Eastern Lake Outfall [merged threads]

There is a current vacancy on the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board for one of the “On Lake” positions. Walton County is soliciting applications to fill this specific position.

Any interested party may submit an application to me by December 31, 2015. This can be submitted either electronically, fax or hardcopy to the following:

Melinda Gates
Environmental Specialist
Public Works Department
Environmental Section
117 Montgomery Circle
Defuniak Springs, FL 32435
Email: gatmelinda@co.walton.fl.us
Fax: (850)892-8094

To qualify for this specific position the candidate must live within 0.5 miles of one of the 15 Coastal Dune Lakes. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Application

The county has not been able to dig the channel in the right place since 2002. The owner that deposited the sand has threatened to sue the county ever since. The previous owner didn't care. The owner that deposited the sand, and the current owner, who installed the posts, has plans to build on that property. Their whole game has been to try to build a dune where none has ever been before, for the sole purpose of building a monster house or two.

Post Dennis 2005:
View attachment 57840

The above photo is the county digging the inlet along the existing easement. This is not the location where the inlet was historically located from the sixties through to 2005 when the artificial sand berm was created. Before Worth Williams obtained the property, the county was allowed to dig the channel straight through, when it became necessary. The previous owner didn't seem to mind.

Here was another instance, in 2011, when a storm named Stan totally decimated the channel. This never happened in the forty five years before the 20 dumptruck loads of compaction sand were placed in the historical location of the outfall.

At that time, the County was forced to dig the channel in the same easement, again, because the owner, Worth Williams, threatened to sue, if the channel was dug over his property

"The County should buy that property from the current owner!" is what everybody says, and it is being negotiated. While precise figures are not available, the word is that this totally unbuildable parcel, which was bought for about $800,000 is now appraised at somewhere about $1.2 million, and the owners are asking for about $4.3 million. Again, I stress, this is simply rumor and word of mouth.

The above photo is the county digging the inlet along the existing easement. This is not the location where the inlet was historically located from the sixties through to 2005 when the artificial sand berm was created. Before Worth Williams obtained the property, the county was allowed to dig the channel straight through, when it became necessary. The previous owner didn't seem to mind.

1999 natural flow pre sand berm:

Seems like eminent domain should apply.

1999 natural flow pre sand berm:

View attachment 57848

1975



2002



2004

LVT beat me to it, but I believe the parcel in question is this one:

Walton County Property Appraiser's Web Site

Just my opinion, but it looks totally unbuildable. I wouldn't even try to put
anything there and I'm surprised that it's privately owned. From the aerial
photos, you can tell that it's basically all lake outfall area -- maybe not at
the moment, but it's clear that over time, Eastern lake and the gulf connect
there regularly. The parcel to the north is owned by Walton County Port
Authority. The right thing to do in my mind would be for the county to
pursue purchase of the problem lot. I can't see them ever granting any sort
of building permits on that land...

The TDC should buy it as a beach access, but the price should reflect that the lot is basically unbuildable.

View attachment 58604

Is that a new house on San Roy? It looks like it's at the dead end; I haven't been down there since November.

No, that is the house that has been there for maybe ten or fifteen years. They have been totally renovating it for about a year, now. The pool has always been there, too, but they are completely rebuilding the deck surrounding the pool. They cut into s portion of the dune to make more parking, and move some material to the south side of the house, but they were issued a stop order on that, and presumably will have to comply with some sort of reparations.

Ok, I'm familiar with that house (and the reno project) but couldn't figure out the layout from that picture and looking across the lake, but now I get it. Thanks.

I was there this weekend (on San Roy.) There was a literal traffic jam of construction workers at the dead end. The digging seems very intrusive to me, carved out a huge chunk of the dune. They are also doing some work at the house next door.