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Private/public beach

sdenlyBeach Comber
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#private beach
Hi,
I have been visiting the 30A area for many years, but the past two years it seems the private beach thing is getting to be more of an issue. Can anyone explain what is currently going on in Walton County with private beaches. If we rent a house that isn't beach front is our only choice to get to the beach via public beach access now? Just looking for some clarity.
Thanks!

Replies

37
Kurt avatar
KurtAdmin
#2
It depends on the house. it can be off the beach and still have deeded beach access. Or in a community with shared access like Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seaside, WaterColor, Sandestin, etc. Or a smaller subdivision. Sometimes a single street or small group of houses have shared deeded access.

So there are a lot of good situations but the bad ones can be bad indeed. It's important to do your homework and rent from someone you can trust.
Truman avatar
TrumanBeach Fanatic
#3
If you like the towns like Seaside and WaterColor, and don't mind a lot of people then they are good places to be to have your access and other amenities.

Some of the county public accesses are problem places with a small bit of public beach sandwiched between "private" property. Meaning some accesses have like 50 feet of beach, to serve hundreds of rental homes nearby and adjacent "private" beaches with ropes, signs, and even some with employees that will tell you not to touch their "private" beach. If you avoid these trouble accesses you will likely be OK.

BTW - I'm aware that some of the enforcers are the same towns I mention in the first paragraph.
sdenlyBeach ComberAuthor
#4
It depends on the house. it can be off the beach and still have deeded beach access. Or in a community with shared access like Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seaside, WaterColor, Sandestin, etc. Or a smaller subdivision. Sometimes a single street or small group of houses have shared deeded access.

So there are a lot of good situations but the bad ones can be bad indeed. It's important to do your homework and rent from someone you can trust.

But what exactly does deeded beach access mean? Does it mean you have a designated area of beach or that you have a way to get to the beach, but once you get there no exact area to sit?
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#5
But what exactly does deeded beach access mean? Does it mean you have a designated area of beach or that you have a way to get to the beach, but once you get there no exact area to sit?

It means that your lot doesn't touch the beach, but you have the same legal rights to the beach. Normally these are contained in the HOA/COA docs, but older neighborhoods are literally written in the deeded legal description.
sdenlyBeach ComberAuthor
#6
If you like the towns like Seaside and WaterColor, and don't mind a lot of people then they are good places to be to have your access and other amenities.

Some of the county public accesses are problem places with a small bit of public beach sandwiched between "private" property. Meaning some accesses have like 50 feet of beach, to serve hundreds of rental homes nearby and adjacent "private" beaches with ropes, signs, and even some with employees that will tell you not to touch their "private" beach. If you avoid these trouble accesses you will likely be OK.

BTW - I'm aware that some of the enforcers are the same towns I mention in the first paragraph.

That is exactly what I am seeing. It seems that there are more and more areas like that now on 30A. Do you have suggestions of areas to stay away from and areas that its not such a problem? We don't like crowds and typically go to the Santa Rosa/Blue mountain area or Seagrove. This is such a disappointing situation.
Truman avatar
TrumanBeach Fanatic
#7
That is exactly what I am seeing. It seems that there are more and more areas like that now on 30A. Do you have suggestions of areas to stay away from and areas that its not such a problem? We don't like crowds and typically go to the Santa Rosa/Blue mountain area or Seagrove. This is such a disappointing situation.
Old Blue Mountain is good, there are several neighborhood accesses that are walk up with no parking but not too many houses and there is some public beach along there. Old Florida Beach is gated and not too many houses with lots of beach. Seagrove is slim pickens with no crowds - you can look down the east end of Beachfront Trail. Inlet Beach Regional is on one of the largest accesses but can get a bit crowded. Gulf Trace is good but I think there was some recent stuff about beachfront owners being Aholes and trying to claim they own all the beach there so check with rental agents you trust.
SG320 avatar
SG320Beach Comber
#9
We are dealing with some of those same unfriendly beachfront owners in Seagrove. One specifically who has hired guards to keep people off “his” sand. Unfortunately for him it has angered many who owns homes and condos in the area and they will keep coming to the beach and sit in front of his property even if they are sitting in the wet sand. He will probably see more people than ever out in front of his luxury properties that are currently being built. On the wet sand of course!
jhanesBeach Lover
#10
It means that your lot doesn't touch the beach, but you have the same legal rights to the beach. Normally these are contained in the HOA/COA docs, but older neighborhoods are literally written in the deeded legal description.
jhanesBeach Lover
#11
Not necessarily true. The term “deeded beach access” is used very loosely! In some instances it means that a neighborhood has an easement of a path to the beach, but only to get to the high tide line....then you’re on your own with no public beach available unless you walk down the wet sand to a public beach area, sometimes not very close by.
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#12
Not necessarily true. The term “deeded beach access” is used very loosely! In some instances it means that a neighborhood has an easement of a path to the beach, but only to get to the high tide line....then you’re on your own with no public beach available unless you walk down the wet sand to a public beach area, sometimes not very close by.

Mine is the literal definition. I'm aware of unscrupulous realtors and rental owners that stretch that definition.
sdenlyBeach ComberAuthor
#13
Anyone know how things are regarding beach/private beach issues in the Summer’s Edge Community in Seagrove? That’s were we are looking to rent a house. Rentals are expensive and I hate to rent a house that supposedly has private beach access and it only be a “path” to the beach
SUP Boarder avatar
SUP BoarderBeach Lover
#14
Anyone know how things are regarding beach/private beach issues in the Summer’s Edge Community in Seagrove? That’s were we are looking to rent a house. Rentals are expensive and I hate to rent a house that supposedly has private beach access and it only be a “path” to the beach


Summer’s Edge on Ryan St. Most likely only a path or boardwalk off Eastern Lake Rd to get on beach.

Edited

Kurt avatar
KurtAdmin
#15
Summer's Edge has a path to Ramsgate Public Access. And it's a short walk east to Eastern Lake Outfall.
jhanesBeach Lover
#16
Mine is the literal definition. I'm aware of unscrupulous realtors and rental owners that stretch that definition.
I’ve seen legal easement documents that define it the way I described.
sdenlyBeach ComberAuthor
#17
It that usually a crowded area? We are supposed to be going in July.
Summer's Edge has a path to Ramsgate Public Access. And it's a short walk east to Eastern Lake Outfall.
I’ve seen legal easement documents that define it the way I described.
So you take the “path” to the beach and then is it public area😉
Kurt avatar
KurtAdmin
#18
It that usually a crowded area? We are supposed to be going in July.
I can't say for sure how crowded it is. Also I'm not sure about the width of public beach and/or the properties to the east and west and whether you can spread out. It might be a good idea for me to survey our accesses during season and make notes on our access pages about surrounding properties.
Ramsgate Access

As a general rule, July is going to be crowded at most accesses - especially between 10 am and 4 pm.
melscuba avatar
melscubaBeach Fanatic
#19
Hi,
I have been visiting the 30A area for many years, but the past two years it seems the private beach thing is getting to be more of an issue. Can anyone explain what is currently going on in Walton County with private beaches. If we rent a house that isn't beach front is our only choice to get to the beach via public beach access now? Just looking for some clarity.
Thanks!

Hi! Your concerns are valid and you should ask the owner or management company. We owned a home in a neighborhood with access but no real place to sit once we got down there. We then owned in a neighborhood with access but if you didn’t rent chairs there was no real place to sit without a pretty good walk (we really didn’t care because our kids are older). I think you could ask your owner and hope they would be honest about it. Assurance of access and a place to sit is to rent in one of the resort communities like Rosemary, Watercolor, etc. BUT, if the house you are looking at is close to a public beach access I believe you can coordinate beach chair and umbrella set ups. This will give you a place in the sand to park without lugging it all with you. Hope this helps. Enjoy your time!
James BentwoodBeach Fanatic
#20
Now that the county has expanded their control over our beaches and is officially in the chair rental business, perhaps there should be a standard disclosure required to be issued and acknowledged by renters for every rental property regarding Beach Access and rental availability along with rules and conditions.

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