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SoWalSally

Beach Fanatic
Feb 19, 2005
649
49
From Walton Sun

Despite controversy surrounding a clear-cutting ordinance, some developers choose to preserve native vegetation along County Road 30A.
?We all have an ability to conserve and preserve,? said Barbara Stokes, managing member for Stokes Development.
Stokes? company is planning Caspian Estates, a nine-lot, 1.27-acre development on CR 30A. After learning of a vegetative community on the property, the company revised the development plans.
Though it is cheaper to clear-cut a lot, Stokes? aim is to construct developments that are aesthetically compatible with the buildings and landscape of 30A.
?(The native vegetation) is part of the reason people come here,? Stokes said.
The county?s comprehensive plan outlines vegetation preservation regulations for lots larger than two acres along CR 30A. In 2002, ordinance 2002-16 called for the protection of all sites, regardless of size, explained Billy McKee, Walton County environmental planner.
On Sept. 28, 2004, attorney George Ralph Miller, representing Harris Development, challenged the ordinance at a Board of County Commissioners meeting. He claimed the ordinance had not been properly advertised prior to adoption.
The commissioners voted to direct the planning department to abide by the comprehensive plan. Ordinance 2002-16 no longer applies to developers.
The planning department will ask developers to preserve vegetation if possible, but it is not mandatory.
?We review plans less than two acres and sometimes get cooperation,? McKee said.
Disregard for the previous ordinance worries some Walton County residents.
?We?re going to end up with nothing but turf and palm trees,? Anita Page, South Walton Community Council Executive Director, said.
Currently, the county is involved in two lawsuits regarding the matter.
?This particular ordinance was not properly adopted. It could not be applied. We need to ask the board to adopt a similar ordinance (to 2002-16),? County Attorney David Hallman said.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,644
1,773
John R said:
Ordinance 2002-16 no longer applies to developers. :dunno: :dunno:

the exact people who are guilty of clearcutting the most. what's the deal?


jr
"It no longer applies to parcels on 30-A which are less than two acres because one person was allowed to do it, thus setting the precedent of rule breaking. To my knowledge, people smoke pot and get away with it, but the law is still on the books against smoking pot, and the gov't still tries to enforce the law regarding pot smoking. These Commissioners and Code Enforcement peoplereally blow my mind.
 

FoX

Beach Fanatic
Nov 17, 2004
492
49
50
off the beach
www.thesimpsons.com
Smiling JOe said:
"It no longer applies to parcels on 30-A which are less than two acres because one person was allowed to do it, thus setting the precedent of rule breaking. To my knowledge, people smoke pot and get away with it, but the law is still on the books against smoking pot, and the gov't still tries to enforce the law regarding pot smoking. These Commissioners and Code Enforcement peoplereally blow my mind.

Seems the only commish with any balls is a blonde lady.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,644
1,773
FoX said:
Seems the only commish with any balls is a blonde lady.
You are correct. Commissioner Cindy Meadows was not completely familiar with the "< 2 acre is okay" rule, but in the last BCC meeting, she quickly questioned why we were not using the existing rule which does not make any reference to parcel size.
 

florida girl

Beach Fanatic
Feb 3, 2006
1,453
67
Santa Rosa Beach
As a native South Walton Countian, a former tree farmer, yes, in South Walton, I don't see where those protesting have any idea of what they are talking about. Our climate and vegetation is most likely unlike where ever it is you are from, but here, trees grow every where without difficulty. I used to periodically remove them from my roof! I clear cut about 35 acres in South Walton about 20 years ago, and the next year or so there were more seedlings growing on it than you could believe! The neet thing about Pine seeds is that they have a wing on them that enables them to fly! As long as the state, etc., ownes so many thousands of acres of forest land, there's plenty of seeds to go around! Sure I like trees, have a lot of them, but I know that if they are not controled, they will grow anywhere! Funny thing about man, we're supposed to manage the earth.
 

tailwagger

Beach Fanatic
Dec 9, 2004
268
12
florida girl said:
As a native South Walton Countian, a former tree farmer, yes, in South Walton, I don't see where those protesting have any idea of what they are talking about. Our climate and vegetation is most likely unlike where ever it is you are from, but here, trees grow every where without difficulty. I used to periodically remove them from my roof! I clear cut about 35 acres in South Walton about 20 years ago, and the next year or so there were more seedlings growing on it than you could believe! The neet thing about Pine seeds is that they have a wing on them that enables them to fly! As long as the state, etc., ownes so many thousands of acres of forest land, there's plenty of seeds to go around! Sure I like trees, have a lot of them, but I know that if they are not controled, they will grow anywhere! Funny thing about man, we're supposed to manage the earth.

:welcome:

It's not about removing trees and then allowing the land to reforest.

The issue in SoWal is about clear cutting native vegetation, which is usually followed by unattractive development that is too dense and palms, asphalt and concrete appear where there used to be trees.

Some developers have not learned that it doesn't pay to do that. You can get more money for your property if you leave native vegetation, which also saves landscaping expense, energy, water, and future maintenance costs.

SoWal has beauty and character, stripping the land and replacing oaks, magnolias, and pines with non-native species is not the best plan for development.
 

Paula

Beach Fanatic
Jan 25, 2005
3,747
442
Michigan but someday in SoWal as well
tailwagger said:
:welcome:

Some developers have not learned that it doesn't pay to do that. You can get more money for your property if you leave native vegetation, which also saves landscaping expense, energy, water, and future maintenance costs.

Our community is built among the native vegetation and our landscaping costs -- and thus association fees -- are quite low. No sprinkler system needed, minimal landscaping, etc. And the native vegetation is beautiful and it fun to see the new things that pop up (except for the thorny vines) and take care of the native plants. We feel kind of nested in the native vegetation growing around our porch and can't wait until the plants/bushes/trees grow in more and provide us with even more privacy. We thought about the cost of association fees over time when we bought our place, and native landscaping that needed minimal maintenance seemed to be a way to keep association fees low.
 

Mermaid

picky
Aug 11, 2005
7,871
335
Sorry, I can't resist sharing this old gardener's joke with everyone. It fits the post, so please indulge me!


GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.

ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sodworms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -- sometimes twice a week.

GOD: They cut it? Do they then bail it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS: No, Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.

GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn leaves fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.

ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD: No fooling? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD: And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD: Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE: "Dumb and Dumber," Lord. It's a really stupid movie about....

GOD: Never mind. I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,038
1,980
Oh Mermaid - that's a keeper! I am pasting it now to a safe place!


Bdarg will love that. He has refused to cut our back field so the wildlife will have a place to hang out (and they do:eek: )
 
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