Why is it that a majority of people think they can't walk along the beach? I've heard this ever since this nonsense started.
That was never the case and will not be the case. No private property owner has ever said that they want to prevent people from Walking On The Beach.
What is the case is that there are some people that don't just walk along the beach. They stop, they sit, they fish, they BBQ, they urinate and defecate in the dunes, the let their unlicensed dogs on the beach also urinate and defecate in the dunes, they leave glass bottles behind, they make tent cities, the list goes on. This takes place on peoples private property.
At least now, those Private Property Owners can clearly mark their areas and people can be aware of what is public and what is private.
So far the best idea I've hear is from FL Beach Bum. Please note the specific verbiage that seems to be a constant on this and other commentary sites as it pertains to this county. Educate. Enforce.
"About 20 miles or 75% of Walton littoral beachfront property is privately owned to the MHWL. I know it makes too much sense but shouldn’t Walton BCC/TDC mark the 6 miles of publicly owned property and north/south beach access lanes to the MHWL? Then by default the other 75% is private. Walton already marks 50% of the public beach fronts now for vendor use areas. Of course only the vendors know where those public areas are. But the key is for the TDC to educate the public with their $20 MILLION a year in taxes where the public beaches are, that the public is on private property outside the marked public areas, to respect private property and constitutional rules, then ENFORCE the rules."