30-a beach looks like tent city

Over 30 of those tent things along with other crap left on SGB this evening. It really is pretty crappy looking. Ya know, I like to believe that peeps that come here for vacation really want to preserve this special place. I find it hard to believe that all of the rental places actually inform all of the renters that there are rules concerning the leaving of junk of the beach or the rules of the multi use path. Maybe a campaign aimed at more information at the point of the lease would be helpful.

If they were going to do anything they would have done it already. All they are making the county do is write a plan that is going to make it even harder for those that are not breaking the rules to enjoy the beach.

'They' who? I am not following.
I guess I don't understand why some of us are so content to let the major revenue generating asset this county enjoys go to crapola. Perhaps those who want an easy beach experience (defined, I guess as the ability to leave a bunch of junk all over the place for days at a time, consequences be damned) would, and should be welcome in Bay, Okaloosa or Santa Rosa. Let them go. And I might suggest 'private property owners':roll: who let 'their' :roll::roll::roll:beach go to crap ought to think about swapping that beachfront condo for a nice mobile home in a locale where such behavior is tolerated.

Why are you so bitter? Your post is mean spirited, imo.

Come on Miss Kitty, you didn't expect anything more did you???

I think it would be interesting if one of the local papers would do a "Person on the Beach" type interview with people to see exactly what the thinking is with these "funeral tents" on the beach; why do they bring then in the first place--I have enjoyed this beach all my life and it has never occurred to me to bring a tent to the beach--and why do they feel as though they have the right to leave them up?

Is there anywhere else in the world that this behavior is tolerated?

Maybe there is, and this is what causes it to continue here? I don't know--I have not seen it on other beaches....I think it would make an interesting news story.

Hmmm...this statement is very telling. What about YOUR personal responsibility to be a good steward of the "beach you own"? Hasn't that eroded?

The Lord Giveth and Taketh Away - it is a natural process. I watch the process daily and was aware of the process when we decided to buy and build.

Huh? The Lord has taken away your personal responsibility? Your response eroded into a riddle. If you could, please answer my original question (above).

Come on Miss Kitty, you didn't expect anything more did you???

My hope was springing eternal. ;-)

I think it would be interesting if one of the local papers would do a "Person on the Beach" type interview with people to see exactly what the thinking is with these "funeral tents" on the beach; why do they bring then in the first place--I have enjoyed this beach all my life and it has never occurred to me to bring a tent to the beach--and why do they feel as though they have the right to leave them up?

Is there anywhere else in the world that this behavior is tolerated?

Maybe there is, and this is what causes it to continue here? I don't know--I have not seen it on other beaches....I think it would make an interesting news story.

Funeral tents...very appropriate term. They bring death to turtles and beauty. I must agree that I had never seen these tents until the last few years.

Most of you know my habit of checking the BMVillas webcam in the morning and evening. This morning I saw two of these funeral tents...one red, one blue. :angry:

I think it would be interesting if one of the local papers would do a "Person on the Beach" type interview with people to see exactly what the thinking is with these "funeral tents" on the beach; why do they bring then in the first place--I have enjoyed this beach all my life and it has never occurred to me to bring a tent to the beach--and why do they feel as though they have the right to leave them up?

Is there anywhere else in the world that this behavior is tolerated?

Maybe there is, and this is what causes it to continue here? I don't know--I have not seen it on other beaches....I think it would make an interesting news story.

we spent a day in wrightsville beach/wilmington NC a few weekends ago. i took some photos of the beach, i saw 2 tents. that's it. i thought, if this were sowal, this beach would be covered in tents. i'll post photos.
i also spent a day in nags head, NC a couple of weekends ago and i did not see a single tent. not one.



wrightsville beach (one tent lower left hand corner)


wrightsville beach (one tent lower left hand corner)


it was a beautiful day, so the beach was crowded.

edit there may be another blue one in the 2nd photo, but still 3's not too bad for that amount of people.

I use a big ol' umbrella, not a tent. Found it on the side of the road and it's perfect for the beach. (We call that a find.) I did have friends join me one year and they brought a tent. They wanted me to help put it up, but I'm too short and couldn't reach the top! Almost couldn't get it up! I have to say, in August, it's nice.....but, it does require responsibility. I always coach my guests on lights on the beach as well, etc.....

One midnight stroll with no moonlight, I tripped over some beach chairs, dinged up my ankle. Then, I got the giggles! Go figure~~~~~~~~

Maybe they got the fugly tent idea from WalMart!

Huh? The Lord has taken away your personal responsibility? Your response eroded into a riddle. If you could, please answer my original question (above).




My hope was springing eternal. ;-)

Maybe I misunderstood your reference to "eroded". My take was that you were referring to beach erosion and my personal responsibility to restore my property after those events. My "riddle" clearly represents the natural process that occurs along the coast line as wave actions react with the land. Those actions transform the contour of the shoreline daily.

I have no "artifical" barriers that attempt to stop or slow that process (seawall, geo tubes, etc). I accept the actions as natural and recurring.

I have a responsibility to be a good steward of the land as everyone does. I rate my performance heads and shoulders above those who daily utilize and abuse my backyard uninvited and make futile attempts to interfear with the natural order of nature.

Maybe I misunderstood your reference to "eroded". My take was that you were referring to beach erosion and my personal responsibility to restore my property after those events. My "riddle" clearly represents the natural process that occurs along the coast line as wave actions react with the land. Those actions transform the contour of the shoreline daily.

I have no "artifical" barriers that attempt to stop or slow that process (seawall, geo tubes, etc). I accept the actions as natural and recurring.

I have a responsibility to be a good steward of the land as everyone does. I rate my performance heads and shoulders above those who daily utilize and abuse my backyard everyday uninvited and make futile attempts to interfear with the natural order of nature.

Accepting the premise that the beach is your back yard, the interlopers are actually invited (you know, THE Beach, TDC, striking a deal with Southwest Airlines or online lures like this one Edgewater Condo Destin Florida - Destin Condo Rentals ).

What natural order of nature are you talking about?

Accepting the premise that the beach is your back yard, the interlopers are actually invited (you know, THE Beach, TDC, striking a deal with Southwest Airlines or online lures like this one Edgewater Condo Destin Florida - Destin Condo Rentals ).

What natural order of nature are you talking about?

I invited no one - do not rent my property, do not pay "Bed Taxes" and do not believe that the TDC has the authority to invite people onto my property. They promote tourism not issue "invitations" to tresspass.

I have not hired Edgewater as my advertising agency, but give them the right to advertise their rental units as long as they do not advertise that they have control over who is invited onto my property.

Erosion of the shoreline

What exactly does a code enforcement person do to earn $50K a year? Isn't that a higher salary than our sheriff's dept and teachers start at?

Bidding war - I'll ride around all day in a souped up John Deere or tricked out pick-up for 49K a year!

I'm still curious as to why this Meadows has hired a criminal defense atty.?

What exactly does a code enforcement person do to earn $50K a year? Isn't that a higher salary than our sheriff's dept and teachers start at?

Bidding war - I'll ride around all day in a souped up John Deere or tricked out pick-up for 49K a year!

I can see that being a fairly skilled job. In order to do its job properly, the department needs to have experts in general construction, electrical work, plumbing, roofing, etc. in addition to the usual signs removal sweepers. It can also be a dangerous job, both from the structures you're being asked to evaluate and the people who have something that they don't want you to find when you're poking around. There are places in the state where code enforcement workers actually do end up being sworn law enforcement.

I didn't think code enforcement did any structural/electrical inspections - thought that was the building department?

The reason I ask is that we are proposing to pay someone $50K a year to be a "beach ambassador" - a rather cushy job of handing out pamphlets and riding about on an ATV.

I didn't think code enforcement did any structural/electrical inspections - thought that was the building department?

The reason I ask is that we are proposing to pay someone $50K a year to be a "beach ambassador" - a rather cushy job of handing out pamphlets and riding about on an ATV.

TDC employee's are to be the ambassadors and will tag items. Code enforcement will pick up the "abandoned items".

SB you are right we have building inspectors with the building dept that make those inspections not CE.

Is there anywhere else in the world that this behavior is tolerated?

No where and I have been to beaches all over the Country. Never saw these tents before in my life prior to Sowal.

we spent a day in wrightsville beach/wilmington NC a few weekends ago. i took some photos of the beach, i saw 2 tents. that's it. i thought, if this were sowal, this beach would be covered in tents. i'll post photos.
i also spent a day in nags head, NC a couple of weekends ago and i did not see a single tent. not one.

Thank you.

We vacation oceanfront every summer at the Jersey Shore on a barrier Island called Long Beach Island. People own the dunes, but no structures are allowed onto the beach, like stairs; they fine for large holes because they are unsafe (yes, lifeguards will give a warning), and everything is off the beach at night. I can't tell you how nice it is to sit at sundown and watch the sunset and be able to see the coast from North to South without tentominiums; how nice it is to walk on the beach in the morning without crap all over it. We pay bed tax as well, but maybe when they start charging to be at the beach, like LBI does to maintain the beaches, they will take notice when it hits their pocketbooks. Why should we pay more in real estate taxes for enforcement? What about the people who have second homes or primary residents who are respectful of the beach? The people who rent and make their best efforts from afar to educate? That ires me to no end if they add a RE tax surcharge. :angry:

No where and I have been to beaches all over the Country. Never saw these tents before in my life prior to Sowal.

Thank you.

We vacation oceanfront every summer at the Jersey Shore on a barrier Island called Long Beach Island. People own the dunes, but no structures are allowed onto the beach, like stairs; they fine for large holes because they are unsafe (yes, lifeguards will give a warning), and everything is off the beach at night. I can't tell you how nice it is to sit at sundown and watch the sunset and be able to see the coast from North to South without tentominiums; how nice it is to walk on the beach in the morning without crap all over it. We pay bed tax as well, but maybe when they start charging to be at the beach, like LBI does to maintain the beaches, they will take notice when it hits their pocketbooks. Why should we pay more in real estate taxes for enforcement? What about the people who have second homes or primary residents who are respectful of the beach? The people who rent and make their best efforts from afar to educate? That ires me to no end if they add a RE tax surcharge. :angry:

This also brings up once again, the question I keep asking: why is Walton County re-inventing the wheel? There are communities all over the world...and especially in Florida with our miles and miles of coastline...that have worked out these problems, just as they have worked out recycling, and a host of other things...why can't the Walton County leadership model our situations after ones that have been in place for a long time?

I simply can not believe we are that different so that we have to start and re-start plans for solutions to these issues. It is frustrating!

This also brings up once again, the question I keep asking: why is Walton County re-inventing the wheel? There are communities all over the world...and especially in Florida with our miles and miles of coastline...that have worked out these problems, just as they have worked out recycling, and a host of other things...why can't the Walton County leadership model our situations after ones that have been in place for a long time?

I simply can not believe we are that different so that we have to start and re-start plans for solutions to these issues. It is frustrating!

Because we don't have a county attorney, because the commissioners don't want someone telling them that catering to the whim of every property owner who votes/makes a campaign contribution is not legal, and so they react to every situation instead of actually planning and being proactive?

No where and I have been to beaches all over the Country. Never saw these tents before in my life prior to Sowal.

Thank you.

We vacation oceanfront every summer at the Jersey Shore on a barrier Island called Long Beach Island. People own the dunes, but no structures are allowed onto the beach, like stairs; they fine for large holes because they are unsafe (yes, lifeguards will give a warning), and everything is off the beach at night. I can't tell you how nice it is to sit at sundown and watch the sunset and be able to see the coast from North to South without tentominiums; how nice it is to walk on the beach in the morning without crap all over it. We pay bed tax as well, but maybe when they start charging to be at the beach, like LBI does to maintain the beaches, they will take notice when it hits their pocketbooks. Why should we pay more in real estate taxes for enforcement? What about the people who have second homes or primary residents who are respectful of the beach? The people who rent and make their best efforts from afar to educate? That ires me to no end if they add a RE tax surcharge. :angry:

the revenue from the required beach badges also go towards paying lifeguards and beach cleanup. Even owners/residents are required to present them on checks and you know they really do check!

the revenue from the required beach badges also go towards paying lifeguards and beach cleanup. Even owners/residents are required to present them on checks and you know they really do check!

Indeed they do check and diligently. I keep my badge on my beach bag so they can see it clearly and they don't wake me up. ;-)
The jobs are given to students who come back every year or summer there. They have a good time doing it, too. They get to walk the beach and socialize at the lifeguards stations in the evenings. They even have a lifeguard station where the guards are housed in the summer. I think the kids are offered incentives as well to collect revenue.

yes. and I remember distincting recommending that we use college students as Beach Ambassadors, much like other places; the example I used was the program New Orleans had with wonderful young people handing out discount tickets, giving directions, acting as a welcoming committee to the city., and educating tourists about the safety issues, the "rules" if you will; ...but, instead we are proposing some combination of $50K/yr code enforcers, TDC beach patrol, and a $12,000 vehicle!

I am sorry to be complaining, but really, people does this make sense? And if we are afraid of being sued; then hire an attorney and do the right thing the first time.

Rant Off.

Not bitter at all just old and tired of the continual onslaught and erosion of personal responsibility to be replace by poorly conceived and administered attempts to legislate behavior.

Mean spirited - - no just realistic concerning Barney, Goober and Gomer.

Hmmm...this statement is very telling. What about YOUR personal responsibility to be a good steward of the "beach you own"? Hasn't that eroded?

The Lord Giveth and Taketh Away - it is a natural process. I watch the process daily and was aware of the process when we decided to buy and build.

Maybe I misunderstood your reference to "eroded". My take was that you were referring to beach erosion and my personal responsibility to restore my property after those events. My "riddle" clearly represents the natural process that occurs along the coast line as wave actions react with the land. Those actions transform the contour of the shoreline daily.

I have no "artifical" barriers that attempt to stop or slow that process (seawall, geo tubes, etc). I accept the actions as natural and recurring.

I have a responsibility to be a good steward of the land as everyone does. I rate my performance heads and shoulders above those who daily utilize and abuse my backyard uninvited and make futile attempts to interfear with the natural order of nature.

FTLOC, IG. Please stay on track here. Where did I refer to artificial barriers or beach erosion????? :roll:

You spoke of the erosion of personal responsibility. I asked about YOUR personal responsibility to be a good steward of the beach you "own". IMO, if you are leaving a volleyball net up or leaving other items everyday, that interferes with being a good steward of the beach. I would most definitely expect someone who "owns" the beach to be a better steward than a visitor.

I have no volleyball net on my property - just 2 adirondak chairs and in my opinion that is responsible ownership. Your opinion may differ and that is your right.

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Indeed they do check and diligently. I keep my badge on my beach bag so they can see it clearly and they don't wake me up. ;-)
The jobs are given to students who come back every year or summer there. They have a good time doing it, too. They get to walk the beach and socialize at the lifeguards stations in the evenings. They even have a lifeguard station where the guards are housed in the summer. I think the kids are offered incentives as well to collect revenue.

What is a beach badge?

Thanks
G