Hampton Inn Seagrove Beach on Chateau Hotel Property

That being said, stricter controls on what a developer can and can't do...not sure if you can use land/dune protection or incorporate as a town with restrictions. Anyone with any knowledge of any of this, please chime in.

The traffic will come to a standstill soon. The "buy out" scheme currently in place with the planning department is a disgrace. In my opinion, someone has to bring this situation to the attention of state officials. I have always thought the Department of Community Affairs was in place to control unbridled development in the various counties in the state. The traffic crisis seems way beyond the property rights of a handful of greedy developers. I guess nobody can do a thing about it at the county level and nobody cares at the state level.

Honestly, there are so many owners with deep pockets that are not primary residents who wish to preserve the integrity of the beaches, dunes and other natural areas surrounding 30-A.
We can complain all we like on these threads, but until we take action (beyond a well-intentioned petition), nothing is going to happen.
We have a great deal of national treasure at stake.

Forgive me for ranting. I pigged on Bruno's buffet today, and as I was walking out, heard a guy complaining about Prominence traffic, or some such. They've started construction North of 30-A. One house is up, another acre plowed and leveled.
Don't shoot the witness.

I gather you are new to Sowal. Ranting is what we do best.

I've been reading the ranting for years, heh heh. It can get very negative...

I appreciate the views expressed in this forum. It is a good old fashioned chat and chew, representing many of The passionate dwellers (whether full or part time) of South Walton County.

I have always thought the Department of Community Affairs was in place to control unbridled development in the various counties in the state.

Used to be; got gutted about a year into Scott's first term in the name of 'better economic development'.

I don't believe the elected officials have much influence on planning and zoning. These positions are salaried or appointed, and I've been told that the developers have a stranglehold on the process. The BCC has tried get better planning ordinances put in place, but the powers that be have their people in place in both the planning department and the planning commission. And so the system is slanted towards unbridled overdevelopment.

Who are the developers ("the powers that be") on the planning and zoning committees/departments? Who appoints them/hires them? How can we change the hiring process and the zoning ordinances? Besides putting out the "fire" of the Hampton Inn with our emails, petition, meeting attendance, etc., what can we as individuals do to make sure development is supported by infrastructure? Specifically, the intersection of 30A and 395 cannot handle the volume of traffic it receives now.

I don't believe the elected officials have much influence on planning and zoning. These positions are salaried or appointed, and I've been told that the developers have a stranglehold on the process. The BCC has tried get better planning ordinances put in place, but the powers that be have their people in place in both the planning department and the planning commission. And so the system is slanted towards unbridled overdevelopment.

With all due respect Lake View, I disagree. The BCC has a long history of favoring development over conservation and sensible planning, going all the way back to the 80's. Walton County was the last county in the state to pass a Comprehensive Plan that complied with state law, and only after the state stepped in with a million dollars and created the Trust that drew up the idealistic but flawed Comp Plan. I agree with you that the system is slanted, but it's top down, not the other way around. The changes made over the years have mostly served to make it easier to develop, and the BCC voted on them all.

What I stated a few posts back was the reply I got when I asked a commissioner, directly, what can we do about fixing the zoning problem. She said they are constantly threatened by lawsuits, and any attempts at reform of the zoning ordinances are stifled by planning department and planning commission. These aren't elected positions, so I can't see an easy solution. Right minded people can attempt to get positions on planning department and planning commission, but that process is probably arduous, at best.

I'd like to ask Glambo what he or she believes to be a viable plan for traffic management. This is the major looming crisis.

I think it's a little late for any complaining. They could just as easily build several large homes that sleep 15 or more. Does it fit in with appearance? Probably! Will it bring in unwanted elements? I can only imagine those rooms won't be cheap so it's not like they would be setting up a homeless encampment.


The real issue is traffic. We are at a point where the building isn't going to stop. We should be actively working on 30A traffic on a broad scale. Off site resort parking with shuttles during the busy seasons, Non-stop shuttles running up and down 30A, golf cart lanes.
Shuttles work at Disney, work great on St. Thomas Island and were inexpensive to ride so I don't think it would be hard for the county to find an eco friendly way to move people and goods to their destination. If you give people a good alternative they will surely follow!

Used to be; got gutted about a year into Scott's first term in the name of 'better economic development'.

534 posts before we blamed Rick Scott. Somebody is slipping!

534 posts before we blamed Rick Scott. Somebody is slipping!

was that an incorrect statement. I believe that fits what Gov Scott's mantra has been.

I think it's a little late for any complaining. They couple just as easily build several large homes that sleep 15 or more. Does it fit in with appearance? Probably! Will it bring in unwanted elements? I can only imagine those rooms won't be cheap so it's not like they would be setting up a homeless encampment.


The real issue is traffic. We are at a point where the building isn't going to stop. We should be actively working on 30A traffic on a broad scale. Off site resort parking with shuttles during the busy seasons, Non-stop shuttles running up and down 30A, golf cart lanes.
Shuttles work at Disney, work great on St. Thomas Island and were inexpensive to ride so I don't think it would be hard for the county to find an eco friendly way to move people and goods to their destination. If you give people a good alternative they will surely follow!

I would be interested in who will be paying for these ideas? Public / Private partnership, public only, private only, or we going to change the law on what TDC money can be used for? Where are you proposing a golf cart path?

I think talk about shuttles and trolleys is highly unrealistic. I think more connectors roads are a necessity. I can't fathom why a road can't be built just east of Eastern Lake. One solitary road can't possibly upset the ecosystem any more than the massive amounts of cars that try to get onto 30-A right now.

I agree LVT. It seems that thought was brought up a few years ago and boy it went over like someone was throwing rocks at houses.

What I stated a few posts back was the reply I got when I asked a commissioner, directly, what can we do about fixing the zoning problem. She said they are constantly threatened by lawsuits, and any attempts at reform of the zoning ordinances are stifled by planning department and planning commission. These aren't elected positions, so I can't see an easy solution. Right minded people can attempt to get positions on planning department and planning commission, but that process is probably arduous, at best.

I'd like to ask Glambo what he or she believes to be a viable plan for traffic management. This is the major looming crisis.

Roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular as solutions to high density intersections. Here is an interesting summary of a roundabout project in Woodinville, Washington in a heavy tourist area that sounds similar to the intersection of 395 and 30-A. http://www.awcnet.org/Apps/ma/projects/2011Woodinville2.pdf

I like roundabouts. Once you get used to them, they're safer than stop signs, and make a lot more sense and have easier rules than the three fingers lifted off the steering wheel 'no, you go next' you get at 2-4 way stop signs.

At our most heavily trafficked intersection, 30-A and 395, I just don't see how a roundabout would work,as long as the bike path is involved. The only way I could see a roundabout there is if the bike path was re-routed south of 30-A which has many property rights issues involved, or re-routed much further north to Grove Street or Forest. Then you still have to deal with the lack of right of way to build a large enough roundabout.

Roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular as solutions to high density intersections. Here is an interesting summary of a roundabout project in Woodinville, Washington in a heavy tourist area that sounds similar to the intersection of 395 and 30-A. http://www.awcnet.org/Apps/ma/projects/2011Woodinville2.pdf

That idea was proposed and thankfully wisdom prevailed (as of now) - I don't believe the idea is currently being considered. The intersection is just too small for a functioning roundabout.

If you use the search engine on this website, you can find lots of past discussion of the roundabout proposal.

I have seen a lot of folks use the round a bout at the court house in the Southend....it is sometime just to funny. Good thing there is only light traffic there.

I am curious. Have the area environmentalists weighed in on all of this? Are they attending meetings? It seems to me that incresing construction and land development, vehicle emitted smog (or any other), garbage, over-use of land and ocean (increased foot traffic, fishing, etc, WILL upset 30A's fragile eco system, not to mention quality of human life. I know many who come to 30A to heal, rejuvinate and enjoy nature.

Anyone who thinks roundabouts are a good idea should go over to Pier Park and watch people attempt to navigate their roundabouts. Noone has a clue how to drive in them.

Anyone who thinks roundabouts are a good idea should go over to Pier Park and watch people attempt to navigate their roundabouts. Noone has a clue how to drive in them.

Roundabouts have to be large to become a circular flow of yielding instead of a wheel of confusion.