are many trees I like better than some of the folks on this planet my answer is yes. I respect your opinion but your attitude of forest at all cost is part of the problem and exactly what my point was. Please consider our guests and friends and neighbors and business owners. We don't live in a vacuum. We have to make a living but we can certainly do it with thoughtfulness and sensitivity. I do think it was once again an unwise way fro the TDC to present a project but I certainly don't think anyone there is trying to be malicious. They want the prime spot and why not?

We are talking about 11 acres out of 20,000+ in South Walton. Give me a break!

 

[Caroling]

Better PDF version of Settlement Agreement

View attachment 1999_Settlement_AgreementOCR.pdf

We are talking about 11 acres out of 20,000+ in South Walton. Give me a break!

The break was given in 1999 when the county got the acres that is now the town center with library, administration, schools and other county services. In the Settlement Agreement of 1999 the county agreed to conserve the rest of the land. Here is item 10) from page 5 of that agreement:

"The parties recommend that the Division of State Lands within the Department of Environmental Protection complete acquisition of the South Walton County Ecosystem CARL project as rapidly as possible. Furthermore, Walton County commits to support acquisition of all remaining land within the South Walton County Ecosystem CARL project boundary for purposes of conserving it as part of the PointWashington State Forest."

If the county chips away to give this break, there is precedent for more breaks, until the forest is gone. I say, use the land in the town center. Keep the TDC in with the rest of county services. Someone asked to follow the money. One firm benefitting is Preble-Rish, who are all for using the forest. How about getting an alternative design and engineering firm opinion for starters? I'm trying to attach the entire settlement agreement PDF that I received from the plaintiff in the law suit. Hope it works. View attachment 1999_Settlement_Agreement.pdf

 

[Eileen West]

Yes but that is 11 acres out of the of the last remaining 2% of old growth longleaf pine forest in the state of Florida. Thinking of it that way, couldn't we find better solutions? Death by a thousand cuts is what has devastated the land trust already. We have to stop it somewhere. Don't we?