SoWal Incorporation
- Thread starter steel1man
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come by the office for a special SoWal sticker for your car from us. YES you do live in South Walton County - a slice of Walton County with its own unique location, population, beaches, restaurants, people and character.
We'll give you a tshirt too.
poppy makes a good point as does Danny. Some of us have been here long enough to understand that while there are distinct differences in the two parts of the county, it is still only one county. The overbearing attitude of some now calling South Walton County their home, is amazing. The beach usage issue is a good example. There are definitely changes that need to be made in the governance of the county but those changes can be made by all working together.
Not to mention the dastardly deed of naming an Internet website after this imaginary part of the county...
Lived here 56 years, never had a problem with north & south Walton, until Yankees moved in and wanted to take over.
I have lived in Walton County all of my life. I am even one of the dreaded and derided people whose family has lived here 7 generations, having moved here in the 1820's. So I understand there are differences in the viewpoint of people based on what area of the county they live in. There are vast differences between people who live in DFS and people who live in Freeport or Paxton, or the Valley or Darlington or Choctaw Beach or Red Bay etc. etc. Just as there are differences between those who live in SanDestin and those who live in Santa Rosa Beach and those who live along 30-A. But I also understand that improving other areas of the county helps my area as well. Higher property values means more funds to pay for more amenities and better infrastructure brings better jobs and higher property values. The issue in the South is to manage growth, the issue in the North is to encourage and start growth.
One sentiment you often hear in the North is that people wish things could go back to the way they were 30-40 years ago in the South. Then, there was little development, you could basically go anywhere on the beach you wanted, camp there, build bonfires, drive, fish all night and never feel crowded. 98 was 2-laned and there were only a handful of stores. The county was also poor and had substandard schools, infrastructure and opportunities. Developing the South brought prosperity to all of the county to some extent. Things change and no one can stop progress. At best you manage it. While many of the benefits of no development have been lost forever, Walton County has done a great job at creating an upscale, family targeted destination, unlike our neighbors to the east and west. While there have been mistakes, the results are fairly good, whether by plan or by accident. So it is rather irritating to hear someone who has lived here only a short time pontificate on how bad things are and how we need to change our ways of doing things to how they did it "back home." If things were so great there, why did they leave and if things are so bad here, why did they move here?
Most folks in the North would encourage the South to incorporate. You can figure the reasons if you think about it.
One sentiment you often hear in the North is that people wish things could go back to the way they were 30-40 years ago in the South. Then, there was little development, you could basically go anywhere on the beach you wanted, camp there, build bonfires, drive, fish all night and never feel crowded. 98 was 2-laned and there were only a handful of stores. The county was also poor and had substandard schools, infrastructure and opportunities. Developing the South brought prosperity to all of the county to some extent. Things change and no one can stop progress. At best you manage it. While many of the benefits of no development have been lost forever, Walton County has done a great job at creating an upscale, family targeted destination, unlike our neighbors to the east and west. While there have been mistakes, the results are fairly good, whether by plan or by accident. So it is rather irritating to hear someone who has lived here only a short time pontificate on how bad things are and how we need to change our ways of doing things to how they did it "back home." If things were so great there, why did they leave and if things are so bad here, why did they move here?
Most folks in the North would encourage the South to incorporate. You can figure the reasons if you think about it.
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Danny, spell out the reasons folks in the North wish the South to incorportate. I am not following why nor, are probably many others.
I don't think it is or should be a North v. South situation. That doesn't make sense, nor is it helpful in any way. It's a matter of having one community growing so fast and having such unique infrastructure needs, that something big needs to happen to lead the way for that community. I do not believe County Government is intended to provide the kind of leadership that is needed in South Walton. This is one reason we have incorporated cities already within our county, and all along the coast in other counties . It's not unusual for a growing town to reach the point of incorporation to form a charter. It's done all over the US because people care enough to take steps to shape their own future.
We have such active and talented citizens in the community. Just because they would like to be proactive and help south Walton form a charter government does not mean they are in a battle with the north. They understand that good leadership of their town helps everyone in our Walton County.
We have such active and talented citizens in the community. Just because they would like to be proactive and help south Walton form a charter government does not mean they are in a battle with the north. They understand that good leadership of their town helps everyone in our Walton County.
Teresa, if those in Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Miramar Beach and other populated areas wish to incorporate, let them. To say a city can be formed beach to bay, county line to county line with a good part of it state forest and not prone to urban development is ludicrous. Leave our area out of your "incorporation". We have wonderful waste pick-up, fire and EMS service, regional utilities and electrical service. If we want for anything we don't have, I don't know what it is. I am only one person expressing a point of view but I am willing to bet there are others who feel exactly as I do.
Leave Miramar Beach out also, we are quite content here.