Next week is really going to be a mess...

[Gidget]

Thanks. I do believe they felt very intimidated. They are visitors to our beaches and are told these are the rules and that they will be fined if ignored. It would take a lot to ignore that. Many can't bring their own chairs and umbrellas either as space is limited or they flew here, etc... But it is good to know that they could have ignored the vendor and that likely nothing would have happened. The children were upset too btw, which was very sad to see, and so the parents just said it wasn't worth the likelihood of having a 'scene' with authorities. They were there to have a lovely day and this put a dark cloud on their day for sure - and maybe even their entire stay.

 

[Duchess]

Was this at the Blue Mountain beach access at 83 or at Blue Lupine? Because I was at Blue Lupine from 6 am today to about 12:45 pm and all went remarkably well. Color me happily surprised! More to come, potentially. Very sorry this happened, of course.

 

[Gidget]

That's good news at least! This was at Blue Mtn access #36 at Hwy 83, straight down the steps and to the left, in front of the first two houses. Thanks!

 

[Emerald Drifter]

Was on beach today at Blue Mtn access and there was a family of 5 without tents but with umbrellas and chairs they had rented. The family was all set up with 2 chairs and 2 umbrellas and beach towels for the kids. The young men working for 30A Shade told them they had to leave. Now, they were not asked to leave because 30A Shade was going to set up more chairs and umbrellas - they had already set up earlier in the morning. Had the families been on towels they could have stayed. They were asked to leave because they had rented equipment from another company - that is what we all gathered anyway. The family just waited a while thinking they really didn't mean it when after a bit they returned and said - you really do have to leave. The wife asked if they were the code enforcers and the young man said no, but he would get a code enforcer there, and the family would be fined $100. By now, the beach was more crowded and the family had to move farther away from their very nice spot which btw, was right next to me and my towel. So if anyone reading this can answer the following I would appreciate it: Was the family asked to move by the employees of 30A Shade because the family had rented chairs from a different company - perhaps 30A Shade has a contract with the homeowner? Is there a 'code enforcer' who can charge someone a $100 fine? There were people in front of this family, to the left and right of this family and behind this family - they just were not in rental chairs. This really put a damper on their holiday beach day - I felt for them. They were so confused and heck, I live here and I am confused as to not only the rules, more more importantly, the enforcement - if any.

Perhaps those locals who do know the truth can offer insight to the visitors who don't know and just want to have a nice day at the beach. Step up and help out. See yourself as an informal "beach ambassador". You don't have to say one word to the vendor, but you can educate the vistor. The vendors are preying on the visitors' ignorance of this issue.

ALL commercial vendors need to be banned from all county public property. Period.

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

That's good news at least! This was at Blue Mtn access #36 at Hwy 83, straight down the steps and to the left, in front of the first two houses. Thanks!

I think I see the source of the confusion. The property in “front of the first two houses” is private. However a beach vendor has been given authority by the property owner(s) to vend on their property... a win-win for the public, property owner and small business owner (beach vendor). If someone sets up on that property without permission, then they are simply trespassing and will be asked to move. I believe the same holds true for the homes on the west side of the access.

Of course the above has nothing to do with the fact that your county commissioners have given 50% of YOUR public beach to private vendors, in essence. Regardless of your stand with beach ownership, I’ve said it before in so many words, this conveyence of public property control to beach vendors should cause everyone to demand from their commissioner to restore public beach back to the public or submit their resignation.

Fight the very obvious and winnable battles first.