Public vs Private Beach [threads merged]

[Danny Glidewell]

The reason people park in neighborhoods and on right-of-way is that there is inadequate parking at the regional accesses and there are not enough regional accesses to begin with. We need more legal, efficient parking areas and strict enforcement of parking laws in the neighborhoods and other areas where parking is not allowed. You cannot stop people from building on their property, that is not realistic. But we can use TDC dollars to purchase more legal parking in areas that will make the beach experience better and keep that traffic away from neighborhoods and private areas.

 

[FactorFiction]

I thought the theory has always been that the neighborhood accesses were to provide for walking and bicycle traffic to the beach and to take pressure off the regional accesses. The Regional accesses are for those who come by car to the beach. There are just too many visitors for the amount of space available at the accesses. So we need more beachfront purchased to provide additional accesses. We also need more bathroom and picnic facilities at the accesses to meet the demand for such amenities. Not to mention the critical need for parking.

So true! Neighborhood accesses have become inundated with arrivals by vehicle due to TDC and partner advertising/suggestions, including some hotels with their own overcrowded PRIVATE beach. Instead of being the walking and bike riding accesses for the surrounding neighbors, the areas near the neighborhood accesses have become areas where people unload everything they can fit in their fully loaded SUVs and then park ANYWHERE they think they can that is the least number of steps from the beach access. Once on the beach, many of them set up camp sites where they stay all day eating and drinking and then using the dunes for toileting areas. Some play loud music, some bring dogs (during non-dog hours), and some take up as much geography as they possibly can. If the TDC and marketing partners would back off of treating neighborhood accesses like regional accesses, I wonder if the beachfront owners might feel less of a need to protect their property. Just a thought.

 

[steel1man]

So true! Neighborhood accesses have become inundated with arrivals by vehicle due to TDC and partner advertising/suggestions, including some hotels with their own overcrowded PRIVATE beach. Instead of being the walking and bike riding accesses for the surrounding neighbors, the areas near the neighborhood accesses have become areas where people unload everything they can fit in their fully loaded SUVs and then park ANYWHERE they think they can that is the least number of steps from the beach access. Once on the beach, many of them set up camp sites where they stay all day eating and drinking and then using the dunes for toileting areas. Some play loud music, some bring dogs (during non-dog hours), and some take up as much geography as they possibly can. If the TDC and marketing partners would back off of treating neighborhood accesses like regional accesses, I wonder if the beachfront owners might feel less of a need to protect their property. Just a thought.

And this doesn't even take into consideration that a lot of public beaches are now tagged Private.
Truly the barn is emptying and we can't put the horses back in.

 

[FactorFiction]

And this doesn't even take into consideration that a lot of public beaches are now tagged Private.
Truly the barn is emptying and we can't put the horses back in.

Not saying you are wrong, but I don't think that deeded public (FL or Walton Co) beach can be tagged private. From what I understand, there have been beaches that were not public, but were treated that way, especially in older neighborhoods where deeds, plats, and records were not as carefully crafted as they are today. Are those the kinds of cases you are referring to?

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

To me the "local traffic only" signs make sense. There is no parking available in "old blue mountain beach". The signs save people from wasting their time trying to find a non existent parking space.

Yes, there are two marked parking spaces near the sea grade walk over and there are a few shoulder parking spaces near the walk overs that people use, but once the lots adjacent to those parking spaces are built out, those spaces will be gone.

So in other words I guess you're saying, "Don't bother driving down our public road to see if there's an open parking spot at one of the public accesses because there probably won't be one. And you Redfish Village people riding the shuttle or anybody else, don't come on our road looking to get dropped off at one of those 3 public accesses. Obey our No Through Traffic sign or the wrath of INFLUENCE will be upon you."

The beach walk overs in old blue mountain beach are great for walking access to the beaches, but not vehicle access.

So I can't use Blue Mountain Road road to avoid traffic by the 4 way stop? I thought this customary use had to do with the beach. Should we start a new thread...."I've been driving down Blue Mountain Road for years and years, long before the No Through Traffic was placed"? Just kidding, I hope.

Seriously, the LEAST you people could do is put the word Please above the "No Through Traffic" part of your sign, especially considering the sign is a request and not the law and the fact it is sitting on public right-of-way.

People from Redfish Village, Lakeside at Blue Mountain, Preserve Place Condos and Preserve at Grayton Beach use our walk overs. I know this for a fact. I lived at the Preserve Place condos for a year and my preferred access was the walkover at the end of Gulf Point Rd.

At least you are admitting your accesses are public unlike your cohort who I've almost given up on. There's a ray of hope after all - thanks.

jkmason, isn't all of this so very complicated?...
public beach vs. private beach vs. privately owned beach with a public easement (RFV),
regional public accesses vs. neighborhood public accesses,
parking on south bound 83 right-of-way vs. no parking on north bound 83 right-of-way,
parking on Blue Mountain Road west of 83 vs. no parking on Blue Mountain Road east of 83?

And ALL of this is within a few hundred feet radius from the intersection of 83 and Blue Mountain Road. I am familiar with this because it's all within the neighborhood where we have a home, Blue Mountain Beach.

It all makes me suspect just how screwed up the rest of the county really is. And I think we all know the answer.

But, again, my rhetorical (and very loaded) question is, "Has anyone not been able to set up on an existing public beach, including the state parks?"

 

[Bob Wells]

BMBVAGRANT
Was curious how long it would be before we took a hard left turn away from civility.

 

[Danny Glidewell]

That " No through traffic" sign has been there on BMB road since I was a teenager. There are similar signs around the county along with "No Outlet" signs and such. They were put there to assist the traffic flow and had nothing to do with beach access. Unless something has changed BMB road has a very narrow turn around at the east end and the road is not designed for a great amount of two-way traffic.

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

BMBVAGRANT
Was curious how long it would be before we took a hard left turn away from civility.

Eloquent! (at least the way I interpret it).

 

[John G]

The reason people park in neighborhoods and on right-of-way is that there is inadequate parking at the regional accesses and there are not enough regional accesses to begin with. We need more legal, efficient parking areas and strict enforcement of parking laws in the neighborhoods and other areas where parking is not allowed. You cannot stop people from building on their property, that is not realistic. But we can use TDC dollars to purchase more legal parking in areas that will make the beach experience better and keep that traffic away from neighborhoods and private areas.

Agree 100%. County has failed at this. Why have we not purchased the lot at 30a & 393?

The current survey going around addresses this and other issues. Parking should be a huge priority.

Topsail State Park (West End of 30a) did have a program last year, but it failed miserably. TDC spent lots of $$$ to advertise and then touted its success... It was a failure, when it comes to vehicle traffic.

The head of that State Park just took a job with the TDC...

There is plenty of parking and it's about a 1/2 mile walk (or tram ride) to the beach.

Some people are simply just too lazy and out of shape to walk that far to the beach.

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

That " No through traffic" sign has been there on BMB road since I was a teenager. There are similar signs around the county along with "No Outlet" signs and such. They were put there to assist the traffic flow and had nothing to do with beach access. Unless something has changed BMB road has a very narrow turn around at the east end and the road is not designed for a great amount of two-way traffic.

Danny, you might be recalling a sign from the old days that I (and a neighbor) don't remember seeing until the neighborhood sign was installed. Trust me, when we first saw it, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Click for view from 2008 (no sign)
Click for view from 2015 (sign)
Click for closeup of sign

The above existing Old Blue Mountain Beach sign is definitely not "standard government issue". And it is just a suggestion of "Local Traffic Only". So unless you're "Local Traffic" (whatever that means), they are implying that you can't use those 3 public accesses if you plan to be dropped off or park in one of the very few places there.

This is in full contrast to a No Outlet sign which would actually be inaccurate if it were placed at the same location - but definitely appropriate if placed toward the end of the dead-end road AFTER the side streets that lead to 30A.

added:
Actually, the No Outlet sign is located where it should be:
Click here