Beach Vendor Zone posts

Seaside. Tupelo. This was in May and has been in the past. Will see what it looks like in September.

I have heard complaints too. A family in a crowded Water Color Publix on a Saturday said they just left their cart in the middle of the aisle and were definitely vacationing elsewhere next year. At the risk of sounding negative, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. The crowds are getting worse every summer...Paradise is changing!

In Panama City Beach today they were ticketing vendors. Vendors there have to be 30 feet back from the mean high water line. Here is the scoop: http://www.mypanhandle.com/news/beach-vendors-upset-over-ticketing

What sets SoWal apart is the mindset of an idyllic time-gone-by experience at the beach. This is THE MOST VALUABLE and distinguishing asset of the area.

These vendors are killing that. Get rid of ALL vendors on the beach. If a tourist wants to rent that stuff, let them haul it there. To get all vendors removed is going to be a battle much like stopping the Hampton on 30A. The vendors, their employees, etc. will show at the council meetings and claim its the end of the world. But it will be a welcome change to a more simple beach experience.

I hate to be a wet blanket but every year people complain about how crowded it is, yet every year new rentals are built and existing rentals are filled to capacity...

This is true in almost every beach town ever made.

Unfortunately, for every person who is fed up, there are 2 more who think it is perfect.

This is true in almost every beach town ever made.

But I agree that the locals need to stand up and keep things from becoming out of control. It begins and ends on the beach. If we can't at least have a free, clean, clutter free beach we've lost everything.

I hate to be a wet blanket but every year people complain about how crowded it is, yet every year new rentals are built and existing rentals are filled to capacity...

This is true in almost every beach town ever made.

Unfortunately, for every person who is fed up, there are 2 more who think it is perfect.

This is true in almost every beach town ever made.

But I agree that the locals need to stand up and keep things from becoming out of control. It begins and ends on the beach. If we can't at least have a free, clean, clutter free beach we've lost everything.

PCB stayed packed for years as well. I think people don't want it to become that.

As PCB becomes more and more disgusting, folks look elsewhere. Just west is a tempting target to ruin as well. At the same time, most of Destin is getting old. Why not just go east a bit. Eventually, greed will defeat SoWal as well.

It's not the end of the world that the area is getting so packed. Just a shame, that's all.

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.

Nope. No change this morning. Still vendors on all of the beach at OSP.

Why can't a reasonable solution to the beach vendor issue be found? Prohibit the set-up of chairs on the public beach until they are actually rented by tourists or local at the beach access. Still allow the 50% for those set-ups. Allow private access owners to do as they do now. Let the beach vendors set-up by individual renters or as a dondominium amenity as Adagio does. What happened to common sense in this county? Call your Commissioners and complain.

Clearly, the current rules aren't even being enforced. This would be a nice first step toward fixing the beach vendor problem. So... What do we need to do to get the ball rolling?

Why can't a reasonable solution to the beach vendor issue be found? Prohibit the set-up of chairs on the public beach until they are actually rented by tourists or local at the beach access. Still allow the 50% for those set-ups. Allow private access owners to do as they do now. Let the beach vendors set-up by individual renters or as a dondominium amenity as Adagio does. What happened to common sense in this county? Call your Commissioners and complain.

if you post vendor problems here???? please then copy ur response and paste to an email to our commissioner Cindy Meadows doubt she trolls this site. She needs to see OUR PLIGHT. meacindy@co.walton.fl.us....this is our best HOPE. SHE DOES ANSWER MY EMAILS.

I feel sure tha the Commissioners are well aware of SoWal and what transpires here. Also, I call Commissioner Meadow's office on a regular basis and she is always responsive to what I have to say, one way or another.

Nope. No change this morning. Still vendors on all of the beach at OSP.

Ugh. We left there yesterday (until next month) and I have been keeping fingers crossed. Since you are there, if you would call Jeff, I know he is interested. Since its late in the day he may be done till Monday but perhaps leave a message. Last week it was crazy at OSB. Not to mention the trash that was building up at the access. I'm so lookng forward to October.

if you post vendor problems here???? please then copy ur response and paste to an email to our commissioner Cindy Meadows doubt she trolls this site. She needs to see OUR PLIGHT. meacindy@co.walton.fl.us....this is our best HOPE. SHE DOES ANSWER MY EMAILS.

She was elected because of this site. Both times and she knows it.

If you really love 30A, send your friends to Destin and Panama City !!

If you really love 30A, send your friends to Destin and Panama City !!

PCB seems to realize their beach vendor problem



Line finishes:: for setting up to close to the water :way to wag the dogs tail:

I have heard complaints too. A family in a crowded Water Color Publix on a Saturday said they just left their cart in the middle of the aisle and were definitely vacationing elsewhere next year

Given how much of a zoo that Publix can be in the summer, I can understand that reaction. We had an unplanned stop there last summer on a July Saturday afternoon for drinks and restroom, and I found myself going off on a verbal rant that if I was going to have to deal with a Paris-like level of population density, I'd rather be in Paris than there.

7:40 am today. Looks like the beach vendors are ignoring the 50% rule.... And shockingly, NONE of these set-ups are occupied!! So unfortunate that our views of the beach now include empty chairs and umbrella from dawn to dusk....

So there is such a thing as a 'private beach?'

Any improvement with the beach vendor situation? Jeff promised they would have the vendors under control by end of last week. It's now almost another week. I'm remaining hopeful.......