Beach Activities Ordinance Changes 5/22/15

Kurt · 2015-05-21T12:33:00.000Z

[B]This Week: Beach Activities Ordinance Changes Take Effect[/B] This week on May 22, 2015 several changes go into effect for the beach activities ordinance. The following changes in the beach activities ordinance, adopted by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, will take effect: [LIST] [*][B]2013-04-22-60(b)(1):[/B] Verbiage changed to distinguish the rights of “specific place” permitted vendors at a “specific beach” or “specific location” from those of a delivery vendor. [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(1):[/B] The word “concession” replaced with “vending operation.” [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(3):[/B] Verbiage inserted that prohibits vending set-ups in front of a lifeguard tower. The ordinance will now read that vendor chairs and umbrellas “must allow for a 10’ clear corridor from lifeguard towers to the water.” [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(4):[/B] Verbiage changed to allow vendors beach access between “7:30 a.m., or after the morning sea turtle nesting survey has been completed, or whichever is earlier, and one hour after sunset. “ [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(6):[/B] Verbiage inserted to define that only “specific place permitted vendors” have the right to store a temporary beach storage box at the toe of the dune, provided it adheres to all of the guidelines listed in ordinance 2013-04-22-60(d)(6). [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(9):[/B] Verbiage changed to allow properly permitted vendor vehicles access to the beach starting at “7:30 a.m. or after the morning sea turtle nesting survey has been completed.” [*][B]2013-04-22-60(d)(10): [/B][B]New Ordinance Created[/B]: “Beach vendor’s operations are limited to no more than 50% of the beach frontage at any public beach access. The frontage shall be designated by the Walton County Tourist Development Council prior to March 1st of each year.” [*][B]2013-04-22-60(e)(4):[/B] The words “lifesaving training” replaced with “a CPR certification or water safety certification recognized by the American Red Cross.” [*][B]2013-04-22-60(h)(2)(a):[/B] Sentence added which reads: “Walton County Board of County Commissioners shall be listed as certificate holder and additionally insured on the insurance policy.” [/LIST] The revised ordinance in its entirety can be found on Walton County Florida’s website: [URL="http://link.email.dynect.net/link.php?H=tiMleQXvuhG3cVWUKKJFwgesMDniOk1PjYamm1YXP8y0%2BJozQhMXn8JOemz%2BfnufYTm0Pqc6x6qWhiPNJlo62m%2FOZW%2BgPHVFPpGwKircmeQ%3D&G=853&R=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.co.walton.fl.us%2Fdocumentcenter%2Fview%2F7847&I=20150519185706.0DE71A0A127E%40mail6-08-ewr.dyndns.com&X=MHwxMDM0ODU4OnNvdXRod2FsdG9uLnNpbXBsZXZpZXdjcm0uY29tOw%3D%3D"]http://www.co.walton.fl.us/documentcenter/view/7847[/URL] For more information or questions about the changes in the beach activities ordinance contact Brian Kellenberger at [EMAIL="Brian@visitsouthwalton.com"]Brian@visitsouthwalton.com[/EMAIL], [URL="tel:%28850%29%20267-4578"](850) 267-4578[/URL] or [URL="tel:%28850%29%20333-6236"](850) 333-6236[/URL].

Admin

May 21, '15 · 7:33 AM6,806

This Week: Beach Activities Ordinance Changes Take Effect

This week on May 22, 2015 several changes go into effect for the beach activities ordinance. The following changes in the beach activities ordinance, adopted by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, will take effect:

2013-04-22-60(b)(1): Verbiage changed to distinguish the rights of “specific place” permitted vendors at a “specific beach” or “specific location” from those of a delivery vendor.
2013-04-22-60(d)(1): The word “concession” replaced with “vending operation.”
2013-04-22-60(d)(3): Verbiage inserted that prohibits vending set-ups in front of a lifeguard tower. The ordinance will now read that vendor chairs and umbrellas “must allow for a 10’ clear corridor from lifeguard towers to the water.”
2013-04-22-60(d)(4): Verbiage changed to allow vendors beach access between “7:30 a.m., or after the morning sea turtle nesting survey has been completed, or whichever is earlier, and one hour after sunset. “
2013-04-22-60(d)(6): Verbiage inserted to define that only “specific place permitted vendors” have the right to store a temporary beach storage box at the toe of the dune, provided it adheres to all of the guidelines listed in ordinance 2013-04-22-60(d)(6).
2013-04-22-60(d)(9): Verbiage changed to allow properly permitted vendor vehicles access to the beach starting at “7:30 a.m. or after the morning sea turtle nesting survey has been completed.”
2013-04-22-60(d)(10): New Ordinance Created: “Beach vendor’s operations are limited to no more than 50% of the beach frontage at any public beach access. The frontage shall be designated by the Walton County Tourist Development Council prior to March 1st of each year.”
2013-04-22-60(e)(4): The words “lifesaving training” replaced with “a CPR certification or water safety certification recognized by the American Red Cross.”
2013-04-22-60(h)(2)(a): Sentence added which reads: “Walton County Board of County Commissioners shall be listed as certificate holder and additionally insured on the insurance policy.”

The revised ordinance in its entirety can be found on Walton County Florida’s website: http://www.co.walton.fl.us/documentcenter/view/7847

For more information or questions about the changes in the beach activities ordinance contact Brian Kellenberger at Brian@visitsouthwalton.com, (850) 267-4578 or (850) 333-6236.

Replies

Beach Fanatic

Aug 2, '15 · 6:53 PM#27

Why can't we sell franchises at each access and allow only the franchisee to provide chairs and setups at that location. They have to rent them from a kiosk and the customer takes them and sets them up. Then you only have on the beach those setups that have actually been rented. Just a thought but I wanted to see what the drawbacks are.

SoWal Guide

Aug 3, '15 · 8:34 AM#28

Why can't we sell franchises at each access and allow only the franchisee to provide chairs and setups at that location. They have to rent them from a kiosk and the customer takes them and sets them up. Then you only have on the beach those setups that have actually been rented. Just a thought but I wanted to see what the drawbacks are.

Sounds like good sense to me.

Beach Fanatic

Aug 3, '15 · 8:45 AM#29

As we have seen on the east end, we MUST address the fact that some(absent) beach front home owners are giving vendors permission to set up in their backyard
#contractwiththedevil. We must address this in our drive to Band Vendors in totality. Anyone have any idea how many separate vendors there are on 30A anyway?

Beach Fanatic

Aug 3, '15 · 1:51 PM#30

Worst idea ever! Said momma sea turtle and 99% of beach-loving humans.

How about use TDC funding to make beaches public AND keep crap off the beaches?

"...Said momma sea turtle...". You softie! :wave:

So what proposal do you have in mind on how TDC could make the beaches public using TDC funding?

Beach Fanatic

Aug 3, '15 · 2:16 PM#31

I would like the TDC to use some of its millions to purchase land for new regional accesses and then develop those accesses. I would also like to see the parking study funded and implemented so that more people can have access to the beach without parking on people's lawns and blocking their drives. It is sort of ridiculous to continue to bring more and more tourists in without fixing the infrastructure problems. A regional access on the bay would also be a good thing and might siphon some of the traffic off of 30-A.

Beach Fanatic

Aug 3, '15 · 5:19 PM#32

I would like the TDC to use some of its millions to purchase land for new regional accesses and then develop those accesses. I would also like to see the parking study funded and implemented so that more people can have access to the beach without parking on people's lawns and blocking their drives. It is sort of ridiculous to continue to bring more and more tourists in without fixing the infrastructure problems. A regional access on the bay would also be a good thing and might siphon some of the traffic off of 30-A.

they fail to implement their own proposals. Last spring they proposed parking areas on 30A..one at BMB hasn't happened. They where to remove the "Public Beach Access" signs on Hwy 98 at highway 83 they are still there...Also no signs on south highway 83 just parking on private HOA land. All I've seen them do was removed chain at Ed Waline Park.

Beach Fanatic

Aug 3, '15 · 11:19 PM#33

This is a recurring problem steel1man. The BCC funds studies, hundreds of man hours are invested to produce a plan, everyone listens to the plan and then nothing is done. Now we are talking about updating the 2006 traffic study when nothing was really done to implement it. More money will now be poured down the hole and no results generated. At some point you need to do something.

AdminAuthor

Aug 4, '15 · 8:02 AM#34

"...Said momma sea turtle...". You softie!

So what proposal do you have in mind on how TDC could make the beaches public using TDC funding?

Unfortunately, I think much of the battle was lost decades ago when the dunes and beach were sold off. The fact that the area was desolate has had good and bad consequences. I was referring to protecting what beaches are accepted as "public". And finding a compromise with private beach front owners to keep signs and ropes off the beaches. We need a decent beach "right of way" that will allow people to use the beach reasonably. I think most beachfront owners want that but they also need to realize that some people are going to cause problems. We need a consistent way of dealing with that.

I am very softie when it comes to animals.