Florida Governor Orders Counties to Keep Beaches Open and Public

I am not sure what this means. The governor is addressing beach access not beach use. This is very ambiguous and while in South Walton there is plenty of beach access the issue is public use of a private asset.

Florida is home to the world’s best beaches, and every Floridian and visitor has the right to fully enjoy our state’s natural resources. Florida beaches belong to all of us, and people from across the world visit Florida because of them – and we are going to keep it that way,” said Governor Scott.

Moratorium


“Last session, HB631 was passed with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans,” Scott continued. “Unfortunately, the legislation has now created considerable confusion and some have even interpreted it as restricting beach access. I’m committed to keeping our beaches open to the public and this executive order makes this commitment clear. Today, I am ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to do everything in their power to advocate to keep our beaches open and public.”

“Also, I am putting a moratorium on any new state regulation that could inhibit public beach access and also urging local government officials to take similar steps to protect Floridians’ access to the beach.”

3. The Governor urges all local government entities to not adopt any rule or ordinance that would restrict or eliminate the public’s access to Florida’s beaches. He is calling on every county in Florida to not take any action that limits access to beaches; and
Access in this case means you can access and sit on any dry sand close to the water.

Read the press release carefully as it says nothing!! Public Beach access is not the issue or the problem and dry sand is not mentioned. This is just another PR stunt or grasp to look good while he runs for the senate while he has lined his pockets from other folks who own oceanfront property just like him... Maybe I am naïve, but this is just a PR campaign for all the backlash he is getting. But I guess bad breath is better then no breath. I'm not impressed or excited..

Moratorium


“Last session, HB631 was passed with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans,” Scott continued. “Unfortunately, the legislation has now created considerable confusion and some have even interpreted it as restricting beach access. I’m committed to keeping our beaches open to the public and this executive order makes this commitment clear. Today, I am ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to do everything in their power to advocate to keep our beaches open and public.”

“Also, I am putting a moratorium on any new state regulation that could inhibit public beach access and also urging local government officials to take similar steps to protect Floridians’ access to the beach.”

" I am also ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to protect the public's right to breathe our wonderful Florida oxygen and protect Floridians’ access to the bountiful rays of the Florida sunshine and the ability to stare at hot tourist bodies in bikinis."

I am glad to see this and hopefully we can get this resolved. This is Florida The Sunshine State for chrissake

Yet I am not sure what this means or what will happen And I don't trust this Florida government which is totally corporate driven and not representative of the people or our economic needs, or our environment.

The new law signed by the governor himself is very self serving for select few property owners. The corruption and greed is eating into our natural resources and tourism and everything good about Florida. The beaches belong to everyone. And that does not include vendors.

Huckabee - you LOOSE

trader of the people of Walton County and defender of the ELITE

There is justice in this world...

The Senate sponsor of the bill (631), Kathleen Passidomo is the Senator representing the Governor's homestead in Naples.

1. The Governor has a beachfront home in Naples.
   
2. There is one house between the Governor's house and a public beach access there in Naples.

If the Governor cared so much about "access" why didn't he just veto the bill back in March?
Why is he now urging local governments to not restrict access when the bill took away local decision making and transferred it to Tallahassee?
Is this an election year move so that the Governor can show beachfront property owners that the state preserved private property rights and also claim to everyone else that he "preserved their beach access"?

For the record, I have never voted for a Democrat/Progressive/Socialist in my life, and there is a 99.999999% chance I never will.

The new law signed by the governor himself is very self serving for select few property owners. The corruption and greed is eating into our natural resources and tourism and everything good about Florida. The beaches belong to everyone. And that does not include vendors.

Most excellent points!

When the people passed Amendment 1, Florida Forever, by a 75% "for" margin which would have provided $750 MILLION to acquire lands for preservation, and then the boys and girls in Tallahassee ignored the mandate and used the funds for other things, I knew we were in trouble. Legislature not increasing environmental protection despite Amendment 1 mandate | Florida's Water & Land Legacy

If you care about this majestic, unique state please start following Florida Conservation Voters,Florida Conservation Voters and also locally Safe Water For Walton, https://www.safewaterforwalton.org/

The bill did not transfer the decision making to Tallahassee, it transferred it to the Courts. So statewide the courts decide. The bill was aimed directly at Walton County and only voided the Walton ordinance. But it did not change the status of the beaches. It just requires local governments to go to court and the courts decide. I do not think anyone should say the bill closed the beaches. It is bad PR and it could be used in court to challenge "uninterrupted."

I do think this bill interrupts use - that is the point - that is why we are so concerned...

We need clarification of access verses use now - Like Dave R. says in todays paper.

We should all attend Drakes' meeting at Walton High School about this Monday at 6:30 pm.

Huckabee - you LOOSE

trader of the people of Walton County and defender of the ELITE

There is justice in this world...

You do realize this executive order does not change anything regarding Huckabeach, right? The bill that Scott signed into law is still in effect. This is a PR stunt so that his campaign can tout him as "protecting the public's access to beaches", when in reality he is the tool that signed a bill into law that Floridians overwhelmingly opposed. Don't take the bait!

It's unclear what the governor intentions really are. I suppose Walton County will need to get more clarification... And I'm afraid Skunkape is right - the executive order will only last for so long... But for now - what does it mean for South Walton beaches?

“Today, I am ordering the Department of Environmental Protection to do everything in their power to advocate to keep our beaches open and public," Scott said. "Also, I am putting a moratorium on any new state regulation that could inhibit public beach access and also urging local government officials to take similar steps to protect Floridians’ access to the beach. Government’s job is to help solve problems, and in Florida, when there is an issue or confusion surrounding legislation, we take action to address it. Florida is the most beautiful state in the nation. We have hundreds of miles of pristine coastline and we are known for having the best beaches across the world. We absolutely cannot do anything that changes that.”

My suggestion is go sit on Vizcaya Beach and see what happens, or maybe on the beach behind Mr Huckabee's house.

You certainly have to wonder why a Senator from NAPLES would sponsor a bill that only dealt with WALTON COUNTY.

Huckabee/Scott connection??

The co-author of the bill was from Sunrise,Fl......also no where near Walton County and has NO beaches.

My suggestion is go sit on Vizcaya Beach and see what happens, or maybe on the beach behind Mr Huckabee's house.

I was at Vizcaya this afternoon and there was some actual police activity today. After an hour of back and forth, a gentleman and his family were relegated to the "wet sand" area. Good on him for not leaving.....this isn't a good look for this particular HOA and the "militant" approach isn't going unnoticed with locals or guests. The security guard marches up and down the beach like a NAZI on patrol. Whats even more embarrassing is watching owners on their balconies, with binoculars, spotting and pointing out the lowly outsiders.

I was at Vizcaya this afternoon and there was some actual police activity today. After an hour of back and forth, a gentleman and his family were relegated to the "wet sand" area. Good on him for not leaving.....this isn't a good look for this particular HOA and the "militant" approach isn't going unnoticed with locals or guests. The security guard marches up and down the beach like a NAZI on patrol. Whats even more embarrassing is watching owners on their balconies, with binoculars, spotting and pointing out the lowly outsiders.

I was there the other day at the access on the edge and it is embarrassing. Signs everywhere.

The real crime was the TV mounted on the porch of first house right next to the public access. It was around noon. No one on the porch. Probably not even in the house. The TV sound was all the way up you could hear it all over the beach.

We own just over the line in Bay County at Pinnacle Port - but I have dear friends with a rental home just 1100 feet from the beach in Seacrest just on the northside of 30A. Their guests this weekend were told they couldn't set up on the beach. I advised my friends to tell their guests they could set up down at water's edge, but he's been told that since the "mean water line could be "under water" that wasn't necessarily true. I call BS on that, but whatever.

Maybe it's a dumb question/observation but....if no one except direct gulf front owners can use the beach, wouldn't this affect those owner's property values? Seems to me that if no one can use the beach, the entire 30A brand (and South Walton Branding in general) is mush less valued. What is all that development good for if visitors can't go to the beach? I mean, yes, locals know of all sorts of good stuff besides beach access, but tourists come for the beach - period.

Seems a bit like shooting one's self in the foot to me.

Posted today, publicly, on YouTube. Looks like Vizcaya in the background. I really feel for the WCSO deputies who are caught in the middle of this mess.

I dont think the officer that is doing the talking realizes who he is talking to. Pretty sure the guy he is talking to knows more about property law than he does.

That's Daniel Uhlfelder and Justin Gaffrey forcing the issue. I'd like to see more people visiting that spot every day

That's Daniel Uhlfelder and Justin Gaffrey forcing the issue. I'd like to see more people visiting that spot every day

Yea, I know. Will be interesting to see them go head to head with Mr. Uhlfelder.

Hmmm....

When I first saw the choregraphed video of Mr. Daniel Uhlfelder making “fools” of the deputies just trying to do their job I was beyond disappointed. But I admit, making them do the moon walk while drawing a line in the sand with their foot was a bit entertaining.

But when he pulled out the Nazi card at tonight’s customary use meeting, I was absolutely disgusted and infuriated...trivializing the death of 6 million Jews as some how being on the same topical plane as customary use, i.e. his grandparents escaped the Nazis because of the “same reason” - oppression.