We were told that the people that donated the land for the public beach have a vested interest in the umbrella rentals. They want people to spend $40 a day for an umbrella that covers two people. We have a party of 18 family members.
First, I think tents are ridiculous!
Secondly, prior to the Meyers’ donation of land in 1995, the Florida Department of Transportation donated land to Walton County in 1989; together, this land makes up what is now the Miramar Beach Regional Beach Access. P U B L I C A C C E S S meaning everyone in the public domain has a right to access/use the beach! Your silly a$$ed tents prevent others from accessing/using the beach you think you're entitled to because you drove 12 hours and spent money in Walton County. We have hundreds of thousands of tourists who come here and spend money! If everyone of them brought 9 by 9 tents NO ONE would even be able to access the beach. Your entitlement to come here and enjoy OUR beaches is only yours until it infringes on the rights of others to do likewise! Go some place else. I don't care! We have plenty of other sanctimonious tourists to deal with and the 18 you brought are 18 less the County has to deal with!
No problem and a win win for everyone!
As for being told by County authorities that they agree it’s an absolutely insane policy, but they’re supposed to enforce, its their job to enforce policy not to question why they have to enforce it or make ridiculous comments to tourists about how they shouldn't have to do their jobs!
Last but not least we come to the real "meat and potatoes" of this issue. "THE VESTED INTEREST OF VENDORS AND THEIR UMBRELLA RENTALS"!
Here's the skinny on that cushy deal! Walton County has a single county Commissioner that has a son, who is a vendor, who makes money off of public land that cost taxpayers millions of dollars to set up for FREE on 50% OF PUBLIC BEACHES and makes money hand over fist which, resulted in the ridiculous rules you complained about. That same Commissioner has an influential partner in crime with "more money than good sense" who bought her election, who also has friends in the vendor business that also needed protection on land the vendors are squatting on for FREE! So, your beef isn't with the people who live here everyday and can't access public land during the height of tourists season either, your beef is with a county Commissioner and her political cronies.
Feel free to contact her so she can serve you some cheese with that whine!
Commissioner Cecilia Jones
joncecilia@co.walton.fl.us
