Led away in Handcuffs

[GoodWitch58]

You know, BMBV, sometimes you sound as though you'd be happier living somewhere else

 

[Mango]

Make that $1,000.00 per month. I believe there is some language in there about communities with under 100,000 people, only 10% can be used for the beach maintenance.

Do you really want to give up all that "free" advertising promoting that very beach your units are on?

I think it says something about 90% of the money goes for other things, like promoting tourism in the area. Something we all benefit from.

? of the revenue is used for marketing and promotion, ? for beach maintenance and beach access development, ? Autumn Tides Fall promotion and New Product Development and ? for beach nourishment and restoration. (taken from Clerk of Courts web site)

I also read on the Clerks' web site that through the beach restoration program gulf front owners property increased by 30%.

 

[Smiling JOe]

How about this?

Gulf front properties that have their own private deeded access to a private beach should be exempt from paying the 4% bed tax in Walton County. Other than maybe garbage pick-up on the beach, TDC is not providing much of any other direct benefit to gulf front owners in general as they do not need the services of public accesses, parking, public restrooms, showers, etc. We don't even have a lifeguard in our area...and, could that work anyway on "private beaches"?

Judging by the lack of parking, restrooms, showers, etc, at the public accesses, I disagree with your statement. Also, I would point out that beach front units with deeded beach, also need the marketing and advertising of the TDC. They don't directly market individual homes, but the entire area of SoWal. They spend much money on general advertising for our area, and some of those visitors even stay in Gulf front housing with deeded beach access.

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

Judging by the lack of parking, restrooms, showers, etc, at the public accesses, I disagree with your statement. Also, I would point out that beach front units with deeded beach, also need the marketing and advertising of the TDC. They don't directly market individual homes, but the entire area of SoWal. They spend much money on general advertising for our area, and some of those visitors even stay in Gulf front housing with deeded beach access.

So are you saying TDC doesn't really spend that much on public facilities? If not, then where does the money go?

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

You know, BMBV, sometimes you sound as though you'd be happier living somewhere else

I do live somewhere else. If I lived in our unit down there, I wouldn't have to charge my guests all that TDC tax to renourish beaches that aren't even in our area anywhere on 30A. So maybe it's just the other way around. Was something said to offend you?

 

[Smiling JOe]

So are you saying TDC doesn't really spend that much on public facilities? If not, then where does the money go?

advertising and marketing eats a big chunk.

Yes, I am saying that the TDC doesn't appear to spend much money on public restrooms and showers at the accesses. Count the number of accesses, the number of restrooms, and the number of parking spaces, and see what number you come up with. I'm not sure where they expect everyone to poop. I think it is obvious by the lack of restrooms available that they expect people to pee in the Gulf. Of course, I know some of you don't like your Gulf front homes to "look down on" restrooms, neither public nor private. ;-)

 

[Miss Kitty]

Who pays for the cleanup on the private beaches after storms?

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

Who pays for the cleanup on the private beaches after storms?

Good question.
I really was mostly kidding about the TDC tax thing but it did get me thinking a little.
I took a look at their budget and the beach renourishment line item for 2007 was interesting (what TDC asked for - 11.5 mil, and what they got - 2.1 mil).

Take a look at their "2007 budget totals".(pg 12)

 

[yippie]

Thought you may be interested in an e-mail sent from the City of Destin Mayor. I have no idea who sent the original e-mail to him, but this is how the problem is being dealt with in Destin.


"As you will recall, state statutes define that sovereign (state) property extends landward to the Mean Highwater Line (MHL). As this line is ambulatory, it is impossible to define without a daily certified survey. Therefore, the City mirrors state statutes as closely and practically as possible by an enforcement policy that states that sovereign property extends 20' landward of the wet sand area. So, public property extends up to 20' of the water's edge.
In response to your email I spoke with Captain Greg Gaddis of the Okaloosa County this morning to confirm that our enforcement policy had not changed and he verified that it had not. A citizen may conduct any normal beach-related activities south of this 20' line."
This letter will probably be in the Destin Log tomorrow. Don't let the umbrella boys push you around. 20 feet from wet sand is for everyone- everywhere in Destin. The email was not written to me personally but to a close friend who forwarded it to me."

Just for FYi

 

[Joe Mammy]

We are sick of it in Destin too, this was forwarded to me last night written by Destin Mayor Craig Barker, the editor of the Destin Log was carboned. I hope it will be in tomorrow's paper:

"As you will recall, state statutes define that sovereign (state) property extends landward to the Mean Highwater Line (MHL). As this line is ambulatory, it is impossible to define without a daily certified survey. Therefore, the City mirrors state statutes as closely and practically as possible by an enforcement policy that states that sovereign property extends 20' landward of the wet sand area. So, public property extends up to 20' of the water's edge.

In response to your email I spoke with Captain Greg Gaddis of the Okaloosa County this morning to confirm that our enforcement policy had not changed and he verified that it had not. A citizen may conduct any normal beach-related activities south of this 20' line."

Our problem in Destin is the umbrella boys who man the concessions in front of the condos.