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steel1man

Beach Fanatic
Jan 10, 2013
2,291
659
I think you'll be shocked at the number of parcels on 98. There is a hotel site and more at Peach Creek. Rosemary Beach east to Panama City Bridge will be one giant city. Almost everything west of 331 will look like Miramar Beach (basically Destin) soon. Not to mention that 331 north of the bay will soon have every chain store, restaurant, grocery, hotel, and car dealer known to man. But that's for another thread. But the relevant point is that a fight against a Hampton Inn will soon be a quaint and wistful notion.
Jim I for one am against the Hampton. I was just saying some parts of Sowal along 30a have a built in barrier against this type of building. As for 98 and the new four lane part of 331...I'm pretty sure it's years and years away...most of that land on 98 has been for sale since the 70's. It use to be $99.00 down and $99.00 an acre.....still empty....
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
Walton County FL population 1990- 27,837
Walton County FL population 2013- 59,807 (est.)

Despite repeated attempts to Make Freeport Happen, I'm guessing most of the growth has happened south of the bay so commercial expansion on 98 and planned road expansion in some areas in probably going to also happen sooner than later.
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
Growth needs to be regulated, otherwise, we will destroy the area (we are on that path now...)

Beaches are becoming more and more crowded. Instead of addressing the volume issue, the county looks to take private property and allow the public to use it.

Water run off is a mess. The county knows this, yet does nothing. More legal action will come out of this and cost big $$$.

No one Enforces anything. Come here and as long as you spend your vacation money, sowal is your oyster. Do as you please, dogs on beach, glass on beach, speed on our roads, litter, pack as many as you can into a rental house.

The quaint and quiet area known as 30a is no longer going to be quaint and quiet. It will become Destin and / or PCB.

Unless, people stand up to this outrageous growth and complete lack of oversight by local officials.
 

meggiemom

Beach Lover
Jun 24, 2012
222
22
Walton
My sister signed the petition. She and her husband lived in Seagrove Beach full time for several years and they owned their place for 20 years before selling it last year. I read the Move On.org petition and there isn't much in it that I can see that would stand up in court should the developer decide to sue if the project is denied but I'm not a lawyer. I would think that the county might think about the consequences of their decision since developer Jay Odom finally prevailed after years of litigation with the Grayton Grand project. I'm sure the developer and legal council for the Hampton project will cite that decision in their argument. I hate what's happened to the coast but everything changes and growth in the name of progress seems to be unstoppable.
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
Could be it's time to revisit the 'City of Santa Rosa Beach' (or whatever you want to call it) concept. I know that Crestview has a reputation for writing their zoning and land use code and then enforcing it so they can be very picky about businesses allowed within the city limits proper.

Of course Defuniak would fight it tooth and nail because of the possibility/probability of the city of Santa Rosa Beach recapturing more tax dollars generated south of the bay, but it's a fight that is generally winnable in the end and would allow SoWal control of its own destiny in a less piecemeal way.
 

m1a1mg

Beach Fanatic
Mar 16, 2014
914
285
Lost in the world
North Walton's disregard for 30A, at least to me, shows that the dollar trumps everything. Since so much power is held north of the bay, why should they care? A 90 room hotel is a lot of bed tax.
 

MiniRolls

Beach Crab
Feb 23, 2013
3
9
Franklin, TN
Blog Post from http://lovemy30a.com/2014/12/30/we-need-your-help/

-------------------------
Dear Friends of 30A,

First let me thank you for the outstanding show of support you have displayed in the past several days regarding the opposition to the proposed development of a Hampton Inn here on 30A. We have had over 8,000 signatures to an online petition expressing concern over the proposed 90-room big box hotel. We have over 2,000 likes on a new Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/notonmy30a, that was put up especially for the purpose of providing property owners, residents, and friends of this beautiful scenic corridor to express their thoughts and opinions over this proposed development. Still others have taken the time to write letters to our elected officials and other community leaders to voice their objections. I think its fair to say we have “touched a nerve” of anyone who loves this unique piece of paradise and wants it to retain its distinctive character. We are both humbled and amazed by this outpouring of support.
To this end, we have aligned with an existing organization called the South Walton Community Council, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3), which is made up of like minded people who have been and continue to be passionately involved in keeping our community true to its original character. South Walton Community Council (SWCC) has reached out to us and us to them to combine efforts to oppose this Hampton Inn project. SWCC has been down this road many times before and can offer our effort their knowledge, expertise, and passion to fight the good fight.
We are at a point in this process where we feel the engagement of legal counsel would greatly benefit our cause. The law firm of Sachs & La Seur, P.A. have a unique expertise in the field of land planning/zoning here in South Walton and also share our passion for maintaining what makes our community special. Their focus will be to work with SSWC and those behind this most recent effort to oppose the Hampton Inn. We are encouraged that there maybe opportunities to stop this development before it goes before the County Commissioners for a vote later in January.
If our effort is to be successful, we will need support of all of you who have expressed your opposition to this project so far. That support comes in the form of continued emails and letters to our elected officials, critical participation at the upcoming Planning meeting on the 14th and the Commissioners meeting to be announced soon and finally to support us financially to pay for the cost of legal fees, etc. SWCC has a legal fund set specifically for this purpose. The SWCC legal fund’s purpose is to protect the character and integrity of 30a’s scenic corridor and the overall community we call the beaches of South Walton. The money you contribute will go specifically for the purpose of opposing the development of not only the Hampton Inn project, but future developments that do not maintain the integrity of our community.
We are asking each of you to support to the cause by contributing to the SWCC Legal Fund. Time is of the essence if we are to be successful in stopping this development. We have set up a new site to make it easy for you to contribute. Visithttp://www.notonmy30a.com to make a contribution to SWCC’s legal fund.
Please know that we are extremely appreciative of all the support you have shown.
Again, thanks for helping us keep 30a and South Walton the special place it is.

Thank You!

http://www.notonmy30a.com

http://www.lovemy30a.com

http://www.facebook.com/notonmy30a

http://www.twitter.com/notonmy30a


Donate Oppose Hampton Inn v2.png
 

Lake View Too

SoWal Insider
Nov 16, 2008
6,869
8,313
Eastern Lake
Humor! Finally! Even if it's kinda dumb. (I was referring to k2d2b2, not Ethan.) :)
 
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