Mike Huckabee’s role in pushing controversial beach access law

Huckabee is Huckabee. He doesn't bother me one way or the other. I don't agree with any his politics or his use of religion for gain. Because for him it's just business.. He's been known to be a supporter of this community in many ways. Many here like him. I ignore him mostly.

However he is a well known, vocal political figure who is directly involved in this controversial local issue. He knew that his stance would not be a popular one here and said as much. His role isn't a conspiracy. It is reality. He isn't bothered by those who don't agree with him in the least. Why are you? He knows his actions will make him a target for criticism because that is what he does best. Politics. Like him or not.

I will not accuse him of being un-Christian or anything of the sort. I will leave those tactics to him. An interesting kind of guy for sure.

I am sorry it offends my faith in what is right -

I think men of God should look after the less fortunate - ones who can't own beach front.

Ones who did not do dirty tricks like quiet title the dry sand that is not taxed because it is unbuildable.

Huckabee is Huckabee. He doesn't bother me one way or the other. I don't agree with any his politics or his use of religion for gain. Because for him it's just business. He doesn't offend me. He's been known to be a supporter of this community in many ways.

However he is a well known, vocal political figure who is directly involved in this controversial local issue. He knew that his stance would not be a popular one here and said as much. His role isn't a conspiracy. It is reality. He isn't bothered by those who don't agree with him in the least. Why are you? He knows his actions will make him a target for criticism because that is what he does best. Politics. Like him or not.

I will not accuse him of being un-Christian or anything of the sort. I will leave those tactics to him. An interesting guy for sure.

Really? Do you also believe evolution is a hoax by liberals? Homosexuals are sinners? The apocalypse is "winning"?

Read this and get back to us
Political positions of Mike Huckabee - Wikipedia

Really? Do you also believe evolution is a hoax by liberals? Homosexuals are sinners? The apocalypse is "winning"?

Read this and get back to us
Political positions of Mike Huckabee - Wikipedia

I don't agree with any of his political stances or anything he says or does. He is what he is. I have never been interested in him at all. I choose to ignore him. But I hear you. Sometimes we need to pay attention when others are being hurt.

Like any politician he is subject to public scrunity. Go for it.

I think that politics and money have caused him to go down a self-centered path.

I hold out hope he will see how his actions have hurt all of us and have turned our community into a spotlight not to be emulated.

I haven't heard that there were nearly that many beach front owners writing and pushing for HB631. Most of the BFOs I've heard from are on the customary use side or like the rest of are frustrated with beach vendors and enforcement.. So this is interesting. We could use some solid numbers.

Let me clarify. This is not my forum. I am a contributing member of the community and this forum like you or anyone else. My staff work has to do with website content, events, music, receiving updates and press releases from towns and businesses and passing on anything newsy to our readers, announcing new restaurants and other good news happening around town... and work with nonprofit groups and organizations, covering Florida State Parks events, South Walton Sea Turtles and many more outstanding local groups.

I do not moderate though I do answer any questions from posters when I get them via personal message, help people and businesses navigate the forum and learn their way around... and refer any concerns sent my way to the moderator. I also do social media and help run a photography gallery. Our tiny staff wear many hats. It's a privilege to be a part of the community both online and off.

Technically this forum belongs to the community. Users decide how they want to use it. It's taken many directions over the course of nearly 15 years. The SoWal.com publisher/editor oversees it, maintains it and moderates as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to post from your experience and perspective. We need every voice. This community is worth it.

Amazing. So, just who is the moderator, or is there one at all?

As to the BPO's my husband and I personally talk with several hundred, and those who represent entire blocks of neighborhoods, HOA's, condos. Almost to a person they will not express their opinion for the concern will make them a target of harassment. Many see no purpose in the court of public opinion. They follow along silently but express views privately. A reasonable percentage are not on Facebook. I will agree that 90% have no issue with locals on their beach, but object in varying degrees to flipping it public. Another BPO you will never hear from came up with the term "customary density."

Shannon

BTW Bob Bob - I think you are funny!!!

After a handful of years with a few homes placing private property signs on the beaches It really got going when a handful of Beachfront owners in 2015 banded together to stop beach nourishment. There is a NY Times article on this thread about Mike Huckabee's involvement in influencing that outcome. No conspiracy, truth. I was also against beach nourishment for very different reasons; hard to acquire sand, expensive and I frankly did not think it really has that much of effect saving the beaches. Now, I really think it could work just fine; couldn't hurt. A very small number of beachfront owners started this nonsense egged on by a powerful law firm. That coalition was born from the beach nourishment issue. In time our beaches will be restored to customary use because the alternative is unthinkable. In time.

I was also against beach nourishment for very different reasons; hard to acquire sand, expensive and I frankly did not think it really has that much of effect saving the beaches. Now, I really think it could work just fine; couldn't hurt.

As a non-property owner but frequent visitor to SoWal and occasional visitor to other beaches from Cape San Blas, FL to Orange Beach, FL, I’m against beach renourishment based on what I’ve seen at Orange Beach, Alabama, the (Orange Beach) Alabama and Florida portions of Perdido Key (including Perdido Key State Park), and Pensacola Beach proper. The native sand that naturally makes up the “dry sand” portions of Walton County Beaches is almost pure white, but the main difference I notice is in the texture; when you step on it, it packs and squeaks like a humid southern snow. The renourished beach sand in Orange Beach, Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach is yellow/tan, but notably a “looser” sand that burns up in the sun and doesn’t have the texture of the unique sand we are used to in Walton County; it’s more like playground sand in some mid-American suburb; I can’t even get an umbrella to stick up in it!

The renouroshed sand in the Sunnyside area on the west end of Bay County is whiter but still has more shell fragments in it and is again not like the native sand in SoWal. Cape San Blas sand appears to be native to that area, but tends to be darker towards Apalachicola and SGI and whiter on the NW end of the cape in the state park.

As you stated, you didn’t think it had much effect of saving the beaches - that is the big geological issue there: the beaches should be allowed natural accretion and renouroshment without artificial interference, just as the coastal dune lakes should be allowed to flow and open/close on their own.

And our sand here in SOWAL doesnt get hot. I just dont think they could ever get it to match.

Miramar Beach had beach renourishment in a project completed in 2007.

Miramar Beach had beach renourishment in a project completed in 2007.

What is the sand quality like there? I don’t think I’ve been on the beach in that area since 1994!

I think most people would say quite good.

I think most people would say quite good.

Where is beach renourishment needed in 30A? The beaches I’ve used seem to recover from tropical storms and hurricanes pretty well on their own. The coastal dune lakes and “bluff” dunes probably help with that. Miramar Beach, however, has no lakes and fewer, smaller dunes, but the “real” problem there is that many of the structures were built MUCH too close to the waterline!

What effect will artificially renourishibg the natural beaches have on the coastal dune lakes? This obviously wasn’t an issue in Miramar.

True, the only need for it is in connection with buildings and roads that are close enough to the water to be vulnerable to storm impacts. The parks, for example, don't participate, and I think WaterSound was going to be left out because development is so far back from the beach. Special care would have to be taken with the dune lake outfalls. A project along about 18 miles of coastline in Walton County had been looked at, but it was tabled by the county commission, so no current plans for a new renourishment project.

Where is beach renourishment needed in 30A? The beaches I’ve used seem to recover from tropical storms and hurricanes pretty well on their own. The coastal dune lakes and “bluff” dunes probably help with that. Miramar Beach, however, has no lakes and fewer, smaller dunes, but the “real” problem there is that many of the structures were built MUCH too close to the waterline!

What effect will artificially renourishibg the natural beaches have on the coastal dune lakes? This obviously wasn’t an issue in Miramar.

I've always thought beach re-nourishment would be very problematic in relationship to the Coastal Dune Lakes. How could you add sand on either side, (I'm assuming, of course, you don't pile it in front of an outfall) and not have it affect the outfalls. Just does not compute.

After a handful of years with a few homes placing private property signs on the beaches It really got going when a handful of Beachfront owners in 2015 banded together to stop beach nourishment. There is a NY Times article on this thread about Mike Huckabee's involvement in influencing that outcome. No conspiracy, truth. I was also against beach nourishment for very different reasons; hard to acquire sand, expensive and I frankly did not think it really has that much of effect saving the beaches. Now, I really think it could work just fine; couldn't hurt. A very small number of beachfront owners started this nonsense egged on by a powerful law firm. That coalition was born from the beach nourishment issue. In time our beaches will be restored to customary use because the alternative is unthinkable. In time.

Dave R, more false facts. "...a handful of Beachfront owners ..."? Wrong again! Where do you come up with your facts? It's a conspiracy theory that Huckabee was responsible for beach fortification or passage of HB631 by 145 legislators, including local Rep Brad Drake.
The NY Times piece could have been written about me or any other of the hundreds of beachfront owners I know opposing Walton commissioners beach fortification based on private property rights concerns, ECL, and bad sand. The Walton commissioners easement was rejected by 973 of the 1,037 beachfront owners - hardly a handful. "... egged on by a powerful law firm"? First no law firm egged on any property owner to fork over a lot of money by being egged on; you can blame the incompetent commissioners that wasted over a million tax payer dollars on this failed doomed project. Beachfront properties have been through Eloise, Opal, Ivan and many others before that and the shore line has recovered each time. I’m not worried about my private beachfront future for the next hundreds of years either; just get the government bureaucracy out of the way and let me maintain my property. Many beachfront owners sought out multiple attorneys as evidenced by the recent September 8 Walton Public Hearing fiasco. Not a handful. More fake facts. The attempt to take property rights without compensation under the guise of an obscure ancient old English common law of custom in the USA is unthinkable.