County removing articles from beach?

It really is a different subject, but that is not the complete story. The road way (used to be a narrow jeep trail) was used for forty+ years by the public, so the public still has some rights to use the property, even though it is deeded. Eminent Domain was missed at the time of "taking," many, many years ago, and as I understand it, any money paid for the taking would have had to been paid to the owners at the time of the taking, and at the valuation of the property at the time of the taking, not present day valuation nor to present day owners.

What is so hard with this concept? You can not have a different standard for the beach than you do the rest of the county. If I leave something outside in the woods I own after dark, it is not abandoned. My woods, my land, I can leave stuff out overnight if I want too. The same rules apply for the beach if I own it.

On the contrary, there are inherently different property maitenance standards for urban and rural areas or areas having different kinds of zoning in much of the country. It's very unlikely that anyone's going to complain if you don't mow your lawn out in farm areas, but many cities and towns have rules about how tall grass is allowed to be inside their municipal limits, and will issue code enforcement notices and even enter your property to mow (and bill you for it) if the grass gets too tall. Or a city can dictate 'no farm animals/chicken coops' in residential areas and take legal actions against anyone who violates (see the saga involving a former FWB city councilman, his chickens, and the wandering peacock) and even seize the chickens if the coop is not removed.

The city/local unit of government can also dictate your landscaping in the name of public safety. My area has some baby canopy roads, and there have been several discussions with the local fire department because Florida law apparently says the young live oaks have to be trimmed in such a way that full height emergency vehicles can easily pass under the branches.

Figures

This is what happens when attorney's get involved in anything. Im on this beach daily. I see whats left on this beach daily. Many folks arent looking at the real problem. Its not just selfish people staking out their place for the entire time there here, its a projectile in high winds and it even sometimes ends up in the woods, the lake or even in the gulf. The fact is, the locals that are on grayon beach on a regular basis are going to take matters into their own hands and so be it. And ill be one of those locals that takes matters into my own hands. If the government wants to ignore the local residents and listen more to the few tourist complaints than its the locals that will have to get that message across-period!

Yeah, we have a sign ordinance that seems to pertain to businesses in South Walton, pick your stuff up from the beach or have it confiscated. Also, it would be great if an area around fire hydrants would be cut back so that those it who those BIG HOSES to them could get them.

By the way, I need a new beach chair and umbrella, if anyone knows where I can get one.

I can pick you up one tonight. Would you prefer Corona or Heinken?

Methinks there will be a sudden increase in items left close enough to the public walkovers to get picked up by the TDC. ;-)

And I'll be getting more exercise.

under cover of darkness, tents go a-walkin' & chairs find new homes. once the word gets around, people just might not leave their stuff. y'all be careful out there in the dark.

By the way, I need a new beach chair and umbrella, if anyone knows where I can get one.

dooode...sweeeeet stuff at Ed Walline.....we might fight I've been eyein the stuff daily!!!!

A lott in the woods generates the same amount of revenue per 100,000 in value as a lot on the beach.

Revenue generated on a parcel of land is not germaine to the discussion, surely you don't think that property rights are determined by the revenue strean associated with the parcel.

That would definitely be a strange system of government. Pay less and have fewer protection under the law just doesn't seem fair.

I meant to ask how many tourist dollars are spent in Walton County as a result of people coming here to enjoy the wooded lot? Has the economy of Walton County historically been based on people coming to hang out on your wooded lot? No? To me, that is the obvious problem with your apples and oranges comparison.

Hey, having a yard sale on a bunch of used beach chairs, umbrellas and lots of other stuff. Yeah yeah thats the ticket.

It does say something about our community that stuff left on the beach has even become an issue. In many other parts of the country (south florida comes to mind) and indeed the rest of the world, your stuff may very well disappear before the sun goes down. In fact, it might even disappear while you are frolicking in the waves.
Ironic, is what I think.

Yes NDY it is interesting that the rule of law still means something in WC as we see and hear about theft in many areas around us. I am glad to see that someone understands that removing items from private property without the owners permission or due process is a crime that is commonly referred to as "stealing" and that our elected officials do not condon that or instruct its empoyee's to commit a felony.

I am glad to see that someone understands that removing items from private property without the owners permission or due process is a crime that is commonly referred to as "stealing" and that our elected officials do not condon that or instruct its empoyee's to commit a felony.

Interested Girl, I hope you did not misinterpret my post. It happens that I think, as I believe I have made clear in previous posts, that the county is well within its rights to remove items left on the beach at night. I do not believe the so-called "owners" of the beach have the same bundle of rights that applies to other types of property.

Thankfully the Counties legal council understands the law. They reject your opinion.

interested girl, what do you say about an impounding of the items, like the govt does for cars on the side of the road, left for an extended period of time? If the item isn't claimed and impound fee/storage fee not paid, it goes up for auction to the highest (yet often very low) bidder.

By the way, if the County's legal council understood the law, the County wouldn't be trying to pass an unConstitutional Noise Ordinance. Understanding law has nothing to do with this.

No, they don't reject our opinion - they are just in full on CYA mode because all the buttheads are lawyering up!

Pick up your crap off the beach - or it just might disappear!

We do tend to get some unexpected sudden gusts of wind at night. I've collected chairs and umbrellas from Western Lake and the Gulf, and found other partially buried canopies, which I couldn't remove because they were under too much sand and water. Two weeks ago, I saw one of those big beach umbrellas, with the wooden spike post, go tumbling down the beach, outpacing the beach chair guys in pursuit. If it had hit someone with that spike, it would have gone straight through the person. Don't leave your tents, umbrellas and chairs unattended. If you do go inside for lunch, fold down your umbrella and tie it closed so that it doesn't become a hazard.

Full moon tide, not a storm.

Tents for Turtles!
Too much Lead Paint has been ingested in this Country!

interested girl, what do you say about an impounding of the items, like the govt does for cars on the side of the road, left for an extended period of time? If the item isn't claimed and impound fee/storage fee not paid, it goes up for auction to the highest (yet often very low) bidder.

By the way, if the County's legal council understood the law, the County wouldn't be trying to pass an unConstitutional Noise Ordinance. Understanding law has nothing to do with this.

I stated earlier that the current ordinance was flawed and part of the flaw is the procedure that was being followed. Items removed from both private and county owned property were being disposed of without the owner being able to retrieve items. E-mails records were filed for by hte plantif that showed horror stories of items such as Rolex watches hidden in coolers being thrown in the landfill. A tremndous amount of liability is involved with the enforcement process as implemented.

Vehicles left on right-of-way are impounded after being "tagged" and the time allowed for removal are not hauled directly to the landfill and that action only takes place on "public property".

I laugh at those who argue their position on issues by using the "wee bit different" viewpoint or the "butthead argument" for those that have the constitutional right to challenge the legality of an ordinance or how the "ordinance" is being enforced.

One should also note that the current poilicy does not prohibit the removal of items for safety reasons.

The county attorneys do not seem to mind writing ordinances that are overturned. They got paid for the original work and then they get paid for defending the flawed ordinance, and then the cycle starts over again. New ordinance - get paid again. Best of both worlds. The proposed Noise ordinance will also be challenged and the cycle continues.

We can't keep the beach clean because tourons hide a Rolex in a cooler and then leave it there so long it gets taken to the landfill and they whine - give me a freaking break! :roll:

Did anyone find the diamond necklaces I buried in the sand and want the county to be liable for? They were near a plastic shovel and a seashell if that helps.

No, they don't reject our opinion - they are just in full on CYA mode because all the buttheads are lawyering up!

Pick up your crap off the beach - or it just might disappear!

NO SB44 they understand the problems with the ordinance after being sued and they understand the liability the ordinance creates for the county.

Please continue your vigilante actions and someone will show you the inside of Walton Counties new jail. Theft is against the law.

"Rolex watches hidden in coolers being thrown in the landfill."

Interesterd girl...do you mean to tell us that some idiot left their watch in a cooler overnight? Sorry, I have no pity for those fools.

Next question for IG...do you think it would be okay for every beach goer to leave their crap on the beach for as long as they would like?

We can't keep the beach clean because tourons hide a Rolex in a cooler and then leave it there so long it gets taken to the landfill and they whine - give me a freaking break! :roll:

Did anyone find the diamond necklaces I buried in the sand and want the county to be liable for? They were near a plastic shovel and a seashell if that helps.

Sometimes those items have not been there as long as you believe. I never said it was smart to "hide a 10,000 watch in a cooler" but people do strange things at times.

DId the county remove your necklace from private property and throw it in the dump?

E-mails records were filed for by hte plantif that showed horror stories of items such as Rolex watches hidden in coolers being thrown in the landfill.

Oh, FTLOG, anyone who leaves a Rolex unattended on the beach is not going to get any sympathy from me. :roll: