New big blue signs in SoWal

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.

Well I guess it depends on the type of business you have and the people you know! Let's see, I was born in DFS, went to school at Pt. Washington, Freeport, and Walton Senior High. I guess I know a lot of Walton Countians! Not all are in a coma, nor use GPS, or even the web! Most all use the highway though, and considering SoWal is where the jobs are, many use 98. I met the new manager of Publix at Sandestin, who was neither in a coma, nor blind, nor a senior citizen, and he drove by Publix 3 times before he finally found the store for the first time! If you go to the ball game, the signs there are written in very large, bold letters, and those folks are sitting in one place! And, they pay a lot of money to have one of those signs! I guess thats why those ad agencies make so much money, and all the studies they do on how to market a particular product. Gee, I guess their just wasting both time and money, if just word of mouth will do!
By the way, SoWal is not necessarily unique, I find it to be very conforming. To be unique is to be different, here, we must conform to the non-conformist, or pay a hefty fee! Example, Christmas lights, seems that they are all white/clear, no one has the courage to do anything different! Or maybe there is an ordinance for that to?

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.

I haven't found any other info on this subject, shouldn't it be in it's own thread? Do you have any more info?

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

Did anyone notice the new sign on 331, yet? Yes, 331, south of the bridge also fits into the designation. I wonder if they will also add them to the recently added roads, Chat Holley, Churchill Bayou Rd, and S Church St? I'm just glad they are blue (seems weird since we are the "Emerald" Coast) rather than Pepto-Bismal Pink.

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

Yeah that suck compared to the wooden cute ones.

AND some are so big that people cant see out of the driveways and side roads near them

Who are the commissoners who voted these in over the old ones being updated

Re: What are these things beside the road?

I haven't found any other info on this subject, shouldn't it be in it's own thread? Do you have any more info?

I thought since the signs were being erected on all of the scenic corridor designated roads, it was pertinent here. You haven't seen any other info on the subject because they just voted for it last night. Hasn't even made the Walton Sun, yet.

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

I don't think the Commissioners voted on the sign designs, only who would win the bid to install the signs. The TDC probably had a focus group to design the signs.

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

Just pointing out that the old ones seemed to pop right out of the ground over the last few days. The new ones seem a little more theft proof. Considering all the metal and concrete I think it's going to be interesting the first time a drunk misses a fire hydrant and plows into one of those.

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

I was basically responding to Andy's comments regarding Hwy 98 and got off topic but I do agree the signs are too big for the purpose.

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?

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

Let's see........what makes Sowal unique(different) from Bay and Okaloosa counties? Lot's of natural open undeveloped space, At least 5 state parks, bike paths, high rises are not allowed (except in Sandestin), protected dune lakes that naturally flow into the Gulf (Panama City just paved over them and put in culverts), no billboards(anyone love billboards?).

All these things and more are why the jobs are here and why so many people come here to vacation, live and work. We are bordered by counties that were designed with little or no planning and the differences are clear. If I ever did get lost finding a shop or a restaurant, I'd rather get lost in SoWal then Okaloosa and Bay.

Well I guess it depends on the type of business you have and the people you know! Let's see, I was born in DFS, went to school at Pt. Washington, Freeport, and Walton Senior High. I guess I know a lot of Walton Countians! Not all are in a coma, nor use GPS, or even the web! Most all use the highway though, and considering SoWal is where the jobs are, many use 98. I met the new manager of Publix at Sandestin, who was neither in a coma, nor blind, nor a senior citizen, and he drove by Publix 3 times before he finally found the store for the first time! If you go to the ball game, the signs there are written in very large, bold letters, and those folks are sitting in one place! And, they pay a lot of money to have one of those signs! I guess thats why those ad agencies make so much money, and all the studies they do on how to market a particular product. Gee, I guess their just wasting both time and money, if just word of mouth will do!


By the way, SoWal is not necessarily unique, I find it to be very conforming. To be unique is to be different, here, we must conform to the non-conformist, or pay a hefty fee! Example, Christmas lights, seems that they are all white/clear, no one has the courage to do anything different! Or maybe there is an ordinance for that to?

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

I'm sorry, I don't think I'm going to get used to looking at the new signs. And yes, Dave, I remember your early efforts to designate the beaches in the early years of the Scenic 30-A Business Association. We prayed for bike paths and wildflowers on the corridor "someday" and got a few of those wishes too! I do wish we'd been able to keep that group intact, maybe we wouldn't have gone from cute indigenous wooden sign straight to big blue ugly sign from hell!

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

The signs are a major mistake, and should be removed and reworked into something that fits with the scale of 30A and the color. Who approved the color? I'm sure it is part of the TDC's approved palette, but that blue is the most garish thing on the road. It fits with nothing. They should be painted green if they stay. What a costly waste of money.




Be sure to inform your commissioner how you feel, or else they'll never go away.

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

I can't figure out how to create a poll. Could someone more savvy get on that?

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

I can't figure out how to create a poll. Could someone more savvy get on that?

you need to be the thread originator to do that function. It's at the very bottom of 'additional options'.

Big blue signs in SoWal [merged poll]

What do you think?

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

I think they suck, but that's just me. Horrid is too kind a term.

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

I can't see your poll, but I vote for butt ugly. I give them permission to squander some more of our out of state tax money and do it again.

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

Have you seen the one coming in south on 395 to 30-A? The thing can only be read by birds - it's so TALL!!!

Besides that, it's REALLY UGLY!!!!!!

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

The new signs have to go away. Paint won't cure ugly.

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

Just curious, are they created by the same folks who created the giant metal beach ball at Pier Park in PCB? It looks like the same style, big brightly painted metal.

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

I already made my point on the other thread!

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

There was an uproar when similarly garish new signs were installed by our hometown Park District. The solution was to repaint the outer portions/backs of the signs a neutral, natural, soothing taupe/brown color.

When the signs blended into the landscape a little more, they became acceptable to most, at much less cost than full replacement. Maybe that can happen with these signs.

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

Let's see........what makes Sowal unique(different) from Bay and Okaloosa counties? Lot's of natural open undeveloped space, At least 5 state parks, bike paths, high rises are not allowed (except in Sandestin), protected dune lakes that naturally flow into the Gulf (Panama City just paved over them and put in culverts), no billboards(anyone love billboards?).

All these things and more are why the jobs are here and why so many people come here to vacation, live and work. We are bordered by counties that were designed with little or no planning and the differences are clear. If I ever did get lost finding a shop or a restaurant, I'd rather get lost in SoWal then Okaloosa and Bay.

Who said anything about Bay and Okaloosa County? I thought we were unique, who's comparing? What, so we have to keep up with the Jones? Sorry, I'm not accustomed to the compare thing, don't do it myself. I live by what I feel is right for me, I really don't care what someone else is doing, in regards to keeping up with them. I think we need to evaluate what is good for our citizens welfare, not try to out do some other county.

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

Until I saw John R's photo of the signs, I never saw how big and blank the back of the signs appear. :shock:

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

They really are an eyesore. I cringe every time I see one!

Re: Poll: What do you think of the new signs on 30-A?

Garish & jarring to the senses.