• Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
New posts

Independent Thinker

Beach Lover
Aug 21, 2012
108
110
Santa Rosa Beach
Mr. Brentwood, your certainly entitled to you opinion. I have also lived in places where the traffic is worse. I bought my first property here in 1993, and moved here full time in 2000. For me, the area was so much more enjoyable then.
 
Last edited:

30aconcerned

Beach Lover
Oct 26, 2012
108
37
Not yet anyway

I get your point but there are millions who think this area is still undiscovered and quaint and undeveloped. While it would be nice to keep an area pristine -- one walk through the woods or along a coastal lake in SoWal is as good as it gets. I kind of chuckle / rolleyes when someone says traffic in summer is so horrible. I have been places where it takes and hour to drive three miles. Traffic here is minor.

...and if these new parking lots are built you will be sitting in traffic on 30-A for three hours. The increased traffic that this will bring to the bike path and to the beaches ( of which both are already overcrowded in peak times) will certainly diminish the enjoyment of these two premier attractions to 30-A. One can barely get through Seagrove today much less with additional traffic added. What you are advocating is 30-A to become another Panama City or Destin. Keep adding to the traffic and there will be no differentiation between the two areas.
 

miznotebook

Beach Fanatic
Jul 8, 2009
962
603
Stone's throw from Inlet Bch
On county web site today:

[h=2]PUBLIC NOTICE - Montigo Avenue, Walton Dunes and Santa Clara Beach Parking Workshops[/h]PUBLIC NOTICE
Montigo Avenue, Walton Dunes and Santa Clara Beach Parking Workshops

NOTICE is hereby given that the WALTON COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL will hold two beach parking workshops open to the public on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 5:00 p.m at the Coastal Branch Library, Santa Rosa Beach, and on November 15, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at the South Walton Courthouse Annex Boardroom, Santa Rosa Beach. For additional information regarding this meeting contact Stacey Infinger at 850-267-1216 or Stacey@visitsouthwalton.com.

Workshop Item: Discussion regarding design of a conceptual plan for beach parking development at county owned property in the following locations: Montigo Avenue, Walton Dunes and Santa Clara.
If a person decides to appeal any decision made by the council with respect to any matter considered, he/she will need a record of the proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes that testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
In accordance with Section 286.26, Florida Statutes, whenever any board or commissioner of any state agency or authority, or of any agency or authority of any county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision, which has scheduled a meeting, a written request by a physically handicapped person to attend the meeting, directed to the chairperson or director of such board, commission, agency, or authority, such chairperson or director shall provide a manner by which such person may attend the meeting at its scheduled site or reschedule the meeting to a site which would be accessible to such person.

Please be governed accordingly.




www.co.walton.fl.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=531
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,250
9,279
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
...and if these new parking lots are built you will be sitting in traffic on 30-A for three hours. The increased traffic that this will bring to the bike path and to the beaches ( of which both are already overcrowded in peak times) will certainly diminish the enjoyment of these two premier attractions to 30-A. One can barely get through Seagrove today much less with additional traffic added. What you are advocating is 30-A to become another Panama City or Destin. Keep adding to the traffic and there will be no differentiation between the two areas.

I was saying much the same as your statement about 12 years ago because of all the development and changes and people moving to the area, increased tourism, etc. But, I'm over it. Believe me, the changes going on today are nothing compared to what we have witnessed over the last 20 years. Fortunately, the progress in Walton County happens very slowly and we are very fortunate that we have wonderful building height standards, 40% of land preserved and lots of great residents who are all about preserving and protecting the natural environment as much as possible.

At the same time, people are demanding the County step it up and improve infrastructure for tourism and population growth - beach access parking being among the top needs for tourists AND residents. I don't know if these plans for increased beach access parking are ideal or not. But, I do know I've heard many residents talk about the need for parking up and down Scenic 30A. I know many of you will get involved, go the meetings and bring ideas for solutions. It's what makes SoWal so wonderful.
 
Last edited:

Andy A

Beach Fanatic
Feb 28, 2007
4,389
1,738
Blue Mountain Beach
I was saying much the same as your statement about 12 years ago because of all the development and changes and people moving to the area, increased tourism, etc. But, I'm over it. Believe me, the changes going on today are nothing compared to what we have witnessed over the last 20 years. Fortunately, the progress in Walton County happens very slowly and we are very fortunate that we have wonderful building height standards, 40% of land preserved and lots of great residents who are all about preserving and protecting the natural environment as much as possible.

At the same time, people are demanding the County step it up and improve infrastructure for tourism and population growth - beach access parking being among the top needs for tourists AND residents. I don't know if these plans for increased beach access parking are ideal or not. But, I do know I've heard many residents talk about the need for parking up and down Scenic 30A. I hope many of you will get involved, go the meetings and bring ideas for solutions instead of complaints.
Every thing you say is true, Teresa, and very well put. I just called the TDC with a question. Would the subject matter and presentation be the same on Nov. 8 and 15. The answer was yes so you only need to attend one session to receive all pertinent information.
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,250
9,279
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
Every thing you say is true, Teresa, and very well put. I just called the TDC with a question. Would the subject matter and presentation be the same on Nov. 8 and 15. The answer was yes so you only need to attend one session to receive all pertinent information.

Thanks for that info Andy!
 

30aconcerned

Beach Lover
Oct 26, 2012
108
37
and neither did the TDC but maybe they should have asked first...

I was saying much the same as your statement about 12 years ago because of all the development and changes and people moving to the area, increased tourism, etc. But, I'm over it. Believe me, the changes going on today are nothing compared to what we have witnessed over the last 20 years. Fortunately, the progress in Walton County happens very slowly and we are very fortunate that we have wonderful building height standards, 40% of land preserved and lots of great residents who are all about preserving and protecting the natural environment as much as possible.

At the same time, people are demanding the County step it up and improve infrastructure for tourism and population growth - beach access parking being among the top needs for tourists AND residents. I don't know if these plans for increased beach access parking are ideal or not. But, I do know I've heard many residents talk about the need for parking up and down Scenic 30A. I hope many of you will get involved, go the meetings and bring ideas for solutions instead of complaints.

Teresa stated that "I don't know if these plans for increased beach parking are ideal or not." and Andy stated that "I certainly don't have an answer to the necessary balance between residents and rental prople." And apparently neither does the TDC. The point is that anyone using common sense would think would be a very contoversial issue the TDC should have had more conversation with those citizens being impacted by the additional parking lots before it spent $50,000. I believe it has become apparent that these concerned "complainers" will be vocal at the planned meetings. It was recently reported that tourism increased to over three million visitors in the latest count. What the TDC needs to be doing is studying how much more tourism the infrastructure of 30-A can bear before it implodes. Take care of, fix and plan for what the area can support first. If the TDC keeps bringing more people to the area without adequate planning the tourists will stop coming to the area for the good reasons that we all came to 30-A.
 
New posts


Sign Up for SoWal Newsletter