Walton Sun letter to editor
Full metal beach
The Walton Sun had a most informative commentary on Sept. 17 entitled ?Walling in Walton County.?
It seems many beachfront property owners believe that building a seawall is the answer to all their problems with storms. May I remind them that Susan Lucas of Blue Mountain Beach had a seawall and lost her house to Dennis anyway. Neighboring houses without seawalls survived.
It is interesting to note that armoring structures must be built as close to the house or condo as practicable. However, it appears that seawalls are going in as far out on the beach as possible ? on the property line or in some cases, just past it.
When sand is then pushed against the seawall resulting in a long sloping dune and long flights with oversize decks are built for beach access, there will be little or no room left to walk on the beach at high tide.
This was the situation in Blue Mountain Beach prior to Arlene and this was without a long row of seawalls. After Arlene, humongous steps with oversized decks began to be immediately rebuilt (yes, without a permit from DEP or the county).
The general public should not be made to put up with the lack of beach access due to installation of seawalls and oversize beach steps and decks. Let?s hope DEP and Walton County keep an eye on this situation.
Martha Heller Santa Rosa Beach
Full metal beach
The Walton Sun had a most informative commentary on Sept. 17 entitled ?Walling in Walton County.?
It seems many beachfront property owners believe that building a seawall is the answer to all their problems with storms. May I remind them that Susan Lucas of Blue Mountain Beach had a seawall and lost her house to Dennis anyway. Neighboring houses without seawalls survived.
It is interesting to note that armoring structures must be built as close to the house or condo as practicable. However, it appears that seawalls are going in as far out on the beach as possible ? on the property line or in some cases, just past it.
When sand is then pushed against the seawall resulting in a long sloping dune and long flights with oversize decks are built for beach access, there will be little or no room left to walk on the beach at high tide.
This was the situation in Blue Mountain Beach prior to Arlene and this was without a long row of seawalls. After Arlene, humongous steps with oversized decks began to be immediately rebuilt (yes, without a permit from DEP or the county).
The general public should not be made to put up with the lack of beach access due to installation of seawalls and oversize beach steps and decks. Let?s hope DEP and Walton County keep an eye on this situation.
Martha Heller Santa Rosa Beach