Hello, All. I've been reading this board for a couple of months now and have found it to be great for keeping up with what's going on down 30A way. Thanks to all of you! I read the article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution today that is mentioned in another post and noticed that the Seagrove Villas have been sold and are to be torn down to provide a beach access for the development across the road. Though I have never stayed there, I always thought the Villas added a little touch of nostalgia and atmosphere to 30A and I have been surprised that no one has commented on the plans to tear them down. I guess I really don't know how old they are but have always assumed they were built in the 40's or 50's. I know that the only constant is change and that is has been proven time and again that there is no standing in the way of "progress" but I was wondering about the lack of reaction to this news. Is it old news posted from before my time or does no one really care?
Seagrove Villas to be torn down
- Thread starter Bham2beach
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Old news, dead horse beaten, but it still sucks. By the way, welcome! Post early and often.
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It's a sore spot with our darling Kathy. 
I totally agree with you though that it added so much to 30A. Loved driving by and seeing the sign. What a shame.
I totally agree with you though that it added so much to 30A. Loved driving by and seeing the sign. What a shame.
This is where it will get interesting. Yes, some of it is old news, but the kicker, according to the Comprehensive Planning Code, since this property is zoned Residential, yet grandfathered in as commercial, if the existing buildings on the property are destroyed by more than 50% in value, by man or nature, the use under which they are grandfathered, reverts back to the current use, which is residential. In this particular case, they would not be allowed to build more than four residential homes (four lots of record). It is the law!!! Why these people forgot about that is beyond me. Maybe their attorney is hoping to shove it up the butts of the County Commissioners.
Even the County Commissioners, who approved the project, are aware of the potential loss of the grandfathered use, because as I understand it, they brought it up in another case on Tuesday night. In fact, Scott Brannon was the one bringing it up and Commissioner Commander agreed.
Supposedly, construction will start on this project in Sept. However, I will be highly interested in seeing how they build all of the condos and beach club without expanding the footprint and square footage of the existing buildings, and how they will tear apart the existing building without decreasing the building's value by more than 50%.
Even the County Commissioners, who approved the project, are aware of the potential loss of the grandfathered use, because as I understand it, they brought it up in another case on Tuesday night. In fact, Scott Brannon was the one bringing it up and Commissioner Commander agreed.
Supposedly, construction will start on this project in Sept. However, I will be highly interested in seeing how they build all of the condos and beach club without expanding the footprint and square footage of the existing buildings, and how they will tear apart the existing building without decreasing the building's value by more than 50%.
It's a sore spot with our darling Kathy.
....and me too. I have spent some of the best weekends of my life there. My first real "beach trip" with my wife was there. We had cottage A-2. When they knocked down Silver Beach in Destin, SVM was the closest thing to Old Florida you could get. I can say this now that the place is about to to be gone, but I had sex in the pool there more than once (too much info? Sorry.) No other place on 30-A had the same feel. Heck, my parents stayed there 40 years ago.
I think mid-August is it. I desperately want one more weekend. But alas, with a pregnant wife and a two-year-old, it probably won't happen. At least I have memories.
The grass, the hammocks, the pool, the office, the picnic tables....the beach - it is all special.
A toast for The Villas (and the Wheelehouse while I'm at it).
Over the last few years, our 'diamond in the rough' has been relentlessly chiseled and polished as they attempted to turn it into a priceless and sparkling diamond...but what has emerged is a $71.95 QVC Diamonique? (available on 2 month Easy Pay).
Quite simply...it just doesn't matter anymore. .
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Well, JB, I must admit I will always think of you when I drive past the good old Villas
So what can we do to stop the continual raping of 30-A as we once knew it? I just
every time I drive through the area west of Grayton and see how that area has become "Little Destin." I will be glad to write letters and attend meetings. I've done quite a bit of that lately.I just hope Nature Walk beachclub isn't the one to challenge the height rule and find a way around the grandfathering by building a highrise...we need to keep close watch on the CC meetings to make sure that doesn't happen...
You can email reminders of the section of the Comp Plan to all the County Commissioners and remind them that Nature Walk will be in violation if they diminish the value of the buldings at any time, by more than 50%, and that by the Comp Plan, they will lose their grandfather clause allowing for commercial use, and the property will return to four residential lots.
I wonder if it would be worth it to pool together a little money and pay for an appraiser to appraise the value of the buildings today and after the demo, so that we have evidence to show of the diminished value being more than 50%.
I wonder if it would be worth it to pool together a little money and pay for an appraiser to appraise the value of the buildings today and after the demo, so that we have evidence to show of the diminished value being more than 50%.