Reasons Behind Customary Use - Protection or Development?

Shannon,

I support CU but...

I agree that the reason the BCC has allowed all this over development is that it is "designed to push out the historical "beach neighborhoods" with full-time residents, which are anchored by their own stretch of beach ... and turn these beaches into a wide open commodity --- the locals doing the real estate industry lobbyists and developers bidding".

Gone are the days of our cozy and quaint community with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you are more traffic jams, more rentals, more private homes being sold to turn them into rentals, more development and still no infrastructure in place to handle the demands of more traffic.

Gone will be sea turtle nesting habitat's, destruction of more dunes and all the things we once knew our beaches to be.

It's sad and its heart wrenching to watch but this is what the BCC has bought and paid for by ignoring the LDC and Comprehensive plan and allowing developers, big money and politics to determine their poorly thought out decisions.

I think all of us agree that it will never be again what it once was and its difficult to let go of that. The reality is I don't think we don't have a choice anymore.

@Grace Daniell

Wouldn’t the private property owners be better stewards and provide more protection for our beaches and unique dune lakes with eco systems that exist nowhere else in the world than the overdevelopment that may come with customary use?

Have you seen the piles of garbage and tents and junk on the stretches of private beaches that have called for the stop of all Walton County TDC activities including trash collection? Its disgusting and appalling.

If there are piles of garbage, tents and junk on those private beaches it's not due to the homeowners. The homeowners didn't leave that mess. The people that left it obviously don't care much for our beaches. It all goes back to being a respectful beach goer, leave with what you brought. This is an issue that homeowners have dealt with for years. The county's answer was to have garbage trucks come clean up instead of insisting that people clean up after themselves. We've created an environment of people can do whatever they want on the beach instead of teaching people to be respectful of the beaches and our environment.

The area definately lacks code enforcement if people are leaving trash behind. At least now code enforcement can concentrate on those public area commoners that have no respect for the beach.

If we are still cleaning the public beaches every day and 50% of those beaches have beach chair vendors on them and there is still trash left on the beach, wouldn't at least some of that be coming from the 1000 or so bfo's and their guests?

I think someone said we have 3 miles of publc beach minus 50% (for vendors) that leaves the rest of us with 1.5 miles of beach to mess up and clean after. The remaining 20+ miles is being tended to by the ecologically conscience bfo's.

If my numbers are even close to accurate, this should be an easy fix.

Man, you are all twisted up. Picking up after people is the right thing to do. We aren't training them. Their parents in Atlanta did that. Or rather failed to do that. Get used to it. People paying $20K a week for a rental expect to be picked up after.

NO, people picking up after yourself is the respectful and right thing to do. Picking up after disrespectful people is enabling them. One way to prevent beachfront from being trashed is to apply consequences - keep off if you can't respect private beachfront and cleanup after yourself.

It's about NINE (9) miles of public beach; not 3. You have had, have, and will have 26 miles of public foreshore beach to walk on. L.C. Bane, who takes care of your private property better than you? Who takes better care of private beachfront property better than the owner of the property? After TS Gordon storm surf a week ago do you know what I picked up most!? In order; 1. cigarette butts, 2. water bottle twist tops, and 3. plastic toys. I don't smoke and all the rest was not mine or the people I invite on our property.

I hope we can agree that the TDC and Walton County should have programs in place and working every day to keep beaches clean, pristine, free of debris, proper lighting, no improper signs or fences (besides those allowed at this point, enforcement of rules for all beach activities including vendors. That's part of their mission and we should expect clean beaches no matter who claims private or not. Can we at least agree that our beaches deserve daily maintenance, good enforcement AND a limited/regulated Vendor program similar to other coastal communities. Keeping beaches clear of all obstacles to enjoying a beautiful beach day.

Clean beaches for the entire coastline is something we should all expect.

See if this pattern holds ... troll...troll...troll..troll...OMG you guys are terrible .... IMA VICTIM! ... silence.

This is purely about people wishing to use the beach as they always have without harassment or hinderance. No conspiracy. Simple. We want to go whenever and wherever we wish on all beaches as it has always been. Simple. That Is All.

My middle school daughter got kicked off of beach areas yesterday while volunteering for for Coastal Clean Up this weekend. "The signs are there for a reason" one person that ejected her said as she was picking up trash on the beach.

Let that sink in.

They started at Dune Allen Beach access. Not sure exactly where they were.

To add, she is a little kid. Oblivious that this is even an issue.

My middle school daughter got kicked off of beach areas yesterday while volunteering for for Coastal Clean Up this weekend. "The signs are there for a reason" one person that ejected her said as she was picking up trash on the beach.

Let that sink in.

Well it didnt take that long...from Floridabeachbum on the Open Question thread....."Wow. Incredible. You and Dave R and others only encourage this behavior and blame the victims!?"You called it!

Ludicrous that Beach Stealers are playing victim. They seem to have invaded here in force. Like a planned attack on the community. Hmmmmm

Dawn, if you were attacked or threatened, in public, and call vulgar names by "the community" or an individual - would you be a victim or would you deserve it?
Most of the people attacked, like me and many other private property supporters, have been here for decades and not invaded anywhere. More emotional fiction.

They started at Dune Allen Beach access. Not sure exactly where they were.

To add, she is a little kid. Oblivious that this is even an issue.

My middle school daughter got kicked off of beach areas yesterday while volunteering for for Coastal Clean Up this weekend. "The signs are there for a reason" one person that ejected her said as she was picking up trash on the beach.

Let that sink in.