Beach Vendor Zone posts

What is the purpose of the white posts stuck in the sand near the dunes that say Beach Vender Zone? I live in Seagrove and have noticed these things all up and down the beach--two rows of them. Makes our beaches look UN-approachable. Really...how tacky can the county get?

please please post a pic...worth a thousand words.....

Earlier today I spoke with Jeff of Beach Code Enforcement (thank you so much Steel1man for his contact info!). He is so super nice and working very hard to get the beach vendor issues resolved. Those posts were put up by Beach Enforcement to help lasso the vendors. They can only set up within in these areas, period. Just as expected, when we arrived back in Seagrove last week the problem with the beach chair vendors is worse than ever. They have taken up 4 deep all in front of One Seagrove, leaving a tiny space for the rest of us to the east of One Seagrove, followed by another beach vendor setup of about half dozen or so more beach chair sets. Then next to that are two side by side self-proclaimed private beaches with signs. We had family visit this week and we pretty much just set up chairs at the shoreline in feet of the private beach chairs (which by the way is a string of chairs, 90% empty from morning till evening) I specifically asked Jeff about this. He said that, by the end of this week, the vendors will be forced to take up no more than 50 % of a beach access area. He went on to say that even if One Seagrove gives the vendor permission to set up in front of their units, the beach belongs to the county and the vendors may ONLY take up 50% of that area. So by this Friday, in front of One Seagrove vendors should ONLY be taking up half of the area in front of One Seagrove. I asked about the the "private" beach frontage. He said if we are using roughly the southern 1/3 of the beach in front of a "private" beach, we are fine. He said a good rule of thumb is to look where the seaweed/grass line is and stay south of that. To get back to the posts that have shown up, that is the county's way of keeping the vendors where they belong. Sad that they have to resort to this, but hopefully it will help. If not a phone call to Jeff will! He is quick to respond. When I called him, he was on another call but without my even leaving a message, he expediently returned my call. I highly recommend others keep his phone number handy.

Thanks Luvthebeach, Very good information. Glad to hear that code enforcement is working through the issue.

May be wrong but pretty sure Bay County and PCB have a set back for vendors. I've heard it like 20'/30' set back, instead SOWAL beach vending ordinance says something like," set ups must be a reasonable distance from surf ". Reasonable Distance is a Cop-Out by county ..... make it 20' and then enforce it. Reasonable Distance can't be enforced!! These guys set up empty umbrellas a few feet from surf and most just sit there all day empty...again, the Vendor tail is wagging the SOWAL dog..

I think the posts are a terrible idea for many reasons including turtles and safety.

Also, how is it that the vendor problem is worse than ever now?

Jeff is going to be a busy guy. I hope there's more than one Jeff...

I can't believe vendors can take 50% of a beach.

I think the posts are a terrible idea for many reasons including turtles and safety.

Also, how is it that the vendor problem is worse than ever now?

Jeff is going to be a busy guy. I hope there's more than one Jeff...

I can't believe vendors can take 50% of a beach.

I agree that 50% is too much.

Apparently vendors are doing what they want, figuring there's no enforcement. They put chairs out with tags and then claim people just didn't show up. I also think they are probably not happy about the county trying to limit them and may be acting out.

I was on Grayton Beach last night well past dark and there were quite a few still set up.

Whatever happened to only setting up chairs that have been ordered by someone who plans to use them? I contracted with a service for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella for the summer for my vacation rental house. It is tagged with the name of the house so my renters can find them and use them.

Whatever happened to only setting up chairs that have been ordered by someone who plans to use them? I contracted with a service for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella for the summer for my vacation rental house. It is tagged with the name of the house so my renters can find them and use them.

The game has changed. Now there is too much competition for space, and among vendors.

The county got caught flat footed and is trying to get out in front of it but seems they aren't being strong enough.

This is what happens in the evolution of a community. In order to control businesses you have to regulate them. Which means put in place controls and roadblocks to limit the number of vendors. This means conflict. The community has to be vocal about what it wants so the politicians and bureaucrats have courage to do the right thing.

Same problem at Ed Walline! Should have some borders at beach line then go back rows deep if they want to set up more chairs! (Tags on chairs are mostly a decoy!!) Most times I am there, chairs never used...
Still need defined & ENFORCED RULES/REGULATIONS!
Locals don't "count" only tourist do on "public beaches. Been here 12 years and what a mess!
All for small businesses, but I have/should have just as much access to the beach as another guy. (Plus I pay local home taxes which I know is more than beach chair guys do!)
Quiet days at the beach are long gone. End the TDC. This place is just too small for the over-crowding, no parking, trash on the beach, etc. Don't destroy your only asset (The beaches!).
GREED ALWAYS WINS...
"Have a nice day in Paradise."
Note: This is just my opinions/comments, if you don't like it, don't read it!

Same problem at Ed Walline! Should have some borders at beach line then go back rows deep if they want to set up more chairs! (Tags on chairs are mostly a decoy!!) Most times I am there, chairs never used...
Still need defined & ENFORCED RULES/REGULATIONS!
Locals don't "count" only tourist do on "public beaches. Been here 12 years and what a mess!
All for small businesses, but I have/should have just as much access to the beach as another guy. (Plus I pay local home taxes which I know is more than beach chair guys do!)
Quiet days at the beach are long gone. End the TDC. This place is just too small for the over-crowding, no parking, trash on the beach, etc. Don't destroy your only asset (The beaches!).
GREED ALWAYS WINS...
"Have a nice day in Paradise."
Note: This is just my opinions/comments, if you don't like it, don't read it!

What is good for locals is good for tourists. :up:

Whatever happened to only setting up chairs that have been ordered by someone who plans to use them? I contracted with a service for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella for the summer for my vacation rental house. It is tagged with the name of the house so my renters can find them and use them.

So on the days guess enjoy other thinks and don't go to the beach....that umbrella just takes up space which could be used.....maybe guess should hAVE to call on the days they actually want a beach setup. IMO

The game has changed. Now there is too much competition for space, and among vendors. The county got caught flat footed and is trying to get out in front of it but seems they aren't being strong enough. This is what happens in the evolution of a community. In order to control businesses you have to regulate them. Which means put in place controls and roadblocks to limit the number of vendors. This means conflict. The community has to be vocal about what it wants so the politicians and bureaucrats have courage to do the right thing.

Well for sure YOU can't write a rule that says Reasonable Distance from the water....not even New Math has a way to measure Reasonable Distance.. .1)..An exact FOOTAGE MUST be instituted. What is your 2) ? Vendor tail is wagging the SOWAL dog

The beach access we use seems to have a 50 foot open space or on either side of the space from stepping down into the sand to the water. The cabana boys stay left and right of that, which allows the rest of us to have that space that is easier to get to since some access has quite a few steps. This allows the cabana boys to go north and south as much as they want and allows the rest of us to have that designated east to west space. I think I'll post pictures this next visit. If there are a lot of beach access spaces in some areas then fewer cabana boy set ups. September! Ellen

How about no beach set-ups until the customer physically occupies them and no set-ups allowed until after 9am. The rest of the problems should take care of themselves.

Whatever happened to only setting up chairs that have been ordered by someone who plans to use them? I contracted with a service for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella for the summer for my vacation rental house. It is tagged with the name of the house so my renters can find them and use them.

deborsk - this may be one of the issues with all of the set-ups being unoccupied. Even though they may be purchased, there could be a high probability of renters not using them every day they are available. Would it be just as an effective promotion to have the renters contact the beach chair company when they want them set-up - at no charge?

The beach access we use seems to have a 50 foot open space or on either side of the space from stepping down into the sand to the water. The cabana boys stay left and right of that, which allows the rest of us to have that space that is easier to get to since some access has quite a few steps. This allows the cabana boys to go north and south as much as they want and allows the rest of us to have that designated east to west space. I think I'll post pictures this next visit. If there are a lot of beach access spaces in some areas then fewer cabana boy set ups. September! Ellen

Which beach access are you describing?

How about no beach set-ups until the customer physically occupies them and no set-ups allowed until after 9am. The rest of the problems should take care of themselves.

Great idea, but that just makes too much sense so it will never fly (insert sarcasm lol)

Good Idea, Mike. I will contact the vender again and see what he says. (but I tried that last year, and he told me that it is easier for them to do it daily)

Where do the vendors get the money to pay their guys to put up chairs that are never paid for? If I worked for a beach vendor and put out a bunch of set ups that no one used, that would honk me off. All the effort for nothing. While it may be less expensive to rent by the week, factor in quick storms, sunburn and shopping and your 7 beach days are reduced to 4. Rent daily or even half days and only when they are physically there to occupy

At the risk of getting flamed or sounding petulant, I just want to add that we changed our Labor Day vacation plans from 30a to Sedona. These past two summers have been too stressful with the expensive chair vendors lining the entirety of Rosemary and Seacrest, crowds and traffic and decided to try something new. We didn't want to risk another packed week. Crowds are to be expected, but packed in like sardines while being forced to pay $300 for beach chairs isn't why we fell in love with the place. It's always been crowded in the summer, but never like this.

Again, I know one could easily say "Guh-bye!! Who cares!" However, I am a huge fan of 30a; art from the area all around my house, shirts, baseball caps, consistent posts on FB and IG about it, have sent at least three friends there...so if I'm grousy about it, I can't imagine what others are thinking.

And again, I feel for the residents!

Sorry you are not returning, maybe another time.

I have heard so many tourist complaints this summer too.

Frequently, these problems (overcrowding, over building, commercialism...) solve themselves. I can't imagine anyone who vacationed here 10+ years ago would come back now. It's simply not the same.

What is good for locals is good for tourists. :up:

And TOO MANY tourists are not good for anyone.

At the risk of getting flamed or sounding petulant, I just want to add that we changed our Labor Day vacation plans from 30a to Sedona. These past two summers have been too stressful with the expensive chair vendors lining the entirety of Rosemary and Seacrest, crowds and traffic and decided to try something new. We didn't want to risk another packed week. Crowds are to be expected, but packed in like sardines while being forced to pay $300 for beach chairs isn't why we fell in love with the place. It's always been crowded in the summer, but never like this. Again, I know one could easily say "Guh-bye!! Who cares!" However, I am a huge fan of 30a; art from the area all around my house, shirts, baseball caps, consistent posts on FB and IG about it, have sent at least three friends there...so if I'm grousy about it, I can't imagine what others are thinking. And again, I feel for the residents!

tell your friends. ..I can offer private beach on 30A with FREE daily umbrella and two chairs..just saying Rosemary and Seacrest and seagrove seaside watercolor ALL a ZOO PM me for my private Vrbo.....