Sanctuary at Redfish

[TreeFrog]

Your question, "Why not spend the bucks on 4-laning the 331 bridge?" is a great one. The answer is that our bridges don't attract touristas.

How else is one going to "grow" the tourist industry in SoWal if a sginificant amount of the beaches are private?

Hey I know...throw some grains of sand out there and confiscate it. How else are we going to get away with approving the future Redfish Villages and Nature Walks and other large developments that need your private beach?"

Duh. Silly me.

As you can see by my straightforward question and my simple, commonsense alternate for spending the money, I'm clearly not devious enough to be a politician.

OK, looking at it differently then...

You'd think that it would cost a lot less than $50M to see the issue through the courts, instead of the wasteful, inconclusive, and (eventually) temporary expedient of pumping sand up on the beach. There will eventually be another storm, and we'll have to spend another $50M.

Or am I still being sensible?

 

[Matt J]

Here's a question:

If you post a sign on public beach and leave it doesn't that make it trash? Can't anyone walk up and remove it?

 

[Smiling JOe]

actually, if the beach is nourished by WalCo, FEMA picks up most of the tab for future renourishment. (just like they are picking up most of the $7million tab to rebuild the County Pier at Pier Park.)

As for signs on the beach, if they are blocking emergency vehicles or seaturtles, they can be removed, just like umbrellas and chairs.

 

[TreeFrog]

actually, if the beach is nourished by WalCo, FEMA picks up most of the tab for future renourishment.

That's worth knowing, but IMHO it's still a waste of money that could be spent on real improvements that benefit the public at large. I haven't seen the entire SoWal beach, but the parts I have seen seem to have recovered nicely from the 2005 storms, thank you. I'd like to think the $50M could be spent more productively. Schools, roads, bridges, dune lake preservation, parks, fire stations, emergency services, replacing blue signs.

Or maybe to fund a secession from NoWal...

 

[Smiling JOe]

I, too, think the beaches would recover fine on their own if homes weren't built on top of the dune system, which has its own way of replenishing the beach as needed over time. FEMA spends billions of our taxes on things such as pumping sand onto the beach, only to watch it wash away with the next major storm, so that they can do it again. Just ridiculous, when there are real projects which need funding. Don't even get me started on the waste of FEMA.

 

[TreeFrog]

FEMA spends billions of our taxes on things such as pumping sand onto the beach, only to watch it wash away with the next major storm, so that they can do it again. Just ridiculous, when there are real projects which need funding. Don't even get me started on the waste of FEMA.

It's time to retreat into the "TreeFrog theory of selective taxation", the fantasy world in which I get to allocate how my federal tax dollars are spent. Many years we choose to fund highway infrastructure. This year, we split it equally between jet fuel for the Blue Angels and Medicare, which benefits my elderly relative.

 

[scooterbug44]

I think everyone just needs to respect Mother Nature (instead of spending millions to fight her) and enjoy the beach without getting all clenched and territorial.

 

[TreeFrog]

Meanwhile,Kimbug is worried whether she'll get arrested on her vacation. My advice to her is this:

Most of the jerks, excuse me - concerned property owners, who have been wanting to keep people off "their beach" are in Blue Mountain, which is near Sanctuary at Redfish. The rest are in Seaside. If you are going to be uncomfortable with that, I'd suggest looking for another rental location. There are a lot of other very nice vacation spots in SoWal.

 

[scooterbug44]

Anyone who gets run off a "private beach" can PM me. I've got a sympathetic friend with a parking space, a nearby public walkover, and an outdoor shower they can use if they bring their own soap/shampoo & towels.

2008: taking back the beach one family vacation at a time!

 

[kimbug]

Meanwhile,Kimbug is worried whether she'll get arrested on her vacation. My advice to her is this:

Most of the jerks, excuse me - concerned property owners, who have been wanting to keep people off "their beach" are in Blue Mountain, which is near Sanctuary at Redfish. The rest are in Seaside. If you are going to be uncomfortable with that, I'd suggest looking for another rental location. There are a lot of other very nice vacation spots in SoWal.

Anyone who gets run off a "private beach" can PM me. I've got a sympathetic friend with a parking space, a nearby public walkover, and an outdoor shower they can use if they bring their own soap/shampoo & towels.

2008: taking back the beach one family vacation at a time!

It's nice to know you all got my back! Apparently I won't get arrested if I quietly pack up my stuff and high tail it back to the Redfish Water Taxi if I'm politely asked to do so by the sheriff. That's according to the Sheriff that my brother-in-law talked to this afternoon. He was also told that they definitely don't come looking for trespassers. Well, I don't really want to take those chances. It's too bad because the property at Redfish is beautiful. I doubt with these issues they'll be selling many units for the millions they're looking for. So now I have to get our deposit back and get looking for something else. If anyone's got suggestions, we're a family of 7, preferring a 3 or 4 bdrm., with beach access and nice pool. Don't hesitate to pm me. Thanks again for the warnings.