rapunzel said:
I am trying desperately to put together a business plan and cannot find any usable data for visitor counts in the area...particularly in the Seacrest, Rosemary, eastern end of the 30-A area. The data I have been able to get my hands on represents average income, demographic data for county residents, and the tourism numbers only reflect hotel guests (at least according to the real estate agent I'm working with). Does anyone have any idea were I can get better data? Local laws regarding beer and wine sales would be great. Oh, and any advise would be appreciated!
Your request would be a tall order since there is not a one centralized business which has exclusive rentals in those areas. I highly doubt you will find anyone who can provide you with those numbers. That said, if you are looking for traffic counts in that area of 30A, you can look up the submitted development plans from recently approved or planned developments on that end of the beach.
From the Municode:
Chapter 3 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES*
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*Cross references: Businesses, ch. 7; health and sanitation, ch. 11.
State law references: Alcoholic beverages generally, F.S. chs. 561--568; general authority of county with reference to alcoholic beverages, F.S. ? 125.01(1)(o).
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Sec. 3-1. Location of vendors.
(a)
Definitions.
Restaurant means a public food service establishment as defined in F.S. ? 509.013.
(b)
Minimum distance from churches, schools.
(1) A vendor with a place of business other than a restaurant which is licensed and required to be licensed under The Beverage Law as defined in F.S. ? 561.01 shall not be located in the unincorporated areas of the county within 1,320 feet of an established church or school.
(2) A restaurant which derives at least 51 percent of its gross revenues from the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages shall not be located within 500 feet of a church or school.
(3) The distances shall be measured by following the shortest route of ordinary pedestrian travel along the public thoroughfare from the main entrance of the place of business to the main entrance of the church, and, in the case of a school, to the nearest point of the school grounds in use as a part of the school facilities. Where such established church or school is within the incorporated city or town and the vendor licensed or required to be licensed under The Beverage Law within the county or restaurant is outside any incorporated city or town, then such vendor's place of business shall be located the same or a greater distance from such church or school as required by the ordinance of the incorporated city or town wherein such church or school is located. Where an established church or school is located in the county outside an incorporated city or town so near the corporate limit of any such city or town that under the ordinances of such city or town a vendor licensed or required to be licensed under The B everage Law would be prohibited from establishing the vendor's business within a distance less than 1,320 feet of such church or school, then any such vendor or restaurant in the county outside such city or town may locate a place of business only at the same or a greater distance from such church or school as any such vendor located within such incorporated city or town.
(c)
Exception. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, this section shall not apply to any vendor's place of business which:
(1) Is licensed or required to be licensed under The Beverage Law for sale of wine or beer, as defined in such law, only for consumption off the vendor's premises.
(2) Is licensed under The Beverage Law on the effective date of Ord. No. 81-8 and continues in business operation continuously thereafter, provided that the revocation of the applicable license or the cessation of business operations for a period of more than 30 days shall be deemed not to be a continuous operation.
(3) Receives a written waiver from the church or churches where the vendor's place of business is located within the prescribed distance.
a. The waiver must be executed by the proper authority of the church.
b. This waiver shall be on a form prescribed by Walton County, Florida.
(Ord. No. 81-8, ?? 1--3, 9-25-81; Ord. No. 2004-14, ? 2, 3-23-04; Ord. No. 2004-26, ? 2, 7-13-04)
Sec. 3-2. Hours of sale.
The legal hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages in the county are from 5:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m., seven days a week. No person shall sell alcoholic beverages except during such hours.
(Ord. No. 76-6, 12-28-76)
State law references: Authority to regulate hours of sale, F.S. ? 562.14.
Sec. 3-3. Possession on school property.
It shall be unlawful for any person to bring upon any portion of school property of the county school district any alcoholic beverage of any nature.
(Ord. No. 79-6, 10-30-79)
Sec. 3-4. Consumption on public right-of-way in Grayton Beach.
It shall be unlawful for anyone to consume alcoholic beverages of any kind, to include beer and wine, within the public right-of-way of Grayton Beach community, as defined by the Grayton Beach Subdivision, recorded in Plat Book 2 at page 9 in the public records of the county.
(Ord. No. 76-4, 7-13-76)
Cross references: Roads and bridges, ch. 16.
Sec. 3-5. Consumption on boat ramp at Alaqua Creek.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of the boat ramp at Alaqua Creek and Highway 20, in Walton County, Florida, is hereby prohibited.
(Ord. No. 96-1, 3-26-96)
Sec. 3-6. Consumption in Grayton Beach.
(a)
Legislative findings; declaration of necessity. It is found and declared that:
(1) Grayton Beach is a unique and historic community in South Walton County consisting primarily of residential properties, which allows for some neighborhood scale commercial properties within its boundaries. The commercial and residential properties are in close proximity to each other and at times share a common property line.
(2) In recent years the number of commercial establishments selling alcoholic beverages in Grayton Beach has increased. Some of these establishments operate into the early morning hours, selling alcoholic beverages in Grayton Beach has increased. Some of these establishments operate into the early morning hours, selling alcoholic beverages as late as 2:00 a.m.
(3) Over the past several years, in part because of the operation of late-night establishments that sell alcoholic beverages, the residents of Grayton Beach have experienced an increase in excessive noise, and increase in automobile traffic, an increase in crime, and an increase in loitering on public and private properties.
(4) Such excessive noise, traffic, crime, and loitering is a detriment to the public health, safety, welfare, and quality of like of the residents of Grayton Beach.
(5) Additionally, an increase in alcoholic-related traffic accidents, including two traffic fatalities, is attributed to the late-night sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages at commercial establishments in Grayton Beach.
(6) The sale of alcoholic beverages is a privilege in this State to be granted pursuant to law under restricted terms or conditions because of the injurious effect of its use on the health and general welfare of the public.
(7) The Florida Legislature has delegated exclusive authority to the counties to regulate the hours of sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages within the unincorporated areas of a county.
(8) In the exercise of police power, Walton County has wide discretion in enacting restrictions and regulations.
(9) The necessity in the public interest for the provisions and prohibitions hereinafter contained and enacted is declared as a matter of legislative determination and public policy, and it is further declared that the provisions and prohibitions hereinafter contained and enacted are in pursuance of and for the purpose of securing and promoting the public health, safety, welfare, and quality of life.
(b)
Definitions. For the purpose of this section, certain words and phrases used herein are defined as follows:
Grayton Beach is the area represented by the following boundaries: County Road 30A to the North, the Gulf of Mexico to the South, Grayton Dunes State Park to the West, and Grayton Beach State Park and Western Lake to the East.
Division means the State of Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
(c)
Regulating time of sale for alcoholic and intoxicating beverages.
(1) Pursuant to Section 125.01(1)(o), Florida Statutes, and Section 562.14(1), Florida Statutes, no alcoholic beverages may be sold, consumed, served, or permitted to be served or consumed in any plat in Grayton Beach, Walton County, Florida, holding a license under the division between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. of the following day, except that upon Friday and Saturday of each week and upon the eve of New Years, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day, the hours of service or consumption shall be pro hibited between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 8:00 a.m.
(2) Should this section conflict with any existing Walton County Ordinance, this section controls.
(d)
Penalty. Any person violating subsection (c) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in Sections 775.082 or 775.083, Florida Statutes. Violation of subsection (c) shall also be grounds for the division to revoke or suspend the license of any person holding a license under The Beverage Law pursuant to Section 561.29, Florida Statutes.
(e)
Judicial construction. If any provision of this section is held to be unconstitutional, preempted by federal or state law, or otherwise invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of the section shall not be invalidated.
(Ord. No. 97-15, ?? 1--5, 6-10-97; Ord. No. 97-26, 7-22-97)
Sec. 3-7. Consumption in Helen McCall Park.
Use and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages within the county owned property known as Helen McCall Park is prohibited.
(Ord. No. 98-15, 6-23-98)
Regarding advice, I guess we would need to know what your question is.
