New big blue signs in SoWal

Re: What are these things beside the road?

When they enacted the sign ordinance for SoWal, I wrote a letter to the editor. I had recently buried 4 family members, and had to purchase head stones for their graves. The sign ordinance requirements looked to me like headstones. I personally don't enjoy driving around looking at a community filled with headstones! I suppose it represents what is within! I met the manager at Publix in SanDestin, when he moved here for the job, he drove by the store 3 times before he saw the sign! I'm still waiting for someone to have enough courage to put on their sign, "Here lies..... Born..... Died??????"!!!

Re: What are these things beside the road?

I don't mind most of the sign rules and regs, as I like not seeing a skyline of signage. IMO these garish blue ones are unnecessary and are quite unattractive. If signs were in disrepair, they should have just been replaced.

If people have that much trouble navigating or seeing something they shouldn't be driving a car! I am famous for my ability to get lost and I never had a problem with any of the current signs.

As I looked at the multiple signs for Watercolor etc., I wondered if they will take the old ones down? If not, sheetload of clutter on the side of the roads!

Re: What are these things beside the road?

bye bye wood signs...

I guess they call it progress. oh well, there are worse things.

Re: What are these things beside the road?

The new signs are part of the new Scenic designation for 30-A; I believe there are requirements for a comprehensive design for all signage along the scenic corridor. As with anything change is difficult and judgments will be made positive and negative. I personally think they are a little big for the purpose but otherwise are a positive element to designate each town and in a short while will blend in like everything else new.

I am glad you liked the old signs, I designed them and put them in the ground 15 or so years ago. As an officer of the Scenic-30 A Business association I convinced the TDC to pay for them if we came up with a design and placed them. I felt it was important to go ahead and call Scenic 30-A a Scenic road in the hopes it would eventually become one; why not give everyone the perception it was? Who cares if it really did not have the designation as long as everyone perceived it was. In my mind it has always been one from the first time I road down it going surfing one day in 1979.

In those days it was just called C-30A, and none of the communities had a sign showing borders; the only town that had signs was Seaside. I called all the old timers to find out what the actual borders were and started the process. Seacrest was named by community members who lived there because that area had no historical name. I originally placed the Seagrove signs next to Seaside ending next to the Seagrove Villa's where the original Grove stopped (Cube McGee's development) but before long an unnamed Realtor moved it much further east into "New Seagrove" closer to Eastern Lake; from that point on everything east of the Wheel House Restaurant up to Eastern lake became Seagrove. Everyone still makes a designation between "Old Seagrove" and "New Seagrove" when they are giving directions.

Due to the efforts of Claire Bannerman and many dedicated folks our beloved road has been awarded a scenic designation; these new signs are a part of that designation. It something to be very proud of.

In our opinion, these signs are ridiculous. What was wrong with the signs that were already in place. They went with the whole charm of our beaches ... they blended and were soothing to the eyes. These new signs are giant and blue .... waaaaahhhh ... we want the old signs back. How can we get the oldies back?

Re: What are these things beside the road?

What's the town between Blue Mountain and Santa Rosa Beach called?

Re: What are these things beside the road?

What's the town between Blue Mountain and Santa Rosa Beach called?

That would be... south of no where, or Santa Rosa Beach!

Re: What are these things beside the road?

Per Claire: official scenic highway designation is expected Feb 20th, 2008.

Re: What are these things beside the road?

I too dislike these signs. Just saw the one for Blue Mt. The blue is garish IMO. Why could they have not at least kept to the Emerald Green of our beautiful water.....the wooden ones were so much better. These are too big, too blue, and too commercial looking.

the unique-ness of our area is quickly disappearing....

Re: What are these things beside the road?

The blue signs don't bother me on the beach, but their color and shape seem very out of place on the road and I don't think they are as attractive as either the old signs they replace or the individual signs of areas like Watercolor and Alys beach.

What exactly is the deal w/ the scenic highway designation? At one point there was a thread and meetings about it, but haven't heard anything more or gotten more info on it.

Re: What are these things beside the road?

These big (ugly, in my opinion) signs seem to be in violation of the 30a sign restrictions. Is there some way that the TDC gets around the rules that everyone else must follow?

Re: What are these things beside the road?

I think a protest of ugly sign usage is in order!

Re: What are these things beside the road?

These signs are a continuance of the signs they use at all SoWal county offices as I see. This design was apparently approved some time ago. Mother used to say, "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder".

Re: What are these things beside the road?

The new signs are part of the new Scenic designation for 30-A; I believe there are requirements for a comprehensive design for all signage along the scenic corridor. As with anything change is difficult and judgments will be made positive and negative. I personally think they are a little big for the purpose but otherwise are a positive element to designate each town and in a short while will blend in like everything else new.

I am glad you liked the old signs, I designed them and put them in the ground 15 or so years ago. As an officer of the Scenic-30 A Business association I convinced the TDC to pay for them if we came up with a design and placed them. I felt it was important to go ahead and call Scenic 30-A a Scenic road in the hopes it would eventually become one; why not give everyone the perception it was? Who cares if it really did not have the designation as long as everyone perceived it was. In my mind it has always been one from the first time I road down it going surfing one day in 1979.

In those days it was just called C-30A, and none of the communities had a sign showing borders; the only town that had signs was Seaside. I called all the old timers to find out what the actual borders were and started the process. Seacrest was named by community members who lived there because that area had no historical name. I originally placed the Seagrove signs next to Seaside ending next to the Seagrove Villa's where the original Grove stopped (Cube McGee's development) but before long an unnamed Realtor moved it much further east into "New Seagrove" closer to Eastern Lake; from that point on everything east of the Wheel House Restaurant up to Eastern lake became Seagrove. Everyone still makes a designation between "Old Seagrove" and "New Seagrove" when they are giving directions.

Due to the efforts of Claire Bannerman and many dedicated folks our beloved road has been awarded a scenic designation; these new signs are a part of that designation. It something to be very proud of.

thanks for the historical info, and new scenic designation status. It really is progress... surely we can adapt to new signage along scenic 30a.

Re: What are these things beside the road?

I'm driving to work this morning and I notice one of the new signs "Dune Allen" placed in Beach Highlands. What's with this?
Technically it's placed on the south side of 30A before Hilltop drive which is located in Beach Highlands.

Am I right?

Re: What are these things beside the road?

...and last night, the BCC voted to extend the Scenic Corridor to include ChurchHill Bayou Road, South Church St and Chat Holley Rd. I believe they extended the designation for the north south connector roads, in the December meeting.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

While I like the old wooden signs much better than the new ones, it is really the "scenic corridor" designation for Hwy 98 that upsets me. It is a major artery for gosh sake and anything but scenic at this point in time. Try and find Ace Hardware, for instance, and if you are elderly, I'll guarantee you'll have a problem. I passed it up this week because of heavy traffic and I've been there many times. Signage of the size and dimensions for 98 are rediculous IMO. I really feel 98 has outgrown its "scenic corridor" designation. By the same token, I am for designation of 30A and the other roads as "scenic corridors". They fit the designation and are, indeed, scenic. Not so for Hwy 98.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

Hey the new signs remind me of the bus stops aroun Disneyland, WoooHooo!!!!! With all the artist around here ya think they could have come up with better design. They will give the tourist another reason to rubberneck on 30-Hay.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

signs,signs everwhere signs. tdc has more money than sense. lets buy chris titus a personal car.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

While I like the old wooden signs much better than the new ones, it is really the "scenic corridor" designation for Hwy 98 that upsets me. It is a major artery for gosh sake and anything but scenic at this point in time. Try and find Ace Hardware, for instance, and if you are elderly, I'll guarantee you'll have a problem. I passed it up this week because of heavy traffic and I've been there many times. Signage of the size and dimensions for 98 are rediculous IMO. I really feel 98 has outgrown its "scenic corridor" designation. By the same token, I am for designation of 30A and the other roads as "scenic corridors". They fit the designation and are, indeed, scenic. Not so for Hwy 98.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

From my days on the Arts and Culture Committee for the TDC, I remember the designs came from a big agency in some big city. It always seemed backward to me to support local artists through the Artist of the Year program, but not supporting commercial artists. The material used is an odd choice. The signs do not have continuity from the environment. It simply irritates me: Big agency mentality vs. Small agency knowing their market-- and of course, the executives who determine who is best suited for the job.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

It saddens me to see the new signs. They look like the bus stop signs in Old Key West at Disney World in Orlando. I thought people always enjoyed the subtle approach to each community as they'd wind down scenic highway 30-A. The new community signs will now jump out at them and announce their presence with a strong standardized appearance. Unfortunately, I think the signs will help serve to homogenize the Beaches of South Walton and make people feel like they are on vacation, rather than at home on their beach. I'm afraid that when all the homogenization is complete, along with all the new construction that looks like any other community showcased in the magazine Coastal Living, the Beaches of South Walton will have lost a good deal of its charm and individual beauty that sets it apart from other coastal communities. I'm afraid it will become just another beach zone at Disney, where the people are suppose to be nice, not genuine and the venues run like clockwork instead of scattered like surprises down 30-A. I hope this doesn't happen.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

Still, as I understand it, the signs have to conform with the Sign Ordinance, and be reviewed by a board before approved. What are you to do?

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

How long before the first SoWal sticker goes on one?

Also has anyone noticed that all of the wooden signs have disappeared over night. Whoever did this is mean, I was waiting for this weekend to "claim" mine.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

Part of what makes our county unique is we don't have huge signs. We must have strict guidelines for signage otherwise we will be overloaded with billboards and over-sized signs like most everywhere else. Business's don't need a big sign to be successful, they need to build business through efficiency, customer service, building word of mouth and using Sowal of course. Small works fine plain and simple.

I can list hundred's of business's in South Walton that have been successful for years and new ones that are already successful with small signs. A perfect example is the new restaurant, Fire. They are located off the Grayton road, hidden behind Frank's Cash and Carry and their sign is only about 3' by 3'. They have great food and worked very hard in a very short time to build a very devoted following. I have no doubt they will be around for a long time and they will be because they deserve it not because of a sign.

If you do the right thing, people will find you. I am sick of people saying on Hwy. 98 the business's need bigger signs. It takes hard work to make a business successful, not a sign. Hwy 98 is a main corridor anyway; if you can't make it on 98 than you have a problem.

In this age of GPS, INTERNET, slow speed limits through business areas etc. Anyone who can't find a location is in a coma, not elderly. And besides, being elderly does not automatically make you predisposed to getting lost. I have plenty of young friends who have been lost for years.

And, let's accept the fact that 98 is a scenic corridor plain and simple. At least half of Hwy 98 through Walton county is bordered by state park and always will be. The areas bordering the whole road behind the developed areas are part of a green-way that deer and other animals use to move east to west. Let's hope 98 never outgrows it's "scenic corridor" designation; if it does it might be time to move on to the next place for me.

While I like the old wooden signs much better than the new ones, it is really the "scenic corridor" designation for Hwy 98 that upsets me. It is a major artery for gosh sake and anything but scenic at this point in time. Try and find Ace Hardware, for instance, and if you are elderly, I'll guarantee you'll have a problem. I passed it up this week because of heavy traffic and I've been there many times. Signage of the size and dimensions for 98 are ridiculous IMO. I really feel 98 has outgrown its "scenic corridor" designation. By the same token, I am for designation of 30A and the other roads as "scenic corridors". They fit the designation and are, indeed, scenic. Not so for Hwy 98.

Re: New signs on 30A designating communities [title changed]

Dave, your post makes a perfect IMO arguement against these new signs: as you say, we don't need big signs -- so why are they there? With technology you don't need a sign to know where you are going - so why put those signs up at all? And who really cares where the borders of the beach towns are...what possible difference does it make?

The signs are too big, too commercial looking and too blue !

What was the TDC thinking?