Do We Desperately Need Drive-Thrus?

[Water Boy]

30A only drive through

The only drive thru on 30A is closed. I not saying they closed down because of the drive thru. But, the building and the drive thru is still there and is still looking for a tenant.

I would not want to see a drive thru on 30A.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I tried a community garden years ago but, everyone was busy developing 30a and did not have time. I would be open to it again if there was interest.

You may not notice all the drive thrus east and west of Pier Park because they are all behind a line of trees due to responsible growth but I can assure you they are there.

The one thing that does save South Walton Hwy 98 is most of the property was/is Preservation 2000 land. Unfortunately, last year the state started to sell off some of those parcels such the property between Cano Square and The Community Church. The loss of that protected land will cause more damage to 98 and the trees than a drive thru.

As for tearing down the old buildings it is just not cost effective unless tenants are secured and the only tenants interested are the national chains.

Have a wonderful day!

I did not know about the community garden attempt. I think it might be a good idea to try again...I have been growing quite a lot in containers, but there are some of us who might be interested.

I have worked with a national group that helps communities across the country establish community gardens...they are a great idea and some of the best are right in the middle of New York City. I wonder how the idea would go over here. I think it might.

I agree that losing the Preservation Land is damaging...I don't understand why that decision was made either. I would prefer to support the local restaurants that we have rather than have the chains that are everywhere come in here.

With the out of control development and short term thinking, we are "not so slowly" destroying what makes us special and it is sad.

 

[Alicia Leonard]

A little off topic, but DeFuniak is working on a community garden right now.

 

[GoodWitch58]

great, where is it and who can participate?

 

[scooterbug44]

I love the idea! Seaside school has one.

Although I would probably get run out of the "community" because my brown thumb kilt the community's garden!

 

[NotDeadYet]

I agree that losing the Preservation Land is damaging...I don't understand why that decision was made either

Those are so-called "out parcels" slated for disposition as part of the ongoing acquisition and disposition of the state forest. They are either isolated ten acre parcels difficult to manage or connected to other disconnected parcels, etc.
Originally the plan, dating back to the Trust days in the 90's, was to fill in gaps through acquisition to end up with a unified forest and a green corridor from the bay to the beach, and to dispose of the isolated parcels that came with the whole package. I'm not sure if acquisition is still ongoing - a lot of opportunities to acquire were lost through development and the whole plan has undergone a lot of revision over the years.

 

[Beach Runner]

If you want some input, email Pat Blackshear, Director of the Planning Department (email address at Walton County, Florida Online) and the entire BCC (email addresses at Walton County, Florida Online) expressing why you oppose the drive-throughs. Sounds like incompatibility. Also, email the South Walton Community Council http://www.southwaltoncc.org/mc/page...838&orgId=swcc to get their help.

 

[Chandra]

This proposal for fast food/ drive-thru restaurants ties to a larger issue looming in Walton County, the EAR amendments. If you're not aware, the county has been going through a whole slew of related elements. The planning department and planning commissioners have been holding public workshops at the annex for some time now.

The issue for many folks is not so much that they want fast food, it's that they want convenient and less expensive food and they automatically jump to the conclusion that McDonalds (or other) fills that need. There are many other options available and it would be great if a local food business could figure out how to creatively solve this problem, whether the food be healthy fare or bar-b-que sandwiches wrapped in bacon.

Back to the amendments, the larger issue is that the County desperately needs a new vision for how it will grow and meet the needs of its citizens and tourists. Zoning has been bounced around this site quite a bit, but there is a new venture underway as we type, based on transect based planning.

For all those people who have voiced their opinions here about fast food & drive-thru's, please stay tuned. These issues are related and there will be more coming down the pike.

As for the community garden, the time is approaching that this will become more viable. The Seaside Garden is well under way, there's lots of talk about starting others and ACT (Agriculture and Community Together) Walton is behind these efforts as well. The next ACT Walton meeting is March 17 at 3:00 at the library. These meetings are open to the public and are for anyone interested in local food, agriculture, CSA's, community gardens, restaurants, farmers, etc.

 

[Matt J]

I don't understand how this brings in anything but fast food?

Chain restaurants can build on 98 all day long. How many Denny's, Chili's, Applebee's, TGIF's, Waffle Houses, Chotchkies, or Shenanigan's have drive thru's?

I remember working in rentals when a woman came in to check out and in tears, I'm not kidding, complained that there was no where to eat. Me and my manager looked at her dumbfounded and asked what she meant. She explained they had to drive all the way into Destin or PCB to get food from McDonald's, Taco Bell, and others. We apologized holding back laughter and she turned and left.

I guess my point is that despite the mismash of things we have here in South Walton Fast Food does not work into that equation.

 

[gardening1970]

We spend our vacation dollars in SoWal precisely because of the lack of fast food chain atmosphere and appurtenant commercialization. I know how to drive to Destin and PCB and would stay there if I wanted drive-throughs and highrise towers.

I agree with the goose/golden egg post. Please don't let it happen there. What's next ... bumper boats and go-karts?