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justhavinfun

Beach Fanatic

Just Like the Olympics.. Let the Games Begin.....

TreeFrog

There have been some relatively new signs just west of the Ramsgate walkover for a couple of months. 

Word fail.

There have been some relatively new signs just west of the Ramsgate walkover for a couple of months. 
 
Word fail.

Teresa

SoWal Guide

Andy A

Teresa, ALL signage on the beach needs to be removed!  It is a disgrace to Walton County and a scar on our beautiful, pristine beaches.

Jill Tanner

They have to allow people to walk through. That sign needs to go. Right now.

jodiFL

That statute only applies to structures or conveyances. Has nothing to do with the public beach. They might should have researched the statutes before they printed up signs. As long as you arent on the walkover or their porch that one doesnt apply.

Matt J

SWGB

It's a newby that ordered a sign online.  Anyone can just uproot it and deposit it in the trash.  The TDC should anyway.

It&#039;s a newby that ordered a sign online.  Anyone can just uproot it and deposit it in the trash.  The TDC should anyway.

NotDeadYet

Not a newby. Anyone can look up the owners on the property appraiser's website and see that none of the seven lots on Deer Lake Beach Drive have changed hands lately. Those seven properties probably add up to about 690 front feet, so someone is speaking for the whole street. 
"No vehicular traffic." That's rich, tell it to the sheriff, the TDC, the lifeguards, the surveyors. Oh, wait, maybe it's the surveyors that upset them. You think?
Maybe the neighborhood is planning an opt out of the beach renourishment. Or maybe they are just jerks.

Not a newby. Anyone can look up the owners on the property appraiser&#039;s website and see that none of the seven lots on Deer Lake Beach Drive have changed hands lately. Those seven properties probably add up to about 690 front feet, so someone is speaking for the whole street. 
&quot;No vehicular traffic.&quot; That&#039;s rich, tell it to the sheriff, the TDC, the lifeguards, the surveyors. Oh, wait, maybe it&#039;s the surveyors that upset them. You think? 
Maybe the neighborhood is planning an opt out of the beach renourishment. Or maybe they are just jerks.

I'll go for the latter, although I tend toward profanity when provoked, and might refer to them as a two syllable (or is it hyphenated?) word meaning rear-facing bodily orifice.

I&#039;ll go for the latter, although I tend toward profanity when provoked, and might refer to them as a two syllable (or is it hyphenated?) word meaning rear-facing bodily orifice.

LOL, Tree Frog, we don't want you to get banned. (I believe it's two syllables, no hyphen.)

LOL, Tree Frog, we don&#039;t want you to get banned. (I believe it&#039;s two syllables, no hyphen.)

Jim Samshak

Beach Comber

Too many signs in south walton on and off the beach.

Beach Runner

beats on hood

Are they trying to keep people from Watersound West from setting up beach chairs in front of their property? Are they trying to keep people parked on Beachfront Trail from setting up beach chairs south of Beachfront Trail?

So are they still there?  Happy to go pull them out.

tsutcli

I can see both sides of the coin here.  We used to be beachfront homeowners and our deed said we owned the property to the Gulf, period.  We had absolutely no problem letting folks use our beach but we insisted they left it the way they found it but that wasn't the case.  They left huge holes, beach chairs and umbrella's were left behind in spite of our sign to take them up each night so we did dispose of them as our sign stated, tons of cigarette butt's were dumped on our sugar white sand, litter of every kind was found each morning and dog poop as well.  I could go on and on but you get the general idea.  And may I add that was more than 9 years ago when we were not getting the volume of people that are visiting us now.  I have seen the condition our visitors leave our beach and it's not pretty so my guess is these people are getting a jump on our upcoming tourist season.  However, the question of public verses private beach still has not been decided in the courts so those signs are not legal.  We have several in Seacrest but I can understand why but
 "two wrongs don't make a right" as Momma used to say!  What we do need is for Walton County to enforce our beach ordinance that has been on the books since 2003 and that way these homeowners wouldn't be so intent on protecting their piece of paradise.

I can see both sides of the coin here. We used to be beachfront homeowners and our deed said we owned the property to the Gulf, period. We had absolutely no problem letting folks use our beach but we insisted they left it the way they found it but that wasn&#039;t the case. They left huge holes, beach chairs and umbrella&#039;s were left behind in spite of our sign to take them up each night so we did dispose of them as our sign stated, tons of cigarette butt&#039;s were dumped on our sugar white sand, litter of every kind was found each morning and dog poop as well. I could go on and on but you get the general idea. And may I add that was more than 9 years ago when we were not getting the volume of people that are visiting us now. I have seen the condition our visitors leave our beach and it&#039;s not pretty so my guess is these people are getting a jump on our upcoming tourist season. However, the question of public verses private beach still has not been decided in the courts so those signs are not legal. We have several in Seacrest but I can understand why but 
 &quot;two wrongs don&#039;t make a right&quot; as Momma used to say! What we do need is for Walton County to enforce our beach ordinance that has been on the books since 2003 and that way these homeowners wouldn&#039;t be so intent on protecting their piece of paradise.

tsutcli, I wonder how many of these folks that post these signs are motivated by bring tired of cleaning up after inconsiderate vacationers versus how many of them are simply saying "this is mine and you can't use it"? 

Whoever made the original decision to let the property lines be at the wet sand instead of at the CCL made a huge misstep, IMHO.

tsutcli, I wonder how many of these folks that post these signs are motivated by bring tired of cleaning up after inconsiderate vacationers versus how many of them are simply saying &quot;this is mine and you can&#039;t use it&quot;? 
 
Whoever made the original decision to let the property lines be at the wet sand instead of at the CCL made a huge misstep, IMHO.

[quote="TreeFrog, post: 801176"]tsutcli, I wonder how many of these folks that post these signs are motivated by bring tired of cleaning up after inconsiderate vacationers versus how many of them are simply saying "this is mine and you can't use it"? 

Whoever made the original decision to let the property lines be at the wet sand instead of at the CCL made a huge misstep, IMHO.[/QUOTE]

Funny you should mention that.  The vast majority of wet sand property lines are borderline illegal and being investigated by the AG.  Property owners simply quit claim deeded that space to themselves.

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="TreeFrog">tsutcli, I wonder how many of these folks that post these signs are motivated by bring tired of cleaning up after inconsiderate vacationers versus how many of them are simply saying &quot;this is mine and you can&#039;t use it&quot;? 
 
Whoever made the original decision to let the property lines be at the wet sand instead of at the CCL made a huge misstep, IMHO.</blockquote> 
Funny you should mention that. The vast majority of wet sand property lines are borderline illegal and being investigated by the AG. Property owners simply quit claim deeded that space to themselves.

About that "wet sand" portion that is supposed to be public, that cannot be enforced either.  An attorney friend of mine mentioned that the water line changes EVERY single day so in order to enforce it they would need a legal survey daily.  I was told if I was ever stopped to request a survey and that would put an end to it immediately.  I have been walking our beaches here for 14 years, minimum 6 miles, summer and winter and I have never been stopped yet.  Better not be either because this is the defense I would use.

About that &quot;wet sand&quot; portion that is supposed to be public, that cannot be enforced either.  An attorney friend of mine mentioned that the water line changes EVERY single day so in order to enforce it they would need a legal survey daily.  I was told if I was ever stopped to request a survey and that would put an end to it immediately.  I have been walking our beaches here for 14 years, minimum 6 miles, summer and winter and I have never been stopped yet.  Better not be either because this is the defense I would use.

chanster

Banned

This correct. To be legal in a court of law the land would have to be surveyed daily to get a 100% legal property line. The beach is the only place were the legal property line changes daily. I guess one could hire a survey daily 365 days a yr.

tangonater

Beach Crab

I spent some time trying to research this a while back and I seem to recall the Sowal Sheriff permits an egress at either 10 or 20 feet landward from the "wet sand". Anybody else ever hear that?

I spent some time trying to research this a while back and I seem to recall the Sowal Sheriff permits an egress at either 10 or 20 feet landward from the &quot;wet sand&quot;. Anybody else ever hear that?

seanote

Beach Lover

[ATTACH]35170.vB[/ATTACH]Anyone know anything more about this??? No walking, vehicular traffic, or leisure activity to the waterline???????

The beginning of the end of the Seagrove I love.

<a href="https://sowal.com/forum/attachments/35170/"><img src="https://forum.sowal.com/data/attachments/9/9228-b31acea6f10967a20111f38beed1775e.jpg?hash=sxrOpvEJZ6" srcset="" alt="private beach sign.jpg" /></a>Anyone know anything more about this??? No walking, vehicular traffic, or leisure activity to the waterline??????? 
 
The beginning of the end of the Seagrove I love.

'Private Beach' sign in Seagrove

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'Private Beach' sign in Seagrove

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2026 SoWal Sea Turtle Nesting Season Wrapup

After Hurricane Isaias: Photos of South Walton Beaches

Cars of 30A At Alys Beach: Event Highlights & Photo Gallery

Sixth annual Run Watersound At Watersound Town Center October 24, 2026