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Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
Lazin' & Drinkin' I'll refer to John G's comments.

As far as my qualifications go, well I'm not a planner, architect or engineer, but then I don't hold a degree in computer science and am able to grasp the concept of the internet and this message board.
 

NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
I agree that the businesses need to participate in a solution - one is certainly needed for businesses. However I do have some concerns about the requirements for single family homes on lots less than 1/2 acre. Since there is no minimum lot size in Walton County, I think a lot of existing lots are going to find it really hard to meet the requirements. I am not thinking here about vacation rental properties so much as I am thinking about full time permanent residents, of which we are getting more and more these days. According to the proposed ordinance, a home 2501-3000 sq ft would require 5 parking spots, and if tandem spots are used they can be no more than two deep. I think this might result in the front of the house being all one wide driveway cut and nothing else. Seems very limiting. As I read this, you could not for instance have a long driveway on one side where you could stack up three cars. The assumption seems to be that it might be rented so lets just make everyone conform. Does the average family that lives in this size house have five cars??
 

lazin&drinkin

Beach Lover
Apr 13, 2010
174
154
Matt J, I think your last post confused me with someone posting with a play on my handle. I've not posted on this or other in a while. drinkin & lazy is probably to whom you refer. No relation, and one of us improbably proud of that fact, but I have no idea which of us it is.
 

Bob Wells

Beach Fanatic
Jul 25, 2008
3,380
2,857
I agree that the businesses need to participate in a solution - one is certainly needed for businesses. However I do have some concerns about the requirements for single family homes on lots less than 1/2 acre. Since there is no minimum lot size in Walton County, I think a lot of existing lots are going to find it really hard to meet the requirements. I am not thinking here about vacation rental properties so much as I am thinking about full time permanent residents, of which we are getting more and more these days. According to the proposed ordinance, a home 2501-3000 sq ft would require 5 parking spots, and if tandem spots are used they can be no more than two deep. I think this might result in the front of the house being all one wide driveway cut and nothing else. Seems very limiting. As I read this, you could not for instance have a long driveway on one side where you could stack up three cars. The assumption seems to be that it might be rented so lets just make everyone conform. Does the average family that lives in this size house have five cars??
So you have an issue. A reasonable solution, maybe would be if they are homesteaded?
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
I agree that the businesses need to participate in a solution - one is certainly needed for businesses. However I do have some concerns about the requirements for single family homes on lots less than 1/2 acre. Since there is no minimum lot size in Walton County, I think a lot of existing lots are going to find it really hard to meet the requirements. I am not thinking here about vacation rental properties so much as I am thinking about full time permanent residents, of which we are getting more and more these days. According to the proposed ordinance, a home 2501-3000 sq ft would require 5 parking spots, and if tandem spots are used they can be no more than two deep. I think this might result in the front of the house being all one wide driveway cut and nothing else. Seems very limiting. As I read this, you could not for instance have a long driveway on one side where you could stack up three cars. The assumption seems to be that it might be rented so lets just make everyone conform. Does the average family that lives in this size house have five cars??

There is a maximum width for driveways IIRC.
 

NotDeadYet

Beach Fanatic
Jul 7, 2007
1,422
489
I don't think a homestead exemption would work. What would happen if the home sold and the buyer turned it into a vacation rental?

As for maximum width for driveways, if there is one for single family residential, it sure isn't being enforced. I could show use a dozen homes in a ten minute ride around Seagrove that are all driveway along the front street frontage, some of them nearly new.

It isn't a personal issue for me. Just thinking about it though and looking at some of the vacant lots in SoWal, I think many of them won't be able to meet those new requirements and will ask for a variance. And we sort of know how that usually goes.
 

BeachArkie

Beach Lover
Jun 27, 2008
156
85
44
Seagrove
I read the proposed ordinance and I like it. Yes, there are quite a few overbuilt rental houses and businesses that do not meet the requirements and will have problems if they try to expand. But since those houses and businesses don't have adequate parking now and routinely park in the street, in the ROW, in front of their neighbors' houses, and at beach accesses I don't feel a lot of sympathy.

If my house burned down, floods, or is blown away by a hurricane, I have to rebuild it to current codes. If I add onto it, I have to follow current codes. Why should businesses be any different?

The square footage requirement for houses is a long overdue fix for dens, offices, studies, exercise rooms, sitting rooms, libraries, and whatever else people call bedrooms to avoid following the rules.

Take a good look at what is being proposed, not what they say is being proposed. I think you will find that almost all of the houses and businesses not in compliance already have parking problems. The ordinance changes are a direct response to growing parking problems and people bending or breaking the rules.
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
I read the proposed ordinance and I like it. Yes, there are quite a few overbuilt rental houses and businesses that do not meet the requirements and will have problems if they try to expand. But since those houses and businesses don't have adequate parking now and routinely park in the street, in the ROW, in front of their neighbors' houses, and at beach accesses I don't feel a lot of sympathy.

If my house burned down, floods, or is blown away by a hurricane, I have to rebuild it to current codes. If I add onto it, I have to follow current codes. Why should businesses be any different?

The square footage requirement for houses is a long overdue fix for dens, offices, studies, exercise rooms, sitting rooms, libraries, and whatever else people call bedrooms to avoid following the rules.

Take a good look at what is being proposed, not what they say is being proposed. I think you will find that almost all of the houses and businesses not in compliance already have parking problems. The ordinance changes are a direct response to growing parking problems and people bending or breaking the rules.

Hit Nail on Head BeachArkie!!! Nail on Head.
 
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