may be for the BETTER
Some ideas from SWCC
Clear Takeaway: A managed beach vendor program is desperately needed, especially on public beaches.
Potential Solutions:
1. Establish a small committee consisting of representatives of the public, vendors, and TDC to create a managed vendor program, which incorporates the items noted below.
2. Limit the number of beach vendor permits issued by the county.
3. Require business licenses and background checks on all beach vendors.
4. Allow beach vendors at Regional Accesses only, no Neighborhood Accesses with
beaches that are too narrow. Beachgoers can easily rent equipment from vendors and take it to and from the beach each day at any of these Neighborhood Accesses.
5. Implement service contracts with beach vendors to limit operations at Regional Beach Accesses to one vendor per access. Vendors would be selected via a bid process conducted by the county. The selected vendors would pay the county a flat fee and a percentage of revenue for the right to vend on the beach. This income could be used to cover the increased costs of hiring additional code enforcement officers and make other improvement to beach accesses if there are excess funds after paying for the increase in code enforcement staff.
6. As part of their contracts, the vendors must commit to have attendants on site, so they can set-up when customers arrive and take down when customers leave. Prime set-up locations on the beach should be based on the first-come, first-served concept.
7. Alternatively, the county could assume all responsibility for the beach chair setup operations on public beaches. This would ensure compliance with the vendor rules as well as be a source of revenue to pay for the increase in code enforcement staff and potentially fund other beach related needs.
8. Implement a set of operating regulations including but not limited to the following:
A. Identify specific vendor zones (% of beach and location on the beach);
B. Eliminate early morning beach chair setups;
C. Establish minimum setup distance from the water;
D. Require full time attendants at the beach, etc.
Replies
19Beach Fanatic
That is a lot of ideas. Your title says rules change Dec 11. What is changing?
Beach Fanatic
Not trying to create a stir, #3. You are going to selectively mandate Business Licenses and Background Checks on just Beach Vendors? Are you creating rules for one segment of business community but not all of them? What is the purpose of the background checks? Is the intent to do this for the owners of the service or the owners and employees?
Beach Fanatic
4. Allow beach vendors at Regional Accesses only, no Neighborhood Accesses with
beaches that are too narrow. Beachgoers can easily rent equipment from vendors and take it to and from the beach each day at any of these Neighborhood Accesses.
How does that work to make it "easy"? Where is the equipment kept and how is it easy to rent heavy chairs and umbrellas to carry and set up by themselves?
beaches that are too narrow. Beachgoers can easily rent equipment from vendors and take it to and from the beach each day at any of these Neighborhood Accesses.
How does that work to make it "easy"? Where is the equipment kept and how is it easy to rent heavy chairs and umbrellas to carry and set up by themselves?
Beach Lover
It`s a start. There has to be some sort of control for the out of control venders. As with any changes, it`s a work in progress. This is a great starting point to hopefully put some solid rules in place for the beach venders to follow.
Beach Fanatic
It`s a start. There has to be some sort of control for the out of control venders. As with any changes, it`s a work in progress. This is a great starting point to hopefully put some solid rules in place for the beach venders to follow.Then why not have a countywide business license and background check for all employees? I appreciate that there are people interested in protecting the beach and vendors not taking advantage as is claimed, but I think you can't be selective here about who you regulate and do background checks on. This is just my 2 cents.
SoWal Guide
A good start. Hope it can get implemented and keep being modified and regulated until Beach vendors are not front and center of our beaches
Beach Fanatic
I don't believe most of these changes will be made for the 2019 season (due to timing), but a managed vendor program seems very likely for 2020. Hopefully, a few simple changes can be implemented for 2019 that will improve the situation and then a well thought out vendor management program can be developed for 2020. Contribute your ideas if you have some. You never know what might make it into a plan and we do have two new BCC members that may be more amenable to managing vendors.
Beach Fanatic
If these ideas can be part of a slow winding down of any vending, especially beach chairs, on all public beaches, then go for it.
When you stop and think about it, it is crazy that the county allows the public's beaches to be taken over by commercial vendors. If the county wants to continue this, please allow for hot dog stands, henna tatoos booths, cartoon portrait artists, you get the idea, at the South Walton courthouse complex.
If you want to be real about "CU" it has to start with what the people aready own.
When you stop and think about it, it is crazy that the county allows the public's beaches to be taken over by commercial vendors. If the county wants to continue this, please allow for hot dog stands, henna tatoos booths, cartoon portrait artists, you get the idea, at the South Walton courthouse complex.
If you want to be real about "CU" it has to start with what the people aready own.
Beach FanaticAuthor
bc
Beach FanaticAuthor
Next Tuesday....12/11/18....Tick Tock....come prepared......
Beach Fanatic
#121
The recommendations are attached. To clarify, though, Dec. 11 is not the public hearing, just the first time the proposed revisions are being presented to the commissioners for their input. The last paragraph of the recommendations reads: "The next step in the beach code revision process is to identify which items/code sections the Walton County BCC would like to revise. After this identification process has been completed direction should be given to the WC Legal Dept and the Beach Code Enforcement Dept to draft the specific code language that reflects the BCC’s direction and set a Public Hearing to consider revisions and take action to adopt/not adopt the code revisions." That being said, the public is able to talk on this or any other topic at county commission meetings. The South Walton Community Council is on the agenda to present their recommendations at the meeting.
Beach FanaticAuthor
As usual looks like the normal yearly BCC STALL pattern...Continues.....
Unwritten BCC secret game plan to Keep and Increase Beach Vendor Mafia Rule:
1).Post season yearly reviews Sept./Oct.
2) December public forums and stalling and fake studies....
3) Jan./Feb.
Meetings and more talks on past two months of studying and investigations......
4) Late Feb. Schudule meeting “Surprise” Now it’s TOO close to spring break to start new beach Vendor Rules..
5) BCC 6 month old ruling, “ we will look into this matter immediately after the summer season and solve the problem, just not enough time since Spring Break starts on a few weeks...
This is now an unwritten BCC pattern over last 4 years.....Just kick the Can down the beach...As Usual Beach Vendor Mafia Rules ALL SOWAL Public Owned Beaches......
Unwritten BCC secret game plan to Keep and Increase Beach Vendor Mafia Rule:
1).Post season yearly reviews Sept./Oct.
2) December public forums and stalling and fake studies....
3) Jan./Feb.
Meetings and more talks on past two months of studying and investigations......
4) Late Feb. Schudule meeting “Surprise” Now it’s TOO close to spring break to start new beach Vendor Rules..
5) BCC 6 month old ruling, “ we will look into this matter immediately after the summer season and solve the problem, just not enough time since Spring Break starts on a few weeks...
This is now an unwritten BCC pattern over last 4 years.....Just kick the Can down the beach...As Usual Beach Vendor Mafia Rules ALL SOWAL Public Owned Beaches......
Beach Fanatic
#141
Beach Activities Ordinance workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 9 at the South Walton Annex. South Walton Community Council recommendations presented at this week's BCC meeting are attached.
Beach Fanatic
Public beaches belong to the public, not commercial vendors. End of...
Community Organization
The commissioners decided not to discuss the potential changes to the Beach Activities Ordinance during this meeting and scheduled a public workshop to discuss the ordinance on January 9th at 9:00am at the South Walton Annex. SWCC’s representative, John Reichenbach, was still given the opportunity to provide a summary of our recommendations to the BCC. Immediately following John’s presentation, Phillip Poundstone, a beach vendor and President of the South Walton Beach Vendors Association, stated that the vendors have proposed changes they will present at the public workshop on January 9th and they feel their recommendations will address all issues and prevent the county from putting any vendors out of business. He did not provide any details of their proposal at that time.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOP ON JANUARY 9TH AND EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND/OR PRESENT YOUR OWN IDEAS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THIS SITUATION. ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO ATTEND. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IF WE SPEAK OUT WITH A LARGE ENOUGH VOICE.
Click here to see SWCC’s recommendations:
Beach Activities Recommendations
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOP ON JANUARY 9TH AND EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND/OR PRESENT YOUR OWN IDEAS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THIS SITUATION. ALSO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO ATTEND. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IF WE SPEAK OUT WITH A LARGE ENOUGH VOICE.
Click here to see SWCC’s recommendations:
Beach Activities Recommendations
Beach FanaticAuthor
South Walton Beach Vendor Association!!!????
THOUGHTS??
THOUGHTS??
Beach Fanatic
I googled that and managed to find my way to the beach vendor application.....found an interesting tidbit at the bottom that I am sure hasnt been brought up (dam sure hasnt been enforced)..
Note:
Permits do not grant vending rights seaward of
the Erosion Control Line.
(Exception: Water Based Activities with additional specific permit)
Set
up time for vendors will be as stated in the ordinance.
Take
-down time for vendors will be 1 hour after dusk.
Note:
Permits do not grant vending rights seaward of
the Erosion Control Line.
(Exception: Water Based Activities with additional specific permit)
Set
up time for vendors will be as stated in the ordinance.
Take
-down time for vendors will be 1 hour after dusk.
Beach FanaticAuthor
Permits do not grant vending rights seaward of
the Erosion Control Line (ECL)
(Exception: Water Based Activities with additional specific permit)
Set.....I have pictures of this law being broken daily over last 4 years..
....... Great Find jodiFL ........
Cold beer says that will be changed..now that YOU have “Outed” them...
Enforcement of this would solve a lot of problems
the Erosion Control Line (ECL)
(Exception: Water Based Activities with additional specific permit)
Set.....I have pictures of this law being broken daily over last 4 years..
....... Great Find jodiFL ........
Cold beer says that will be changed..now that YOU have “Outed” them...
Enforcement of this would solve a lot of problems
Beach Fanatic
Actually the entire "checklist" can be viewed at https://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/29709/BEACH-VENDING-APPLICATION-PACKET?bidId= (N/M link works now.)
I wonder how many of them can truthfully check all these boxes....
Submittal
Requirements
1.Land based location with direct access to the beach in the immediate area where the vending
services are being provided (Proof of Ownership or Lease of Property, Notarized Affidavit from
property owner, and 911 address of each location
site).
2.Detailed drawing of vendor location that includes all of the following items:
a) Boundary lines of the beach vendor location.
b) Placement of all temporary structures, including storage boxes, beach chair
locations and water based activity, and beach access corridors (min 10 ft
. wide if needed).
3.Proof of Liability Insurance within Walton County guidelines.
4.Proof of telephone or marine radio at operations center, for each location site.
5. List of all inventory to be stored at each vendor site.
6. All water-based
activities must be shown on site plan.
7. Proof of certification for lifesaving, for each site
(Required for Water Based Activities only).
8. Make checks payable to: Walton County BCC
I wonder how many of them can truthfully check all these boxes....
Submittal
Requirements
1.Land based location with direct access to the beach in the immediate area where the vending
services are being provided (Proof of Ownership or Lease of Property, Notarized Affidavit from
property owner, and 911 address of each location
site).
2.Detailed drawing of vendor location that includes all of the following items:
a) Boundary lines of the beach vendor location.
b) Placement of all temporary structures, including storage boxes, beach chair
locations and water based activity, and beach access corridors (min 10 ft
. wide if needed).
3.Proof of Liability Insurance within Walton County guidelines.
4.Proof of telephone or marine radio at operations center, for each location site.
5. List of all inventory to be stored at each vendor site.
6. All water-based
activities must be shown on site plan.
7. Proof of certification for lifesaving, for each site
(Required for Water Based Activities only).
8. Make checks payable to: Walton County BCC
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