FEARMONGERING AT ITS BEST OR WORST DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE. CUSTOMARY USE IS IN THE FOREFRONT AGAIN. DON'T LET IT TEAR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY APART! CALL OR WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS IF YOU WANT, BUT REMEMBER WE ARE ALL NEIGHBORS.
FACT: Walton County allowed sales of the beach along with buildable parcels. There are DEEDS. Hindsight being 20/20, maybe they wouldn't do it again, but it happened. Is it still happening? Good question. I don't know. Please quit saying that people who have deeds that show otherwise, do not own the beach. They do. Don't like it? That's ok, but doesn't change the legal ownership.
FACT: If Customary Use is revoked, it isn't the end of the world. People can still access and use the beach. There are regional accesses, neighborhood accesses, and miles of public beach at our parks. Stop saying that no one will be able to access or enjoy the beach if customary use is rescinded. That simply isn't true.
FACT: FL statute guarantees the public the right to traverse the beach along the foreshore/wet sand area. That isn't new and it hasn't changed with customary use.
FACT: We didn't have a Customary Use Ordinance governing use of the dry sand beaches in Walton County until roughly a year and a half ago. Sure there was some animosity on BOTH SIDES, but many beachfront owners have NO PROBLEM with respectful people traversing, fishing, sitting on the beach, sunbathing, swimming, building sandcastles....(sound familiar? These items are in the customary use ordinance). Ostracizing, belittling, demeaning, and calling beachfront owners names is NOT helpful and further divides our County's citizens. Try getting to know some of them. You might be surprised to find that they are very much like you.
Something else to consider: Try leaving your tents and excessive baggage/toys at home. My mom had a rule. Each person carried their own stuff. If it was too much to carry in and out by myself in one trip in and one trip out, I didn't need it. Worked like a charm! Spread out, especially if you are near neighborhood accesses. Everybody doesn't need to be on one or two lots on either side of an access. Come to enjoy the beach and the water. When you leave, take all your stuff with you. Don't bring your pets during the daytime prohibited beach hours. Don't use tobacco of any kind on the beach. Clean up EVERYTHING in your area before you leave. Yes, that means litter, but it also means to fill in holes, and knock down creations that present trip hazards and interfere with our turtles during turtle season. IF you bring you dog to the beach during allowed hours, you need a permit from Walton County and you are required to keep your dog on leash. Pick up your dog's waste. Walk the dog along the foreshore (not on the dry sand and not in the dues) so that any remnants of urine or waste have a prayer of being washed away/rinsed at high tide. Stay out of the dunes. Kids love sand and they love little hills, but our dunes are protected and invaluable to both wildlife and storm protection. If you want to play football or volleyball or throw frisbees, etc., find a wide open area away from people and the dunes. It isn't relaxing to others when they have to be constantly mindful of getting hit in the head.
Below are some excerpts posted on social media. The names are left off. Not trying to throw anyone under the bus, but these types of posts are incendiary at best and, in a number of cases, inaccurate as well. Do not judge beachfront owners (or tourists/visitors or inland residents) on the words or the actions of a few. Oh, and quit believing everything you read on social media. Try a new tactic. Ask questions instead of making accusations or assumptions. If you sincerely want an answer, maybe try a private message first. Many people will not participate in controversial discussions because of the personal attacks that routinely occur in social media.
Social media example posts follow:
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"This is the definition of selfishness. It smells to high heaven. It is Despicable. Call everyone you know this morning and tell them to call these numbers this morning And vote NO on HB 1173. Tell them that you support Customary use and reject any bill that would restrict it. BEACHFRONT HOMEOWNERS: “We will have our beaches back."
"Excuse me, but they were never yours to begin with. The beaches of South Walton County are for everyone. Let’s keep it that way please call these numbers."
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"Where is 360 Blue and all the property management companies? Do they as well as the county realize that the rental properties will deminish as people will NOT be able to go to the beach unless they are renting Gulf Front, or in specific areas of Rosemary and Seaside. The rest of the tourists will rent in neighboring counties. This impacts ALL businesses, the county bed tax revenue, the rental properties and the home owners who rent their properties. This is more than just locals going to the beach. I just spoke with my friend from Brevard County (largest water facing county in FL). She found it hard to believe that you can't go to the beach and enjoy it. So true. We need to go BACK to the beginning when the DOD owned the beach front property and CORRECT the deed's just as they were corrected in other counties in FL and around the US."
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END of example posts.
So, to conclude, customary use does not have to tear Walton County apart unless we let it. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Try putting yourself in others' shoes, whether you are an inland resident, a tourist/visitor, or a beachfront owner. Remember that residents, tourists/visitors, and beachfront owners are all concerned about losing something. Instead of attacking each other, let's work together to bring harmony to the beach. Sorry this is so long. Just couldn't keep reading all the negativity and say nothing.