Sick Of Beach Chair Vendors in South Walton

[jordana405]

Although this website/social media may help to bring issues to the attention of the county, defensible statistics is what the TDC uses to point towards the need for chapter 22 ordinance change. Every month a report on the “contacts” Code Enforcement Personnel make is distributed and analyzed by the Beach Management Advisory Committee and the TDC organization. If you want to create change for a better beach experience, I encourage you to make a formal complaint on any/all issues you believe are a violation of the ordinance (with pictures). These complaints are investigated and go into the “contacts” database of statistics.

Here's the link : www.southwaltoncodeenforcement.com... Below the staff directory it says, To report a beach code violation, please click here.

 

[steel1man]

South Walton Turtle Watch is experiencing a banner year with a total of 90 turtle nests so far this season, almost to the record of 98.

“And it’s only mid-July!” exclaimed Turtle Watch Head Sharon Maxwell in delight.

However, even with a banner year, she is exasperated because in addition to the 90 nests, she has recorded 63 false crawls.

A false crawl is when a sea turtle comes ashore to nest and can’t because of people, lights or an object left in her path that prevent her nesting.

Maxwell said South Walton had a rare green sea turtle come ashore to nest, but did not for those reasons, logging a false crawl. The next night, Panama City Beach Turtle Watch reported they had a green nest.

“We really are sharing the beach with sea turtles and people are harassing them on the beach when they (come) ashore to nest,” she said.

The stories of sightings of these incidents are mostly told to volunteer turtle watch walkers the morning following incidents.

“We have been trying forever to educate people. We have done everything we can think of. We started the Friends of Turtle Watch who are taking information to rental places and talking to the public, but to no avail,” said Maxwell. “People feel they have the right to touch and shine a light on turtles.”

However, harassing a sea turtle, shining a white light on them, touching or keeping them from nesting when they come ashore is against the law.

 

[Teresa]

South Walton Turtle Watch is experiencing a banner year with a total of 90 turtle nests so far this season, almost to the record of 98.

“And it’s only mid-July!” exclaimed Turtle Watch Head Sharon Maxwell in delight.

However, even with a banner year, she is exasperated because in addition to the 90 nests, she has recorded 63 false crawls.

A false crawl is when a sea turtle comes ashore to nest and can’t because of people, lights or an object left in her path that prevent her nesting.

Maxwell said South Walton had a rare green sea turtle come ashore to nest, but did not for those reasons, logging a false crawl. The next night, Panama City Beach Turtle Watch reported they had a green nest.

“We really are sharing the beach with sea turtles and people are harassing them on the beach when they (come) ashore to nest,” she said.

The stories of sightings of these incidents are mostly told to volunteer turtle watch walkers the morning following incidents.

“We have been trying forever to educate people. We have done everything we can think of. We started the Friends of Turtle Watch who are taking information to rental places and talking to the public, but to no avail,” said Maxwell. “People feel they have the right to touch and shine a light on turtles.”

However, harassing a sea turtle, shining a white light on them, touching or keeping them from nesting when they come ashore is against the law.

Too many people during nesting season disturbing their habitat. I'm so sorry for our turtles. They are amazing creatures with so many obstacles in their ocean and nesting environments, almost all caused by us. South Walton Turtle Watch and Friends of SW Turtles are excellent groups doing outstanding work. I appreciate all they are doing to monitor nests, walk beaches every morning and educate the public. KEEP doing what you're doing. More locals are getting involved and helping protect turtles and educate people.

South Walton Turtle Watch on Facebook also posted this photo as an example of something they see all along the beach. Stuff. Obstacles.

Tracks from a nesting sea turtle:

 

[steel1man]

Too many people during nesting season disturbing their habitat. I'm so sorry for our turtles. They are amazing creatures with so many obstacles in their ocean and nesting environments, almost all caused by us. South Walton Turtle Watch and Friends of SW Turtles are excellent groups doing outstanding work. I appreciate all they are doing to monitor nests, walk beaches every morning and educate the public. KEEP doing what you're doing. More locals are getting involved and helping protect turtles and educate people.

South Walton Turtle Watch on Facebook also posted this photo as an example of something they see all along the beach. Stuff. Obstacles.

Tracks from a nesting sea turtle:

To bad BCC and code enforcement could care less....turtles make ZERO $$$$ for SOWAL

 

[steel1man]

To bad BCC and code enforcement could care less....turtles make ZERO $$$$ for SOWAL

Oh, and Vendors DONT pay taxes..."There's the Rub"

 

[John G]

Although this website/social media may help to bring issues to the attention of the county, defensible statistics is what the TDC uses to point towards the need for chapter 22 ordinance change. Every month a report on the “contacts” Code Enforcement Personnel make is distributed and analyzed by the Beach Management Advisory Committee and the TDC organization. If you want to create change for a better beach experience, I encourage you to make a formal complaint on any/all issues you believe are a violation of the ordinance (with pictures). These complaints are investigated and go into the “contacts” database of statistics.

Here's the link : www.southwaltoncodeenforcement.com... Below the staff directory it says, To report a beach code violation, please click here.

I think some people are deterred from making a formal complaint due to the reporting process. It allows the Touron to know WHO complained. It opens the door for retaliation, especially if you live in their general vacation area. We've seen Tourons do a lot of crazy things... What's the TDC's reason for forcing the identity of the complainant?

 

[John G]

South Walton Turtle Watch is experiencing a banner year with a total of 90 turtle nests so far this season, almost to the record of 98.

“And it’s only mid-July!” exclaimed Turtle Watch Head Sharon Maxwell in delight.

However, even with a banner year, she is exasperated because in addition to the 90 nests, she has recorded 63 false crawls.

A false crawl is when a sea turtle comes ashore to nest and can’t because of people, lights or an object left in her path that prevent her nesting.

Maxwell said South Walton had a rare green sea turtle come ashore to nest, but did not for those reasons, logging a false crawl. The next night, Panama City Beach Turtle Watch reported they had a green nest.

“We really are sharing the beach with sea turtles and people are harassing them on the beach when they (come) ashore to nest,” she said.

The stories of sightings of these incidents are mostly told to volunteer turtle watch walkers the morning following incidents.

“We have been trying forever to educate people. We have done everything we can think of. We started the Friends of Turtle Watch who are taking information to rental places and talking to the public, but to no avail,” said Maxwell. “People feel they have the right to touch and shine a light on turtles.”

However, harassing a sea turtle, shining a white light on them, touching or keeping them from nesting when they come ashore is against the law.

This is very disturbing. If this is happening, we need the appropriate law enforcement agency (FWC?) do be more involved here.

It speaks volumes when a Green Sea Turtle chooses PCB over SoWal to lay eggs...

 

[bob bob]

Let's confiscate all items left on the beach, resell them, and use the money to fund turtle watch.

 

[bob bob]

The Beach Operations Department is comprised of two divisions: Beach Maintenance and Beach Code Enforcement. Code Enforcement monitors the beaches to enforce local beach related ordinances such as the Leave No Trace ordinance, sea turtle ordinances, and others.

Staff Directory
(850) 267-4578 - General
(850) 622-7895 - Code Enforcement

Brian Kellenberger - Director of Beach Operations
Stacey Infinger - Administrative Assistant
Josh Ervin - Beach Maintenance Manager
Jeff McVay - Lead Code Enforcement Officer
Harold Taunton - Code Enforcement Officer
David Goodman- Code Enforcement Officer
Danny Garner - Code Enforcement Officer
Clifton Hollington - Code Enforcemnt Officer
Eric Bosko - Code Enforcement Officer
Buddy Burgess - Code Enforcement Officer
Adam Seigler - Code Enforcement Officer
Dan Ratcliff - Code Enforcement Officer
Nick Ware - Code Enforcement Officer

To report a beach code violation, please click here.

 

[steel1man]

The Beach Operations Department is comprised of two divisions: Beach Maintenance and Beach Code Enforcement. Code Enforcement monitors the beaches to enforce local beach related ordinances such as the Leave No Trace ordinance, sea turtle ordinances, and others.

Staff Directory
(850) 267-4578 - General
(850) 622-7895 - Code Enforcement

Brian Kellenberger - Director of Beach Operations
Stacey Infinger - Administrative Assistant
Josh Ervin - Beach Maintenance Manager
Jeff McVay - Lead Code Enforcement Officer
Harold Taunton - Code Enforcement Officer
David Goodman- Code Enforcement Officer
Danny Garner - Code Enforcement Officer
Clifton Hollington - Code Enforcemnt Officer
Eric Bosko - Code Enforcement Officer
Buddy Burgess - Code Enforcement Officer
Adam Seigler - Code Enforcement Officer
Dan Ratcliff - Code Enforcement Officer
Nick Ware - Code Enforcement Officer

To report a beach code violation, please click here.

Best story one of these (above) enforcement guys ever told me. One season a new beach vendor was setting up and when question, did not have license or liability insurance.
He told the enforcement agent he could earn the required funds for the insurance in about two weeks of rentals.
So the code guy told him he would overlook the problem for two weeks while the illegal vendor earn the money to get the insurance.
This story plus others about not issuing fines because it would take a whole day in court to fight the penalty. These stories represent the mentality of the TDC.