I live in the neighborhood south of where the Hampton Inn is proposed. Our street would be a main thoroughfare for hotel visitors making their way to the beach. Needless to say, I oppose the proposal.
I sent an email to my county commissioner along with other commissioners and their aides. I also copied Brian Underwood on the planning staff. There is no contact info for the planning commissioners on the county website. If someone knows let me know. Here are the points I made. Yes it is long, but there are a lot of reasons not to approve this development.
1. TRAFFIC ON 30A - If you have driven on 30A, especially during the peak season, then you will understand the current traffic situation. It is dismal. Traffic comes to a gridlock at certain times and makes it impossible to travel by car – especially in the direction Highway 98 via County Road 395. Add an additional 90+ cars to this load and you have a recipe for extreme frustration.
2. PEOPLE CONCENTRATION - A hotel places too many people in a concentrated area. Nowhere else on 30A is there a development that places this many people in such a concentrated area.
3. FUTURE NEARBY DEVELOPMENT - Additional development (another hotel I understand) is being proposed for a nearby parcel – south of Greenway Park housing development – less than 0.1 mile away. Two hotels in such a small area will create a nightmare of traffic, people walking and driving through our neighborhood, and additional pressure on inadequate traffic and beach resources.
4. DISTANCE TO HIGHWAY 98 - The location of this development if farther away from Highway 98 than just about any other parcel on Highway 30A. To the west it is about 5.0 miles to Highway 98 via two lane 30A and Country Rd. 395 and through the VERY congested intersection of 30A and County Rd 395 at Seagrove. To the east it is 5.3 miles to Highway 98, again via two lane 30A. Visitors to this hotel will have to drive further on 30A than any other visitors to the area.
5. ROUTE AND DISTANCE OF FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL – We have excellent fire protection and emergency medical personnel with the South Walton Fire District, but if the fire fighters and EMTs can’t get to you quickly, it does you no good.
To the west, the closest fire protection is 3.0 miles away at Watercolor Crossings. This doesn’t sound like very far, but there is only one route – Highway 30 through Seagrove. When traffic is at gridlock, fire trucks will not be able to make it down 30A in a timely fashion. This endangers the visiting public and existing residents.
To the east the closest fire protection is 7 miles away at Inlet Beach. Again, travel down 30A is the only route.
Heavier traffic on 2-lane Highway 30A increases response time of fire fighters and EMTs.
6. ROUTE AND DISTANCE OF POLICE PROTECTION - Again, two lane 30A creates an impediment to law enforcement personnel and increases their response time. Especially during peak periods.
7. INADEQUATE LAW ENFORCEMENT – We appreciate our Sheriffs department, but they cannot police the crowds that are currently visiting South Walton. My family uses the beach at Eastern Lake and we rarely see the sheriffs department patrolling our area. This inadequate enforcement causes “locals” to take it on themselves to “police” the tourist, which usually turns into an argument, and potentially violence.
The additional glass bottles, trash, etc. will only increase – again with little to no enforcement by law enforcement.
Beach equipment is regularly left on the beach overnight with no consequences for the violators.
The outflow of Eastern Lake is regularly dug out by tourists, which as I understand is a federal crime. Two years ago I witnessed a local individual who lives on the lake try to stop a tourist from digging out the lake. A fight ensured. The sheriff eventually arrived, but no action was taken.
Adding 360+ people (90 rooms @ 4 people a room) will only add to this problem. Law enforcement either cannot or chooses not to enforce rules on the beach. Tourists seem to be exempt for the laws.
8. NO LIFE GUARDS ON DUTY IN THE AREA – There are no lifeguards at the Eastern Lake or Ramsgate entrances. The closest lifeguard is 1.5 miles to the west. My wife and I regularly use the Eastern Lake entrance and have seen a life guard twice. Drowning deaths on the beach are bound to increase.
9. NO DEEDED BEACH OR ACCESS – A development of this size should have its own deeded beach and access. For a development of this size to rely on public beach access seems to be a poor plan.
10. DISTANCE TO BEACH ACCESS – The nearest beach access is ½ mile away from the proposed Hampton Inn, which will means most folks will drive or try to drive to the beach. This will also tempt these folks to leave their beach equipment on the beach overnight. This is illegal and currently happens everyday with NO ENFORCEMENT by county personnel.
11. INADEQUATE BEACH ACCESS - Inadequate beach access at the Eastern Lake and at Ramsgate entrances. I can provide pictures if needed.
EASTERN LAKE ACCESS - In order to get to the beach at Eastern Lake, you have to wade across the lake outflow. The outflow from the lake has caused severe erosion at the entrance and nearby homes. The erosion is so severe in fact, that the county has placed a sign at the entrance directing people to use Ramsgate. There are no bathroom facilities at the entrance, which will encourage people from ½ mile away to do their business in the lake, in the gulf, or on the sand.
RAMSGATE ACCESS – This entrance already has a concentration of houses and condos that place tremendous pressure on the beach resource. There are no bathroom facilities at the entrance, which will encourage people from ½ mile away to do their business in the gulf, or on the sand.
12. INADEQUATE PARKING AND LACK OF ENFORCEMENT – There is inadequate parking at both Eastern Lake, and at the Ramsgate beach entrances. Illegal parking goes un-policed at the Eastern Lake entrance.
13. INCREASE IN CRIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD - A hotel in this area will increase foot traffic through our neighborhood, which will increase crime. We currently have a nice quiet neighborhood, other than the occasional speeding car, and would like to keep it that way.
14. INCREASED DANGER FROM SPEEDING CARS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD – Cars already drive fast down our road, more cars will only add to this problem.
15. INCREASED WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD - Increased car traffic through our neighborhood will put more wear and tear on a dirt road prone to potholes that the county rarely maintains.
16. INCREASED WATER RUNOFF - A church, a storage area, and a strip mall surround the proposed development on the north, east, and west sides. A culvert on the south side directs water from the property under 30A to our neighborhood. These three areas already have a large concrete slab footprint that produces considerable runoff. An additional 2.4 acres of concrete will only increase the associated petroleum based runoff into Eastern Lake and the surrounding neighborhoods. Ask the poor folks on the north end of Brown St. about runoff and flooding. During 2013 and 2014, the north end of Brown St flooded. The county ran a pump with a hose for 1/4 to 1/2 mile from Brown to near Eastern Lake to drain the floodwaters from Brown. I imagine that more concrete will just add to that problem
17. OUT OF CHARACTER FOR 30A AND SEAGROVE - A hotel is out of character for the 30A and especially the Seagrove area. Seagrove and 30A are under tremendous development pressure but are still is unique. Adding a hotel, especially a Hampton Inn or any other chain, will take away from the unique character. Some beach areas on the gulf coast have gone down hill over the years. Some have gotten down right unsafe for families. South Walton and 30A have an opportunity to not go down that path. Even the western end of Panama City Beach has no chain hotels on the beachfront road.
18. WHAT WILL THE HOTEL TURN INTO IN 20 YEARS – Most likely the Hampton Inn will turn into a lower grade hotel in 20 years such as a Motel 6 or worse.
I sent an email to my county commissioner along with other commissioners and their aides. I also copied Brian Underwood on the planning staff. There is no contact info for the planning commissioners on the county website. If someone knows let me know. Here are the points I made. Yes it is long, but there are a lot of reasons not to approve this development.
1. TRAFFIC ON 30A - If you have driven on 30A, especially during the peak season, then you will understand the current traffic situation. It is dismal. Traffic comes to a gridlock at certain times and makes it impossible to travel by car – especially in the direction Highway 98 via County Road 395. Add an additional 90+ cars to this load and you have a recipe for extreme frustration.
2. PEOPLE CONCENTRATION - A hotel places too many people in a concentrated area. Nowhere else on 30A is there a development that places this many people in such a concentrated area.
3. FUTURE NEARBY DEVELOPMENT - Additional development (another hotel I understand) is being proposed for a nearby parcel – south of Greenway Park housing development – less than 0.1 mile away. Two hotels in such a small area will create a nightmare of traffic, people walking and driving through our neighborhood, and additional pressure on inadequate traffic and beach resources.
4. DISTANCE TO HIGHWAY 98 - The location of this development if farther away from Highway 98 than just about any other parcel on Highway 30A. To the west it is about 5.0 miles to Highway 98 via two lane 30A and Country Rd. 395 and through the VERY congested intersection of 30A and County Rd 395 at Seagrove. To the east it is 5.3 miles to Highway 98, again via two lane 30A. Visitors to this hotel will have to drive further on 30A than any other visitors to the area.
5. ROUTE AND DISTANCE OF FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL – We have excellent fire protection and emergency medical personnel with the South Walton Fire District, but if the fire fighters and EMTs can’t get to you quickly, it does you no good.
To the west, the closest fire protection is 3.0 miles away at Watercolor Crossings. This doesn’t sound like very far, but there is only one route – Highway 30 through Seagrove. When traffic is at gridlock, fire trucks will not be able to make it down 30A in a timely fashion. This endangers the visiting public and existing residents.
To the east the closest fire protection is 7 miles away at Inlet Beach. Again, travel down 30A is the only route.
Heavier traffic on 2-lane Highway 30A increases response time of fire fighters and EMTs.
6. ROUTE AND DISTANCE OF POLICE PROTECTION - Again, two lane 30A creates an impediment to law enforcement personnel and increases their response time. Especially during peak periods.
7. INADEQUATE LAW ENFORCEMENT – We appreciate our Sheriffs department, but they cannot police the crowds that are currently visiting South Walton. My family uses the beach at Eastern Lake and we rarely see the sheriffs department patrolling our area. This inadequate enforcement causes “locals” to take it on themselves to “police” the tourist, which usually turns into an argument, and potentially violence.
The additional glass bottles, trash, etc. will only increase – again with little to no enforcement by law enforcement.
Beach equipment is regularly left on the beach overnight with no consequences for the violators.
The outflow of Eastern Lake is regularly dug out by tourists, which as I understand is a federal crime. Two years ago I witnessed a local individual who lives on the lake try to stop a tourist from digging out the lake. A fight ensured. The sheriff eventually arrived, but no action was taken.
Adding 360+ people (90 rooms @ 4 people a room) will only add to this problem. Law enforcement either cannot or chooses not to enforce rules on the beach. Tourists seem to be exempt for the laws.
8. NO LIFE GUARDS ON DUTY IN THE AREA – There are no lifeguards at the Eastern Lake or Ramsgate entrances. The closest lifeguard is 1.5 miles to the west. My wife and I regularly use the Eastern Lake entrance and have seen a life guard twice. Drowning deaths on the beach are bound to increase.
9. NO DEEDED BEACH OR ACCESS – A development of this size should have its own deeded beach and access. For a development of this size to rely on public beach access seems to be a poor plan.
10. DISTANCE TO BEACH ACCESS – The nearest beach access is ½ mile away from the proposed Hampton Inn, which will means most folks will drive or try to drive to the beach. This will also tempt these folks to leave their beach equipment on the beach overnight. This is illegal and currently happens everyday with NO ENFORCEMENT by county personnel.
11. INADEQUATE BEACH ACCESS - Inadequate beach access at the Eastern Lake and at Ramsgate entrances. I can provide pictures if needed.
EASTERN LAKE ACCESS - In order to get to the beach at Eastern Lake, you have to wade across the lake outflow. The outflow from the lake has caused severe erosion at the entrance and nearby homes. The erosion is so severe in fact, that the county has placed a sign at the entrance directing people to use Ramsgate. There are no bathroom facilities at the entrance, which will encourage people from ½ mile away to do their business in the lake, in the gulf, or on the sand.
RAMSGATE ACCESS – This entrance already has a concentration of houses and condos that place tremendous pressure on the beach resource. There are no bathroom facilities at the entrance, which will encourage people from ½ mile away to do their business in the gulf, or on the sand.
12. INADEQUATE PARKING AND LACK OF ENFORCEMENT – There is inadequate parking at both Eastern Lake, and at the Ramsgate beach entrances. Illegal parking goes un-policed at the Eastern Lake entrance.
13. INCREASE IN CRIME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD - A hotel in this area will increase foot traffic through our neighborhood, which will increase crime. We currently have a nice quiet neighborhood, other than the occasional speeding car, and would like to keep it that way.
14. INCREASED DANGER FROM SPEEDING CARS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD – Cars already drive fast down our road, more cars will only add to this problem.
15. INCREASED WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD - Increased car traffic through our neighborhood will put more wear and tear on a dirt road prone to potholes that the county rarely maintains.
16. INCREASED WATER RUNOFF - A church, a storage area, and a strip mall surround the proposed development on the north, east, and west sides. A culvert on the south side directs water from the property under 30A to our neighborhood. These three areas already have a large concrete slab footprint that produces considerable runoff. An additional 2.4 acres of concrete will only increase the associated petroleum based runoff into Eastern Lake and the surrounding neighborhoods. Ask the poor folks on the north end of Brown St. about runoff and flooding. During 2013 and 2014, the north end of Brown St flooded. The county ran a pump with a hose for 1/4 to 1/2 mile from Brown to near Eastern Lake to drain the floodwaters from Brown. I imagine that more concrete will just add to that problem
17. OUT OF CHARACTER FOR 30A AND SEAGROVE - A hotel is out of character for the 30A and especially the Seagrove area. Seagrove and 30A are under tremendous development pressure but are still is unique. Adding a hotel, especially a Hampton Inn or any other chain, will take away from the unique character. Some beach areas on the gulf coast have gone down hill over the years. Some have gotten down right unsafe for families. South Walton and 30A have an opportunity to not go down that path. Even the western end of Panama City Beach has no chain hotels on the beachfront road.
18. WHAT WILL THE HOTEL TURN INTO IN 20 YEARS – Most likely the Hampton Inn will turn into a lower grade hotel in 20 years such as a Motel 6 or worse.
