I sat through all five-plus hours and don't recall anyone saying that the county commission sold any property to developers.
Hear from professionals why the CU battle will now last eight years
- Thread starter Reggie Gaskins
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I don't know of any instance where the county sold land to a developer.
First, people were able to buy U.S. Government lots. These were quite large (I forget exactly the dimensions but my daddy had four of them). The method of transfer was by patent, or patent deed.
Next, the buyers of said Government Lots would subdivide. This is where a surveyor would make their money, as each lot in a subdivision has a legal description. According to the developer's wishes, this is where the sandy portion of the beach was either deeded for public use, or for individual lots to the MHWL. Remember, in those days there was nothing to guarantee a beachfront owner that somebody wouldn't find a way to build between the toe of the dune and the water.
And so, as properties are sold and bought, that legal description remains the same. The County didn't do it. Quiet Title, yeah someone wasn't paying attention. But individual subdivisions, no.
First, people were able to buy U.S. Government lots. These were quite large (I forget exactly the dimensions but my daddy had four of them). The method of transfer was by patent, or patent deed.
Next, the buyers of said Government Lots would subdivide. This is where a surveyor would make their money, as each lot in a subdivision has a legal description. According to the developer's wishes, this is where the sandy portion of the beach was either deeded for public use, or for individual lots to the MHWL. Remember, in those days there was nothing to guarantee a beachfront owner that somebody wouldn't find a way to build between the toe of the dune and the water.
And so, as properties are sold and bought, that legal description remains the same. The County didn't do it. Quiet Title, yeah someone wasn't paying attention. But individual subdivisions, no.
Thanks, that's helpful. I recall hearing about land grants too, from the federal government. I know the county has sold parcels in the Mossy Head Industrial Park to people starting businesses there and possibly some miscellaneous parcels not needed over the years have been surplussed and sold, but have not heard of the county selling any beachfront property.
My opinion is sales were not what the attorneys were referencing. They were speaking to the county _approving_ subdivisions for private beach property/development. In every subdivision there was a dedication by the developer either on the plat or in the C&R's. The developer in some cases dedicated the beach property to the public, in other cases (many we all know about) the beach property was dedicated to the owners with no rights to the public. Attorney Dana Matthews (#2) spent time explaining dedications. I'd start at 13:30 of session 3 to get the tail end of Attorney #1 for land progression...
The county commissioners had the legal responsibility and authority to approve or disapprove a planned subdivision. They still do. All the commissioner's signatures are on the plats approving a plat and dedication. They could have said "we won't approve unless you dedicate the beach to the public" (or some flavor) --- but they didn't. Every buyer from that approval point forward relied on those approvals, parameters for the property.
Not sales. As Dr. Miller said - by 1920's 95% of the beach property was already in private hands.
Additionally with that testimony, Dr. Miller proved that no one has been stealing public beach property with Quiet Titles.
That's what I heard and matches my understanding.
Shannon
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It wasn't that the County did the selling, but they did approve plats, etc that included private beach and/or private accesses. The real take away is that there is, in fact, a pattern of private property on the Walton County beaches since at least the 1920 era. The County is acutely aware of this fact and have tried multiple ways to be able to establish public usage for private property without seeking a ruling from the courts. BTW, quiet titles are not people acquiring public beach. Most quiet titles are part of a neighborhood as well, just without all the i's dotted and t's crossed back in the day. Yet another false narrative.
Mr. Huckabee
You have embroiled our once peaceful small beach town in a fight that should have never been started.
You get quiet title of your beach front, pay half the amount of property taxes (30K) as your similar sized and aged neighbor's house (he pays 60 k). Why is that?
You have ruined this community for me and many others who can not afford beach front.
I believe in karma - hence the tag name boomerang - and I only wait to see yours.
You have embroiled our once peaceful small beach town in a fight that should have never been started.
You get quiet title of your beach front, pay half the amount of property taxes (30K) as your similar sized and aged neighbor's house (he pays 60 k). Why is that?
You have ruined this community for me and many others who can not afford beach front.
I believe in karma - hence the tag name boomerang - and I only wait to see yours.
Quite sure the Esteemed Governer won’t be spending time responding to you. Here’s why...your facts are wrong, which means you didn’t listen to the video which describes the reality of how we got here. You’re “Boomeranging” the crap online propaganda that proves that you’re not informed. To him, and the rest of the educated, your just part of the mob, willing to be an emotional sheep, without putting forth effort to get informed on this important issue to our community. The Governer has zero, nada, nuthin’ to do with the CU problem in Walton County. Don’t be so gullible Boomer. Watch the video. Take notes. Become part of the solution, not the problem.
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Yes i watched the video. I agree that the TDC has brought too many people here - advertised too much after the economic down turn and the oil spill. Overloaded the carrying capacity of our beaches.
But that does not mean the beach front owners who never had a problem with us using the beaches before should take that use away either.
Do you have a problem with Mr. Huckabee paying half of what his neighbor does in property taxes for a similar sized house built in the same time period?
And emails have indicated he was part of the bill process - they are on this site.
I am a full time resident who mourns the empty vender chairs taking up the beach, the relentless TDCads to come to south walton, the overdevelopment, the loss of my right to sit on the sand.
But that does not mean the beach front owners who never had a problem with us using the beaches before should take that use away either.
Do you have a problem with Mr. Huckabee paying half of what his neighbor does in property taxes for a similar sized house built in the same time period?
And emails have indicated he was part of the bill process - they are on this site.
I am a full time resident who mourns the empty vender chairs taking up the beach, the relentless TDCads to come to south walton, the overdevelopment, the loss of my right to sit on the sand.
I agree with Emerald drifter - there has to be a better way.
stop the TDC advertising
Stop the venders on public beaches
buy more beach front properties
make a deal for use of the sand to the ECL line
Walton county could have made the beaches for public use and they did not
they could have stopped the quiet titles and they did not
do we trust that they will win this suit?
stop the TDC advertising
Stop the venders on public beaches
buy more beach front properties
make a deal for use of the sand to the ECL line
Walton county could have made the beaches for public use and they did not
they could have stopped the quiet titles and they did not
do we trust that they will win this suit?
Yes, you and ShallowsNole (she definitely knows) are correct. I researched this and realized this was a mistake. But the SoWal forum only allows for edits for a certain amount of time and I waited too long. Thank you for correcting me and more importantly, thank you for adding to this discussion.
A LOT of the county's money is about to be spent on lawyers. There are many more amenities and infrastructure that can be acquired / improved upon with those same dollars.
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