The Future of South Walton

[The Window Guy]

I agree with John G completely. The TDC & D.R. Horton are ruining Santa Rosa Beach and the surrounding beaches.
D.R. Horton is lowering the surrounding home values and bringing in the undesirables. Too many people, too many cigarette butts on beach, garbage, dogs on beach, general effects of over-crowding.
I am all for growth & business but, we need much better beach patrols, not (4) cops at every fender-bender!!
The quality of visitors has changed drastically for the worst! We stay at home alot now and enjoy our pool more!
Watched an 82 year old grand-mother put out cigarette after cigarette in the sand and then bury them! I should have gone up to her but, I wussed out, didn't want to cause a scene. (My fault, will not happen again!!!)
We should start beach volunteer beach ambassodors to watch and info beach-goers of their responsibility to our
beaches! Downtown Tennesse does that. (2) people with matching shirts, radios go around to help visitors and info the police of potential problems, or just giving out info of the area. I like it. "BEACH AMBASSADORS" ??
Just a thought. I spend my first 30 minutes every time I go to beach picking up trash and cigs! Saddening...

 

[sadie1]

Its ironic Dr Horton was only able to penetrate 30-a because lot prices fell 70-90% between 2005-2011 ish. If greedy investors never pushed prices threw the roof from 2000-2006 all this mass building on 30-a on dirt cheap lots wouldn't have happened thus holding prices down.

 

[jodiFL]

The 82 y.o. would have gotten an earful from me.. I am a smoker that puts all my butts back in the pack or my pocket or anywhere but ON THE BEACH. Is she knew how many times I have forgotten to thoroughly clean out said shorts only to find a bunch of butts floating in the washing machine ......but they were NOT left on the beach.. LOL

 

[poppy]

I agree with John G completely. The TDC & D.R. Horton are ruining Santa Rosa Beach and the surrounding beaches.
D.R. Horton is lowering the surrounding home values and bringing in the undesirables. Too many people, too many cigarette butts on beach, garbage, dogs on beach, general effects of over-crowding.
I am all for growth & business but, we need much better beach patrols, not (4) cops at every fender-bender!!
The quality of visitors has changed drastically for the worst! We stay at home alot now and enjoy our pool more!
Watched an 82 year old grand-mother put out cigarette after cigarette in the sand and then bury them! I should have gone up to her but, I wussed out, didn't want to cause a scene. (My fault, will not happen again!!!)
We should start beach volunteer beach ambassodors to watch and info beach-goers of their responsibility to our
beaches! Downtown Tennesse does that. (2) people with matching shirts, radios go around to help visitors and info the police of potential problems, or just giving out info of the area. I like it. "BEACH AMBASSADORS" ??
Just a thought. I spend my first 30 minutes every time I go to beach picking up trash and cigs! Saddening...

DR Horton bringing in undesirables? You undesirables have been here for years. Maybe we could do like the condo in New York that built lower priced units for the tax breaks and then installed a poor door so the wealthier residents wouldn't have to suffer the indignation of sharing an elevator with the unwashed. For those living in DR Horton homes we could tattoo an identifying mark on them and provide a poor beach and designated poor paths they must use. It's easy to spot an undesirable, they're the ones guzzling beer and chips instead of sipping wine and cheese.

 

[seal]

We don't need official "Beach Ambassadors" aka Beach Barneys. There is no need to give people that want to bother other people quasi-power and a mission to check up on other people. If you want to pick up other people's cigarette butts, go for it.

Beach cleaning teams of volunteers on certain days is a great idea for those so motivated. I do make it a habit when I am on the beach to pick up random trash as I am coming off of the beach.

Part of going to the beach is being able to unwind, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, and have a peaceful experience.

Regarding the TDC, I have said for several years now that it needs to be disbanded completely. This season's increased congestion is a testament to that.

 

[The Window Guy]

Normally change and progress is good; but without proper planning as what happened in Atlanta, the infrastructure to handle the volume must be in place. This year was a banner year no doubt. We must start now to better the coming years and continued increase in visitors. Too much of a good thing always ruins what you have!
Vague comments but, parking, traffic, trash, dogs on the beach, visitors not knowing or caring about the beach rules, etc... The beaches are "the" asset to this area and need to be protected tightly now. The Sheriff dept does nothing on the beach but drive around and look......I say offer businesses for a fee to sponsor each beach access and then use that money to better fund or maintain that particular access. Just an idea, like sponsoring part of the road or highway.
Best regards to all!

 

[Abby Prentiss]

Normally change and progress is good; but without proper planning as what happened in Atlanta, the infrastructure to handle the volume must be in place. This year was a banner year no doubt. We must start now to better the coming years and continued increase in visitors. Too much of a good thing always ruins what you have!
Vague comments but, parking, traffic, trash, dogs on the beach, visitors not knowing or caring about the beach rules, etc... The beaches are "the" asset to this area and need to be protected tightly now. The Sheriff dept does nothing on the beach but drive around and look......I say offer businesses for a fee to sponsor each beach access and then use that money to better fund or maintain that particular access. Just an idea, like sponsoring part of the road or highway.
Best regards to all!

I know you mean well but referencing Atlanta and SoWal makes me sad. South Walton is losing what makes it special. It may be hard for some to see, especially when you drive in from the city. But what is happening here happens to every wonderful piece of the world sooner or later. It's discovered and then gets ruined. The ruin creeps in.

As for your suggestion about accesses....... the bed tax dollars paid to TDC go toward maintaining accesses and for the most part they do a good job. Some say the TDC isn't needed. I think more dollars need to go to protecting what we have which will always bring visitors.

We're on the map people! Let's stop spending on advertising and spend more protecting and maintaining and enhancing.

This is not easy. It's a mindset change. We have to educate rental owners and bed tax collectors that taking care of South Walton brings as many visitors as ads. A better place allows for higher rents. We need to be raising our image and increasing loyalty.

 

[John G]

Go after the VRBO's that don't pay.

 

[seal]

Great points.

Only thing I would add is to change the name and the focus from TDC to TMC as in Tourist Management...

The image, the experience vistors have is of utmost importance. Word of mouth referrals are the best advertisement.

There is no need for the TDC to spend mega bucks with ad agencies in future, but prying those funds from those ad agencies will be a challenge.

 

[Dawn]

There is no need for the TDC to spend mega bucks with ad agencies in future, but prying those funds from those ad agencies will be a challenge.

It's not the agencies, they serve at the fickleness of governement and bidding processes.

It's the bed tax collectors - they want almost every penny spent on advertising to get more visitors in their beds. That's what the machine exists for.

It's a powerful machine.