BCC Looking to Acquire Beach Front

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

From the previously referenced PDF document regarding Watersound's beach access and as Mr. Dave R. quotes:

So,,,,,,

If I grant my neighbors a permanent public easement to use my privately owned driveway for public pedestrian access, does that mean they have the right to set up chairs, umbrellas, tents, coolers, play volleyball, etc, on my driveway? I'll take a giant leap of faith and say the answer is no. I don't see too much difference here.

On customary use.....As far back as 1995 both the state of Florida and St. Joe Co. understood the concept of customary use.

In my opinion item (8) above is a far cry from Watersound recognizing customary use as D.R. suggests unless there is other verbiage in the document that suggest otherwise.

Interestingly in the same thought as above, Sara Comander alludes that private property owners in Walton County are preventing the public from traversing across their private beach like she "used to do in Daytona when her mother would let her". Nothing could be further from the truth....at least on our beach and other owners that I know. We don't need a #8 to be civil to those who simply walk through our private sandy beach property.

 

[Lucas Reynolds]

That video surveillance idea is horrible and I assume sarcastic?

What are you afraid of? That you won't be able to bring your unpermitted and unleashed dog on the beach? Dig your 3 ft deep sand pit without filling it back up? Won't be able to leave your trash without picking up? Won't be able to surf when double red flags are out? Customarily set up 10 unoccupied chairs and 10 ft canopies on private property all day long? Won't be able to leave your small children unsupervised all day along. Won't be able to park illegally? Won't be able to nude sunbath? There is no expectation of privacy on the beach just like on the 30A bike path. What are you afraid of again?

 

[Lucas Reynolds]

From the previously referenced PDF document regarding Watersound's beach access and as Mr. Dave R. quotes:
View attachment 62973
So,,,,,,

If I grant my neighbors a permanent public easement to use my privately owned driveway for public pedestrian access, does that mean they have the right to set up chairs, umbrellas, tents, coolers, play volleyball, etc, on my driveway? I'll take a giant leap of faith and say the answer is no. I don't see too much difference here.

In my opinion item (8) above is a far cry from Watersound recognizing customary use as D.R. suggests unless there is other verbiage in the document that suggest otherwise.

Interestingly in the same thought as above, Sara Comander alludes that private property owners in Walton County are preventing the public from traversing across their private beach like she "used to do in Daytona when her mother would let her". Nothing could be further from the truth....at least on our beach and other owners that I know. We don't need a #8 to be civil to those who simply walk through our private sandy beach property.

Spot on Vagrant. Didn't spend too much time on Dave R.'s source doc after the settlement was a FL DEP eminent domain that St Joe "... is defending against the taking and claims full compensation under the Constitution and laws of Florida for the taking of such portion of its property ..." Sounds more like a shake down than settlement.

 

[Dave Rauschkolb]

The 1995 consent final judgment with the St. Joe Company (St. Joe Paper Company at that time) is found on the Walton County website. It is attached.

Thanks for finding this. The link that Alan Ficarra originally supplied stopped working.

 

[miznotebook]

You're welcome. I was glad to hear in some of the comments that most beachfront owners are not opposed to people walking on the beach, since I enjoy doing that. However I did see a sign that said "no walking." Not sure if it is still up or not.

 

[FactorFiction]

You're welcome. I was glad to hear in some of the comments that most beachfront owners are not opposed to people walking on the beach, since I enjoy doing that. However I did see a sign that said "no walking." Not sure if it is still up or not.

I don't think most of the beachfront owners ever did have a problem with walking, jogging, swimming, a beach towel to stop and rest or sunbathe. Those things are a far cry from tents, chairs and umbrella setups, huge coolers and myriad other "conveniences" from sun up to sun down.

 

[coondog]

I recently heard about and saw video of Dave Rauschkolb’s support of Walton Commissioner’s rush to purchase beachfront in Dune Allen in opposition to local homeowners and their attorney objections at the August 23, 2016 BCC meeting. Mr. Rauschkolb is a leading outspoken opponent against beachfront owners private property rights and supporter of taking of recognized private property rights of exclusive use beachfront MHWL property owners have today through customary-use. Mr. Rauschkolb lives in Watersound, developed by St. Joe, and is on the Association’s board. Watersound has private beach and beach access. Across the street from Dave on Bridge Ln. D.R. Horton is developing 31 acres of housing.

Many would like to know why Dave is opposed to the D.R. Horton homeowners using the Watersound/St. Joe beach access and beach? If Dave is against others from using Watersound beach access and beach. Seems Dave is all for beach access and parking if it's in someone else and not his neighborhood.

First, Dave is not, nor has he ever been on the Watersound Master Board of Directors, and I would know that, because I live there full time. Secondly, St. Joe owns the beach, not the Watersound HOA and we have absolutely no control of what transpires on the beach. Any questions about access to St. Joe's beach should be directed to Patrick Murphy at St Joe, 850-231-6408.

 

[Dave Rauschkolb]

First, Dave is not, nor has he ever been on the Watersound Master Board of Directors, and I would know that, because I live there full time. Secondly, St. Joe owns the beach, not the Watersound HOA and we have absolutely no control of what transpires on the beach. Any questions about access to St. Joe's beach should be directed to Patrick Murphy at St Joe, 850-231-6408.

Thank you for providing that info Coondog. I had already informed them of those facts. Anyone may access the beaches from east or west but it is a very long walk. They may not go through private accesses as is the case in Watersound, Rosemary Beach and pretty much all developments that have private access.

 

[FactorFiction]

Thank you for providing that info Coondog. I had already informed them of those facts. Anyone may access the beaches from east or west but it is a very long walk. They may not go through private accesses as is the case in Watersound, Rosemary Beach and pretty much all developments that have private access.

Aren't you and all of the folks in those private areas fortunate? So, even though customary use was supposedly recognized in the settlement that has been posted, all the accesses are conveniently private to public beach? Nice for the folks who benefit from that.

 

[LarsAtTheBeach]

I wonder how it will affect beachfront property taxes if the BCC is the one paying over market value?

It's recorded as an unqualified sale. And I believe will not be included in the value assessment of neighboring properties.