New posts and signs on the beach at Eastern Lake

Not cool. Perfect place for families with kids with the zero entry lake on one side and the beach on the other. It seems that the current southern shore of the lake is pretty close to the MHWL, so most of that parcel (as shown on the tax map) is underwater (in the lake).

Call all five Commissioners and demand removal of the signs! Address the BCC meeting complaining about what it is doing to the usage and beauty of our pristine beaches. When I bought here in 1991 there wasn't a sign anywhere along South Walton beaches. It could be that way again if the populace would just act.

#bondfire

Here is the story I got from a post on the Walton County Facebook site - A person bought the property located at 187 San Roy Road back in 2013 and along with the house, a lot to the west as well. The parcel is roughly 2 acres and last week I observed a surveyor marking the property and installing a few private property signs. It seems the new property owner attempted to get the sheriff to enforce the no trespassing signs and was advised that he needed more signs so they will be popping up. There was a lengthy exchange on the Walton County Visioning Facebook site that provided all sorts of information however I could not find it earlier. I also saw the current owner of the property has enlisted his neighbors on San Roy to also plant Private Property signs in front of there respective property that will extend to Easter Shores Condo complex. I have to be honest that I prefer to have some space when we head to the beach and I usually park on that section - I guess we will see what happens over the next weeks or so but I am holding out for eventual Karma..

Here is the story I got from a post on the Walton County Facebook site - A person bought the property located at 187 San Roy Road back in 2013 and along with the house, a lot to the west as well. The parcel is roughly 2 acres and last week I observed a surveyor marking the property and installing a few private property signs. It seems the new property owner attempted to get the sheriff to enforce the no trespassing signs and was advised that he needed more signs so they will be popping up. There was a lengthy exchange on the Walton County Visioning Facebook site that provided all sorts of information however I could not find it earlier. I also saw the current owner of the property has enlisted his neighbors on San Roy to also plant Private Property signs in front of there respective property that will extend to Easter Shores Condo complex. I have to be honest that I prefer to have some space when we head to the beach and I usually park on that section - I guess we will see what happens over the next weeks or so but I am holding out for eventual Karma..

The property owner removed his post from the Facebook group. His post was quite inflammatory. Responses to his post were rather heated, though he had a few who support his property rights. This is the same property owner that had partnered with a vendor earlier with signs and set ups everywhere on and near his beachfront property. The vendor has gone somewhere else after receiving a lot of public outcry.

His post gave a huge number of signs that he and neighbors are having constructed. And he sited Florida law that allows for this. He also promised to partner with vendors. So, he does not want the public on his beach. But vendors are welcome.

All of this makes me so mad!! But what astounds me is that he has (there is) a sign 10 feet from the gulf! Can he do that? The posts are white and blend in with the sand - so I'm guessing eventually someone running or a little child walking along with family by the water with run into one of these very substantial posts and sustain an injury. What then??

All of this makes me so mad!! But what astounds me is that he has (there is) a sign 10 feet from the gulf! Can he do that? The posts are white and blend in with the sand - so I'm guessing eventually someone running or a little child walking along with family by the water with run into one of these very substantial posts and sustain an injury. What then??

after the law suit, maybe he want own this property. #takeonefortheteam #ouch

It seems like a tricky parcel to define. If you look at this parcel and the Walton County Port Authority parcel (public beach/Eastern Lake access lot) to the north, much of both of these parcels have been underwater in the Eastern Lake outflow in recent history, with the tax parcel map for the southern parcel also being partially in the Gulf of Mexico. Between the MHWL and the current southern shore of Eastern Lake, I doubt they currently have 2 acres!

From what I read on Facebook, the homeowner did have surveillance camera's on his property and folks were urinating on the dune and by his house and he has young children. He has tried everything he could to handle this problem with the increasing crowds coming to this area and he went to the Sheriff's Dept. for help and assistance. Someone spoke to him from the Walton County Visioning group on FB and felt the guy was sincere. However, the last thing I remember reading was he was very much against all the signs (he had a lengthy comment about this) but the Sheriff's Dept. insisted he needed all those signs so they could enforce the no trespassing issue on his property. We lived on the beach over 10 years ago and I can see both sides of the argument here. We had people come up our walkover, walk through our garden and even look through our windows! Even then there was no respect for private property all those years ago but certainly is has gotten out of hand with all the people here now.

Great response!
Tourist/visitors have NO RESPECT for our BEACHES.
Cigarette butts in the sand, leaving trash on the beach, etc...
Chair vendors have no respect for locals!
Overcrowding, etc...
Good luck with the on going battle

Local yocal

Great response!
Tourist/visitors have NO RESPECT for our BEACHES.
Cigarette butts in the sand, leaving trash on the beach, etc...
Chair vendors have no respect for locals!
Overcrowding, etc...
Good luck with the on going battle

Local yocal

I agree to a point.....but, signs and fences don't make for good neighbors. It eeks of the elitism prevalent in SOWAL. I'm a long-time local, and walk the beach often.....I'll make sure not to walk on the upland side of THE SIGN so as not to incur the wrath of the Mr. Friendly or the po po.

I am going to start copying and pasting stuff on this site so we will have it to reference instead of it being deleted. I encourage others to do the same.

I am going to start copying and pasting stuff on this site so we will have it to reference instead of it being deleted. I encourage others to do the same.

I hope there is a public forum with the county commissioners after season is over like last year.
We need to be Heard.

If the outflow is open can you walk up it to the lake?

No property owner owns the lake or the outflow. That is under state jurisdiction. There is also an easement leading straight from the walkway to the gulf

I thought that was the case but wanted to make sure. Thanks!

Recently posted to SoWal Facebook page by Robert Raymond... Not sure why he posted it but there ya go (it's under posts by others where many locals, visitors and businesses post info)

"Me and my new neighbors sign. He has lots of them all over the beach..." Robert R.

Yes - these were the signs that were up this past weekend. What you don't see in that picture is the statement at the bottom telling people to "walk along the edge of the lake to get to the gulf" (not over their sand/property! - my words). One sign is immediately as you get out of the lake from the crossover. People stop, read the sign and most then walk all around the lake, hauling all of their chairs and kids, trying not to step on someone's precious unused sand! It is so up uninviting and snooty looking. I wish the county would just buy this property.

There were also smaller keep out signs just a few feet from the gulf - so close that Saturday morning the water was coming all the way up to the signs. Someone had taken these down Sunday morning.

Is it legal to post signs on the beach without a permit? I thought you needed permission from Florida DEP?

I think that raises a really good question. The TDC is suppose to be removing all objects left on the beaches overnight. These signs should be considered trash just as much as a beach chair.

I think that raises a really good question. The TDC is suppose to be removing all objects left on the beaches overnight. These signs should be considered trash just as much as a beach chair.

The Sheriff's office told them to get more signs so that they could enforce whatever the law is about making people stay off private beaches. Apparently, the state issues permits for these signs. Shockingly.

And I spoke to a local who lives on Eastern Lake Road and his family and small kids had set up by the lake outflow close to the Right of way last week - Code Enforcement made then move away from the signs!! And we can barely get Code Enforcement to do anything!!

Recently posted to SoWal Facebook page by Robert Raymond... Not sure why he posted it but there ya go (it's under posts by others where many locals, visitors and businesses post info)

"Me and my new neighbors sign. He has lots of them all over the beach..." Robert R.

Is this guy showing his neighbors' sign or is that the guy who put the signs up? I need to know who to cuss.

The direction to cuss is varied. The previous owner of the property ( who may still be a part owner) offered to sell that property to the County years ago. The County declined the offer because the property is unbuildable and they were asking too much. Recently, the "new owners"(no, I don't have names) have offered to sell the property to the County, again. The asking price and appraisal are in the works.

Meanwhile, most of us think the signs went up to cause a furor in the citizenry, to demand the County procure the property. It must be working because we all are a little more irritated.

Seriously, the BCC and the TDC need to as proactive as possible to procure and preserve all beach property surrounding the Coast Dune Lake inlets. And Eastern Lake Inlet should be number one on the list.

Google pic of area?

We stayed at Commodore's Retreat last year. Had stayed there years ago. Pool wasn't available last year. Parking is awful. Otherwise a nice spot but we didn't have any interest in the lake - they often look dirty - always wonder what's in them. Also, we like to park for the week and had to drive everywhere.
Ellen