In today's paper: (10-11-06) SANTA ROSA BEACH ? Walton County commissioners took no action Tuesday night to allow sea walls and reconstructed dunes built on county land to remain, saying they need more information. The structures in Seagrove Beach encroach onto land deeded to the county in the 1950?s for public swimming access. After Hurricane Dennis, the county allowed property owners to erect temporary sea walls and structures to shore up their homes. At least a dozen property owners need the county?s blessing so they can get permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection to make the structures permanent. Commissioner Cindy Meadows wants to know if the county could be held responsible for the upkeep of the structures. She said that allowing the structures to stay on county property goes against the role of the commission to protect the public interest. She added that she doesn?t like the idea of the commission giving public land to private property owners for any use. ?It?s on county property,? she said. ?It?s on public beach.? The property owners could be forced to destroy their sea walls and reconstructed dunes if they do not get DEP permits for permanent structures. Many of them are facing a DEP application deadline for the permits. Commissioners suggested that the property owners ask the DEP for deadline extensions while the county works with them and the state on the issue. The sea walls and reconstructed dunes reach anywhere from 20 to about 30 feet onto county land. Attorney Patrick Krechowski, who represents three of the affected property owners, said that his clients and the others ?inadvertently? built on county property. The owners learned during the application process with the DEP that the property belongs to the county. ?This is not a conveyance of property to my clients,? he said. ?It?s simply granted permission for the (seawalls) to remain.? Engineer Terry Anderson, who represents several other property owners, said his clients assumed that they owned the beach to the mean high water line as do most beachfront property owners in South Walton County. ?Some of these houses were literally falling into the beach,? Anderson said. Commissioner Larry Jones echoed Meadows? sentiments. He said he was not comfortable with giving the property owners permission to keep their structures on the beach. ?It?s going to take some very compelling evidence that this is in the best interests of the county and its citizens,? he said. Daily News Staff Writer Heather Civil can be reached at 267-8300.
