As county road 30-A is not not a Federal highway, FDOT is not a mandate but rather a guideline. From what I could tell at Wednesday's TDC Workshop, the TDC did not take natural beauty, scenic pride, nor aesthetics into consideration when coming up with the designs for the signs. They simply took the GUIDELINES set forth by FDOT and the MUTCD and fashioned signs accordingly. In my estimate, a no-brainer. The gentleman from the TDC, who said they had to work within these guidelines did not say WHY they had to, nor WHO was pushing them to work within the guidelines. The question I asked at the meeting was never addressed by the TDC, nor was it written on their series of large white brainstorming tablets. I suppose it is because my prelude to the question, which negated the reason for the meeting, was 'when these signs are replaced.' So, I want to pose it here and find anyone's response. Since the wooden signs that the blue monster's replaced, were so beautiful and natural, being made of wood, were acceptable by the community, had the little south Walton sun unbrellas on them giving us the continuity that the TDC wanted for their need of branding, then why don't we demand to use the old wooden signs as templates for the new signs? The TDC can have them wind tested as they did the big blue monsters and adapt the new wooden signs accordingly. Better placement as well as size of signs or letters on the signs can be adjusted within demure boundries to answer concerns by those voicing dismay over having to put up with lost tourists.
...yikes! Thank you SO much for posting that letter. I applaud Seaside and St. Joe. Dave...how did RB and Alys find out beforehand in order to opt out of these signs?
