Do We Desperately Need Drive-Thrus?

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention.

Yesterday when I was driving my 20 year old son to the airport, as we drove by McDonalds I commented that it was the closest one to our house and he said,"that's so great." It is a blessing to have purveyors of non food as far from 30A as possible.

this really makes me sad. The lack of drive thru, fast food restaurants is one of the truly unique aspects of life in South Walton...if this happens, then one more aspect that draws people to the area will be gone...and we will be just like every other place...

especially now when the economy is down, the last thing we need is chain restaurant competition for our local eating places.

give us another casual, fish and oyster place, but please no drive thru fast food....please.

I don't live in SoWal, but I'd jsut be plain pissed off if they had fast-food drive- throughs everywhere. :angry:

I'm betting the folks holding "investment" (read: vacant) commercial buildings and lots are pushing hard for this...I think the requests for space to house candle shops; upscale artsy craftsy beachy shops; and $19 Lunch Entrees' Restaurants; have pretty much dried up. Here's the buzz words you'll be hearing: increased variety/choice; increased employment; increased opportunities; and (the biggie) increased tax revenue.

Recessions--like bubbles--make many things change for the worse.

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I have often compared SoWal to Sanibel/Captiva. The reason we fell in love with SoWal is because it was so much like our (previously) favorite vacation spot -- quaint, a small amount of signage, very few chains, with an emphasis on lower impact architecture and conservation land.

We don't need drive-throughs in SoWal. I have no problem with curbside takeout for example. But drive-throughs would require NEW buildings with lots of space around them for cars -- probably not economically feasible anyway and certainly ugly. Please. Let's not.

I don't live in SoWal, but I'd jsut be plain pissed off if they had fast-food drive- throughs everywhere. :angry:

Ditto. We can get that at home. Boring. One of the things that sold us on SoWal was the unique local restaurants and the lack of chain restaurants.

Is the BCC trying to turn this into Destin? Do they have friends who are fast-food franchisers trying to get a toehold to cash in on the market in SoWal and as a result change SoWal as we currently know it? Hope not. Frankly, I don't mind fast food on 98. But south of 98 is fighting words for me.

I'm betting the folks holding "investment" (read: vacant) commercial buildings and lots are pushing hard for this...I think the requests for space to house candle shops; upscale artsy craftsy beachy shops; and $19 Lunch Entrees' Restaurants; have pretty much dried up. Here's the buzz words you'll be hearing: increased variety/choice; increased employment; increased opportunities; and (the biggie) increased tax revenue.

Recessions--like bubbles--make many things change for the worse.

.

Yes, let's sell out our greatest strength -- the thing that sets us apart from Panama City and every other geography of nowhere, beach edition town -- away for an everlasting solution to a short term problem. This is exactly the type of short term thinking that will undermine everything that makes this community so special. It will only serve to reduce the future tourism revenue. I believe it was Mary Brown with the TDC who pointed out that today SoWal attracts a high dollar per capita tourist compared to other counties -- maximizes tourist revenues while minimizing impact. Those tourists choose SoWal for it's natural, scenic, organic character. A bunch of McDonaldlands and parking lots will send them in search of the next quaint beach town.

I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that a McDonalds = opportunity. I've seen too many fast food restaurants in miserable and destitute neighborhoods to buy that one. Put the drive-thrus in District 4!

Private beaches. Vacationers under arrest.
Too many signs.
Ugly signs.
Closed state parks.
High rises on the north side of the bay.
McDonalds, Wendy's, and finally, Mexican on 30A (Taco Bell).


Goose. Golden egg. Dead.

We don't need drive-throughs in SoWal. I have no problem with curbside takeout for example. But drive-throughs would require NEW buildings with lots of space around them for cars -- probably not economically feasible anyway and certainly ugly. Please. Let's not.

Most food places require parking in some form or another. Rents are too high to try to cashflow "fast food" places (both local and corporate) with just foot traffic. In other towns, I've seen them tear down large, old 70-era McDonalds/Burger Kings and replace them with places half the size (I guess the new-millennium microwave doesn't take up nearly the same footprint as the old 70's clunkers).

I'm not "over the moon" about the prospect of having drive-thru's down here--but then again, I wasn't too happy with all the other changes I've seen happen to our quaint beach towns over the last 10-15 years either--and moreso during the last 5-7. With the prospect of "low cost" air carriers dumping tens of thousands of tourists at our new airport terminal to swarm southward toward what's left of our public beaches, I expected fast food and drive-thru's to be the next chapter in the evolution of this area.

I won't fight it, I'm plumb tuckered out from fighting and losing. I'll sit back and let the current crop of "NIMBYs" (that's what they'll call you) fight this battle.

First the ugly blue signs now golden arches. Say it isn't so or maybe Just say NO

Just say "NO" to fast-food drive thru's........................

:angry:If I want to go to places like Atlanta, Ft.Walton, Destin etc...... I'll drive there!

Don't loose the "SRB" feel, which is why I moved from Atlanta.

Thanks!

Commissioners: If you are lurking--please pay attention to the above!

Most food places require parking in some form or another. Rents are too high to try to cashflow "fast food" places (both local and corporate) with just foot traffic. In other towns, I've seen them tear down large, old 70-era McDonalds/Burger Kings and replace them with places half the size (I guess the new-millennium microwave doesn't take up nearly the same footprint as the old 70's clunkers).

Probably because the ratio of on the go to eat-in customers has changed a lot over the past 10-15 years. It's like how about 75% of the Pizza Huts I can think of have gone from being normal-sized sit down standalone restaurants to essentially take out-delivery only stores in strip mall spaces that are about a quarter the size of the previous restaurants.

i enjoy garbage food as much as the next hog...but we do not want them HERE...we, as a community can shoot this one down.

I don't feel the need for a drive thru on 30-A. Not just because I hate fast food and drive-thrus (I usually go inside because it's faster and if I eat there I'm on a road trip and need to use a restroom), but because we already have many businesses that cater to people who don't want dine-in eating.

If for some reason I need food fast, I can place an order for pizza, burger, salad, fried chicken, shrimp, or anything else I want and go pick it up.

Drive thru thoughts

I don?t agree with drive thru establishments on 30a but Hwy 98 is a US HWY and it is not that scenic at the moment. It hard for me to believe you prefer run down antiquated or abandoned buildings along the road rather than proper development. Would a drive thru pharmacy on 98 be the worst thing in the world? Would a few fast food chains destroy the appearance of a four-lane highway where people are often traveling at 60+mph? Pier Park has proved to be a success and it is not ugly. It has brought many jobs and visitors to an area that was pretty much abandoned 10 years ago. People that live in South Walton often travel to Destin or Panama City for shopping and convenience. Does it make sense to send tax revenue to other counties? I own several of the old buildings on 98 and when I purchased the property it was a basic dump. I would have like to do more to improve the property but current Scenic Highway regulations, impact fees, etc. have made it cost prohibitive. I encourage responsible development and feel our area will benefit tremendously from the proposed changes. South Walton?s Hwy 98 is a unique strip of highway and a majority of the property is state forest so the only opportunity for development is between 30a west and 331, the Peach Creek area and Watersound North to Inlet beach. 2 of those properties are owned by St.Joe and everyone has been pretty pleased with their developments. The remaining property is pretty much locally owned and could use some upgrades (my property included).

Frankly, my preference would be to tear down or restore the old buildings and plant more trees. I like the fact that we do not have a drive-in pharmacy...fast food establishments, or anything else on Highway 98.

Pier Park may be nice, but I have not seen any drive through fast food places there or any pharmacy either for that matter. The rest of Back Beach Road where the drive throughs, big box stores like Lowes' and Home Depot, and all the other little businesses is not nearly as pleasant a drive as Highway 98 in East S. Walton is. And with all those businesses comes more intersections, more traffic signals, so no longer would one be able to drive 60 mph.

I realize that mine may be a minority opinion and my preferences are not likely to be accepted, but I would love it if the entire drive was like the portion from Inlet Beach to 331...almost empty, just the open sky and beautiful pine trees and a few cypress swamps...

could you maybe open a Tree Farm on your property?;-)

I tried a community garden years ago but, everyone was busy developing 30a and did not have time. I would be open to it again if there was interest.

You may not notice all the drive thrus east and west of Pier Park because they are all behind a line of trees due to responsible growth but I can assure you they are there.

The one thing that does save South Walton Hwy 98 is most of the property was/is Preservation 2000 land. Unfortunately, last year the state started to sell off some of those parcels such the property between Cano Square and The Community Church. The loss of that protected land will cause more damage to 98 and the trees than a drive thru.

As for tearing down the old buildings it is just not cost effective unless tenants are secured and the only tenants interested are the national chains.

Have a wonderful day!

Don't drive-thrus result in less business for places like pharmacies? Like pay at the pump reduces profit for gas stations?

I thought that was why places like Walgreens & CVS put the pharmacy at the back - so you had to walk through the store full of "impulse item" displays to get to it.

30A only drive through

The only drive thru on 30A is closed. I not saying they closed down because of the drive thru. But, the building and the drive thru is still there and is still looking for a tenant.

I would not want to see a drive thru on 30A.

I tried a community garden years ago but, everyone was busy developing 30a and did not have time. I would be open to it again if there was interest.

You may not notice all the drive thrus east and west of Pier Park because they are all behind a line of trees due to responsible growth but I can assure you they are there.

The one thing that does save South Walton Hwy 98 is most of the property was/is Preservation 2000 land. Unfortunately, last year the state started to sell off some of those parcels such the property between Cano Square and The Community Church. The loss of that protected land will cause more damage to 98 and the trees than a drive thru.

As for tearing down the old buildings it is just not cost effective unless tenants are secured and the only tenants interested are the national chains.

Have a wonderful day!

I did not know about the community garden attempt. I think it might be a good idea to try again...I have been growing quite a lot in containers, but there are some of us who might be interested.

I have worked with a national group that helps communities across the country establish community gardens...they are a great idea and some of the best are right in the middle of New York City. I wonder how the idea would go over here. I think it might.

I agree that losing the Preservation Land is damaging...I don't understand why that decision was made either. I would prefer to support the local restaurants that we have rather than have the chains that are everywhere come in here.

With the out of control development and short term thinking, we are "not so slowly" destroying what makes us special and it is sad.

A little off topic, but DeFuniak is working on a community garden right now.

great, where is it and who can participate?

I love the idea! Seaside school has one.

Although I would probably get run out of the "community" because my brown thumb kilt the community's garden!

I agree that losing the Preservation Land is damaging...I don't understand why that decision was made either

Those are so-called "out parcels" slated for disposition as part of the ongoing acquisition and disposition of the state forest. They are either isolated ten acre parcels difficult to manage or connected to other disconnected parcels, etc.
Originally the plan, dating back to the Trust days in the 90's, was to fill in gaps through acquisition to end up with a unified forest and a green corridor from the bay to the beach, and to dispose of the isolated parcels that came with the whole package. I'm not sure if acquisition is still ongoing - a lot of opportunities to acquire were lost through development and the whole plan has undergone a lot of revision over the years.