I counted 6 big tents left on the beach tonight and 8 smaller umbrellas. I can't believe the county can allow this. This could start fights with first come first serve on public beaches. It means if others see this and can't get beach front seating due to other lazy people leaving there tents up for prime spots all will start doing it making it look like a trailor park. This is insane and the county must enforce the rules.I think we need to bombard the county with complaints.
Replies
209Beach FanaticAuthor
I was steaming tonight seeing all the tents left and almost confronted a few of the "tent people". I like some of the ideas above. i say we buy 1000 tents and line them up and down the beach and leave them there for the whole summer. Is it going to take 1000"s of tents destroying the beauty of our beachs to get the county's attention. The beach is not private property thus people have no right to leave there tents up.I pay big property taxes to live in paradise and its time for laws to be enforced.
SoWal Expert
Please don't suggest licensing to set up sun protection on the beach! Accountability is good, but licensing sucks. We have too many as it is. We already have problems enforcing the existing codes.
Beach Fanatic
I was steaming tonight seeing all the tents left and almost confronted a few of the "tent people". I like some of the ideas above. i say we buy 1000 tents and line them up and down the beach and leave them there for the whole summer. Is it going to take 1000"s of tents destroying the beauty of our beachs to get the county's attention. The beach is not private property thus people have no right to leave there tents up.I pay big property taxes to live in paradise and its time for laws to be enforced.
So those deeds that people are holding are meaningless? I did not realize that SCOTUS had made a decision yet.
SoWal Expert
wrobert, those deeds aren't meaningless, but deeds do not give full rights, and you should know that. If you don't know that, you should not be in government.
BTW, That is a nice sea turtle photo you have for you avatar, but with your other comments about eating sea turtles, you are not worthy of having that avatar.
BTW, That is a nice sea turtle photo you have for you avatar, but with your other comments about eating sea turtles, you are not worthy of having that avatar.
Beach Fanatic
Please don't suggest licensing to set up sun protection on the beach! Accountability is good, but licensing sucks. We have too many as it is. We already have problems enforcing the existing codes.We not only have problems enforcing existing codes, for the most part, we DON'T enforce them. A look at Blue Mountain Beach near Blue Mountain Villas this week will quickly confirm that fact. Everyone is right. Something needs to be done by the county and TDC.
Banned
Visitor Complaint
I am a visitor, who do I compalin to. :angry:
SHELLY is on to something. Back in my teaching days, our school had a broken heater. The teachers (wearing their coats, gloves and hats, along with the students) complained to the principal, who complained to the district. Nothing happened until we asked the parents to call and complain. Had heat the next day.
We need some visitors to get all grossed out and complain!
I am a visitor, who do I compalin to. :angry:
Beach Fanatic
I am a visitor, who do I compalin to. :angry:
The Walton County Tourist Development Council:
At the corner of US 98 and US 331, if you want to do it in person.
Website: Northwest Florida Beach Vacation Guide - Beaches of South Walton
Phone: (800) 822-6877
Meow
I am a visitor, who do I compalin to. :angry:
The Walton County Tourist Development Council:
At the corner of US 98 and US 331, if you want to do it in person.
Website: Northwest Florida Beach Vacation Guide - Beaches of South Walton
Phone: (800) 822-6877
...thank you, croixbum...you rock! Let us know the outcome! Come on visitors and lovers of the beaches of sowal...let them know how distasteful the crap left on the beach is to you!
Beach Comber
Will do
Beach Fanatic
Speaking of trash, I have picked up a few beer cans out in between the sandbars of late. It is a shame that people cannot agree on what I would think would be a common decency issue. Don't discard of trash in that manner.
Then again, I've also found a few sunglasses in that go for about $150 bucks, so I guess it is not all purposely set out into the water. But it is disgusting to see cigarettes, cigars and a host of other remnants left on the beaches.
But I just view it as 'people' and what happens when you have any number of people in any given area. It sinks to the lowest common denominator. The only reason we are not as bad as other beaches is because we don't have the numbers, as we would if highrises dotted our landscape.
I pick up trash, but like Shelly said, I wonder sometimes if it is worth it. I wish normal, everyday citizens who saw someone littering could site them and issue some sort of penalty.
Then again, I've also found a few sunglasses in that go for about $150 bucks, so I guess it is not all purposely set out into the water. But it is disgusting to see cigarettes, cigars and a host of other remnants left on the beaches.
But I just view it as 'people' and what happens when you have any number of people in any given area. It sinks to the lowest common denominator. The only reason we are not as bad as other beaches is because we don't have the numbers, as we would if highrises dotted our landscape.
I pick up trash, but like Shelly said, I wonder sometimes if it is worth it. I wish normal, everyday citizens who saw someone littering could site them and issue some sort of penalty.
Beach Fanatic
A ten cent deposit on beer and soda cans like Michigan has really does help with the abandoned can and bottle issue. Even if one person litters with those, it's enough for a scavenger to pick up for the dime refund.
Beach Fanatic
Will doYou might also send an email to the County Commissioners:
brascott@co.walton.fl.us
prikenneth@co.walton.fl.us
jonlarry@co.walton.fl.us
comsara@co.walton.fl.us
joncecilia@co.walton.fl.us
A letter to the editor to The Walton Sun and the DeFuniak Herald Breeze would also be helpful.
thanks for helping us keep trash off the beach!
Beach Fanatic
The Walton County Tourist Development Council:
At the corner of US 98 and US 331, if you want to do it in person.
Website: Northwest Florida Beach Vacation Guide - Beaches of South Walton
Phone: (800) 822-6877
You might also send an email to the County Commissioners:
brascott@co.walton.fl.us
prikenneth@co.walton.fl.us
jonlarry@co.walton.fl.us
comsara@co.walton.fl.us
joncecilia@co.walton.fl.us
A letter to the editor to The Walton Sun and the DeFuniak Herald Breeze would also be helpful.
thanks for helping us keep trash off the beach!
Send photos too... and folks who are out on the beach in the morning witnessing the mess, please keep posting/sharing your photos.
Beach Fanatic
A ten cent deposit on beer and soda cans like Michigan has really does help with the abandoned can and bottle issue. Even if one person litters with those, it's enough for a scavenger to pick up for the dime refund.
I wish they would bring that back. I made a lot of money growing up collecting bottles.
Beach Fanatic
At my summer job up there, we'd have a dedicated trash bag for refundables, and when it filled up, we'd cash it in and buy pizza for lunch or dinner. It was a bright spot on a job that ran 9am to 9pm on Monday-Friday plus mandatory weekend hours.
Skunky
SoWal Insider
Could we post these signs legally, like the yard sale signs in the medians?? I volunteer.
Beach Lover
Ray, my apologies for saying "Chill Out". I witnessed numerous tent frames left on the beach where we go at Eastern lake inlet for the last three weeks. I fear with the upcoming holiday, it will only get worse. We personally tote all our beach stuff in a Wonder Wheeler. I work hard to bring my stuff back and forth while few leave tent frames. My biggest problem is not the tents, discarded trash, or the concrete block I stumped my toe on in the inlet this morning but the County for failing to enforce a seemingly strict law. "Leave it or lose it" should be renamed to "Leave it and we will ignore it" Im tired of ignoring it. Who is with me, lets all get together and start piling up the tent frames on the county commissioners front lawn and then tell him to "Leave it or Lose it".
SoWal Insider
Would make a wonderful bumper sticker...my only recommendation would be to add a logo showing a colorful beach sunset with the silhouettes of a line of crappy broken-down tent frames.
Darlene is my middle name, not my nickname
Speaking of trash, I have picked up a few beer cans out in between the sandbars of late. It is a shame that people cannot agree on what I would think would be a common decency issue. Don't discard of trash in that manner.
Then again, I've also found a few sunglasses in that go for about $150 bucks, so I guess it is not all purposely set out into the water. But it is disgusting to see cigarettes, cigars and a host of other remnants left on the beaches.
But I just view it as 'people' and what happens when you have any number of people in any given area. It sinks to the lowest common denominator. The only reason we are not as bad as other beaches is because we don't have the numbers, as we would if highrises dotted our landscape.
I pick up trash, but like Shelly said, I wonder sometimes if it is worth it. I wish normal, everyday citizens who saw someone littering could site them and issue some sort of penalty.
Hey Otter, maybe he found yours?
Lost Ray Bans
Mike, thanks for cleaning up the trash that the trashy people leave!
Skunky
Would make a wonderful bumper sticker...my only recommendation would be to add a logo showing a colorful beach sunset with the silhouettes of a line of crappy broken-down tent frames.
Great minds must think alike.
What I am thinking about doing is spearheading a 'night out against crap' sunset party at Grayton soon. I think it would be nice to sell the stickers for a few bucks and donate the proceeds to Mary Brady to help with her legal fees.
Skunky
You could also try this group since they actively monitor County tax expenditures and would likely want to know about any possible revenue loss from upset visitors since the majority of tax revenues in Walton County are derived from the tourism industry.
WCTA Home Page
They have set up a free hotline 1-888-794-WCTA. It's for reporting waste, fraud or abuse of tax dollars, but this sounds like it could lead to lost tax dollars. Either way, This may mean less money in the coffers and they may want to take a position on it.
WCTA Home Page
They have set up a free hotline 1-888-794-WCTA. It's for reporting waste, fraud or abuse of tax dollars, but this sounds like it could lead to lost tax dollars. Either way, This may mean less money in the coffers and they may want to take a position on it.
Beach Fanatic
I've come to the conclusion that I'm not picking up any trash off the beach this summer--not a butt, not a Capri-Son package, not a hair scrunchie. I'm not going to go down for walks with trashbags; I'm not going to pick up the junk left over from the 4th of July and New Years fireworks displays; I'm not going to participate in any "beach cleaning" gatherings.
Since I've returned from my trip to UK, I went to the beach once and came away totally disgusted; I haven't walked along the beach since--it just isn't as pleasant as it used to be and has gotten worse with every passing year. First it was the trash; then it was the "overnight toys and stuff;" next came the tents; and this year's "junk of choice"....the inflatable kiddy pool! :shock:. WTF???
Maybe if the trash and junk piles up and the visitors start to complain, the officials will finally "get it" and do something about it--until then, my apologies to the turtles, I can only hope that we'll get a handle on this situation come nesting time next year.
*****************************************************************
Thanks for joining a cause Shelly. I made this same call on the thread about the lady being arrested on June 17. I stated then that I pick up several grocery bags per each of the four days per week that I walk beaches. It's only been 5 walking days since making that commitment, but that means 15 grocery bags of garbage are still on the beach or someone else has had to pick it up. I can honestly say that I've already noticed the difference on the two stretches of beach that I walk. There is more junk. I'm sorry, but I'm sticking to my guns on this. If people's private property includes their broken shovels and empty beer cans, then they can pick 'em up themselves.
Every day I walk, I do take a digital camera and I take photos of the tents and chairs. The pool across from Tom Thumb down on the West end is nearing 4 weeks and still sits there, waiting for an owner. TDC can't tag it and nobody can remove it. It may be there all summer. I'm surprised I haven't prompted someone to steal it yet. It's a beaut! 12 feet across and cup holders! No, I'm not advocating stealing. I am advocating removing abandoned property.
Oh, wait.....I get it. Maybe the owners are planning to return in August and their pool will still be there for them. How dumb of me not to think of that.
Edited
SoWal Insider
I've come to the conclusion that I'm not picking up any trash off the beach this summer--not a butt, not a Capri-Son package, not a hair scrunchie. I'm not going to go down for walks with trashbags; I'm not going to pick up the junk left over from the 4th of July and New Years fireworks displays; I'm not going to participate in any "beach cleaning" gatherings.
Since I've returned from my trip to UK, I went to the beach once and came away totally disgusted; I haven't walked along the beach since--it just isn't as pleasant as it used to be and has gotten worse with every passing year. First it was the trash; then it was the "overnight toys and stuff;" next came the tents; and this year's "junk of choice"....the inflatable kiddy pool! :shock:. WTF???
Maybe if the trash and junk piles up and the visitors start to complain, the officials will finally "get it" and do something about it--until then, my apologies to the turtles, I can only hope that we'll get a handle on this situation come nesting time next year.
*****************************************************************
Thanks for joining a cause Shelly. I made this same call on the thread about the lady being arrested on June 17. I stated then that I pick up several grocery bags per each of the four days per week that I walk beaches. It's only been 5 walking days since making that commitment, but that means 15 grocery bags of garbage are still on the beach or someone else has had to pick it up. I can honestly say that I've already noticed the difference on the two stretches of beach that I walk. There is more junk. I'm sorry, but I'm sticking to my guns on this. If people's private property includes their broken shovels and empty beer cans, then they can pick 'em up themselves.
Every day I walk, I do take a digital camera and I take photos of the tents and chairs. The pool across from Tom Thumb down on the West end is nearing 4 weeks and still sits there, waiting for an owner. TDC can't tag it and nobody can remove it. It may be there all summer. I'm surprised I haven't prompted someone to steal it yet. It's a beaut! 12 feet across and cup holders! No, I'm not advocating stealing. I am advocating removing abandoned property.
Oh, wait.....I get it. Maybe the owners are planning to return in August and their pool will still be there for them. How dumb of me not to think of that.
I just may come get it Ash. My dog needs a pool.
Beach Fanatic
[ waiting for an owner. TDC can't tag it and nobody can remove it. It may be there all summer. I'm surprised I haven't prompted someone to steal it yet. It's a beaut! 12 feet across and cup holders! No, I'm not advocating stealing. I am advocating removing abandoned property.
Oh, wait.....I get it. Maybe the owners are planning to return in August and their pool will still be there for them. How dumb of me not to think of that.
Now you are starting to understand. Make the beaches public then you can clean at will.
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