Customary Use of SoWal Beaches: Contact Governor Scott

[Kaydence]

I love how you say "8 miles of public beach." Thats less than 1/3 of Walton County beaches. 50K+ County residence and the multi-million visitors need to share less than 1/3 while 900 beach front homeowners get more than 2/3 of the beach? That is as bass ackwards as it gets.

Where the hell do you get a third from?

Walton County gives 50% of beach access to vendors for free. Prime water front property that has cost millions to purchase and vendors get to set up on it and run their businesses for free. Cushy deal.

I won't even mention the greedy tourists that bring 2 or 3 10 ft tents and set them up end to end preventing others from having any access.

The righteous indignation is comical.

 

[Ohio Girl]

I'd be curious as to how many beach front owners are full time residents. I suspect the number is low.

 

[FloridaBeachBum]

I'd be curious as to how many beach front owners are full time residents. I suspect the number is low.

Curious question. The inference is that nonresidents are in some way different to residents. Many beachfront owners do and have lived here for many decades. Regardless of where beachfront private property owner reside they are 100% of the time holders of property title to the MHWL, 100% payers of much of south Walton County's property taxes, and non residents have 0% right to vote for those who waste their hard earned tax money.

I wonder why you didn't ask; How many property owners north of 30A between Hwy 98 or Scenic Hwy 98 are residents? I suspect the number is also low. But they do not have the BCC declaring their private property rights inferior as a matter of custom for public use.

 

[FactorFiction]

I love how you say "8 miles of public beach." Thats less than 1/3 of Walton County beaches. 50K+ County residence and the multi-million visitors need to share less than 1/3 while 900 beach front homeowners get more than 2/3 of the beach? That is as bass ackwards as it gets.

Don't forget that a lot of the 900 beachfront lots are also used by tourists and locals even though people seem to want to discount that. Look at all the resorts and condos that cater to rentals. They (resorts like Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Sandestin, and others plus condos associations) are beachfront owners, too. Some owners of beachfront use their property part time and rent part time to afford the taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other costs that are very high for beachfront property. That doesn't even count the initial price of purchase.

 

[Rita]

Contact made! Thank you for the nudge, links and the Sun Sentinel article.

 

[Wouldnt You Like To Know]

Love it all you want, your position is not really accurate. A number of the private beaches are for entire communities. For example there is a private beach for all of Seaside which has 300+ homes. Rosemary Beach supports well over 2,000 homes, etc. So you painting this like there are 900 folks telling everyone else to eat cake is far from reality.

Obviously that's enough beach for the visitors, in that the county can give away 50% of it to beach vendors to reserve it for their own businesses. Until the time that the county says they are so overcrowded that they can no longer give away 50% of the public beach land to beach vendors --- I'm not really sympathetic to your "easement by necessity" argument.

So explain to me how you want 100% of a private beach front property owners sand, but are "ok" with giving away 50% of the public beach sand real estate. You want ass backwards? There it is.

Correct me if Im wrong but I believe there are 900ish privately owned beach front properties (not including major communities like Seaside, Rosemary, Sandestin, ect.). Im not saying that all 900+ beach front owners are telling people to eat cake but it sure sounds like you're telling them to eat cake.

The 8 miles of public beach is "not really accurate" either because a good portion of that is state parks and is extremely hard to access.

Look I can sympathize with where you guys are coming from. You're paying more taxes for that additional sand and if were open for public use then it shouldn't be your finical responsibility. All Im saying is there needs to be some sort of compromise. Nature is here for all to enjoy and no deed with "MHWL" will change my mind on that.

 

[Wouldnt You Like To Know]

Where the hell do you get a third from?

Walton County gives 50% of beach access to vendors for free. Prime water front property that has cost millions to purchase and vendors get to set up on it and run their businesses for free. Cushy deal.

I won't even mention the greedy tourists that bring 2 or 3 10 ft tents and set them up end to end preventing others from having any access.

The righteous indignation is comical.

Stick with me here Kaydence....Someone said there is "8 miles of public beach" right? Walton county has 26 miles of beach from county line to county line. Simple math shows that 8 miles of public beach out of 26 miles of total beach equals just less that 1/3. Thats where the hell I got a third.

 

[Wouldnt You Like To Know]

Don't forget that a lot of the 900 beachfront lots are also used by tourists and locals even though people seem to want to discount that. Look at all the resorts and condos that cater to rentals. They (resorts like Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Sandestin, and others plus condos associations) are beachfront owners, too. Some owners of beachfront use their property part time and rent part time to afford the taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other costs that are very high for beachfront property. That doesn't even count the initial price of purchase.

So now we need to have a bleeding heart for beach front homeowners because of their expenses and cost of buying?

Just because you live is Seaside, Rosemary, or Sandestin does not mean that you are a beachfront owner. In fact the beachfront homeowners in those communities do NOT own any of the beach because it is owned by the community itself.

 

[FactorFiction]

Wow

So now we need to have a bleeding heart for beach front homeowners because of their expenses and cost of buying?

Just because you live is Seaside, Rosemary, or Sandestin does not mean that you are a beachfront owner. In fact the beachfront homeowners in those communities do NOT own any of the beach because it is owned by the community itself.

Wow! That was my point is that owners include HOAs or communities. The attitude you display is part of the problem. What happened to respectful disagreement? I wasn't suggesting that your heart should bleed for them, just that not all "owners" are individuals who are trying to keep everyone off their beaches as people seem to believe.

 

[Wouldnt You Like To Know]

Wow

Wow! That was my point is that owners include HOAs or communities. The attitude you display is part of the problem. What happened to respectful disagreement? I wasn't suggesting that your heart should bleed for them, just that not all "owners" are individuals who are trying to keep everyone off their beaches as people seem to believe.

Im certainly not the only one guilty of having an attitude on this forum (including yourself). I think we're all passionate about this subject and it can get heated but I do respect beachfront owners opinions. Ive stated multiple times that I sympathize with their side.

I firmly believe that the beaches should be open for all to enjoy. Im sorry if that hurts you feelings but I wouldn't say thats disrespectful.