IMO it wasn't the fact that they were limiting their access use, it was that they were bragging about how many folks they'd turned away in print.
Vacation plans and beach access
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Whats wrong with Rosemary limiting the use of their access? Not the beach, but the access...
Where is the public access in Rosemary Beach please? How about Alys please? How did the public access these beaches before they were developed?
Is this like attempting to 'privatize' by limiting access? If there is no public access it seems like it. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out what's happening. 
I'm sure promising buyers 'private' beaches would help sales to a lot to certain people who like to try and 'own' exclusive beaches. :funn: Whatever. 
I looked on the Rosemary sight & couldn't find the newsletter. But then again...I'm not a password certified Rosemary owner.
Neither the Walton County tourism office nor the commissioners even acknowledged receipt of my questions. Excluding the weekend its been three days. What's a reasonable amount of time we should wait for an answer? I at least expected the tourism office to respond. Seems like they would have stock answers to my questions by now, no mater how convoluted and disingenuous the answers likely would be. My question must not be important.
Could be the county's new approach to address beach access questions from tourist is to just avoid addressing the questions altogether. Also, maybe they hope to entrap more unsuspecting beach goers and fine them $200 for trespassing. Collecting trespassing fines from tourist is a little more sophisticated form of county revenue generation than speed traps. We so underestimate our leaders creativity. A tourist family of 5 could net the county a $1000 in fines!
Is the beach access issue impacting property values north of 30A? I'll mention to the owners of the house we rent that they should ask for a reduced tax assessment since the property value and rental rate are based on beach access that apparently does not exist.
Could be the county's new approach to address beach access questions from tourist is to just avoid addressing the questions altogether. Also, maybe they hope to entrap more unsuspecting beach goers and fine them $200 for trespassing. Collecting trespassing fines from tourist is a little more sophisticated form of county revenue generation than speed traps. We so underestimate our leaders creativity. A tourist family of 5 could net the county a $1000 in fines!
Is the beach access issue impacting property values north of 30A? I'll mention to the owners of the house we rent that they should ask for a reduced tax assessment since the property value and rental rate are based on beach access that apparently does not exist.
Perhaps consider sending a copy of your letter to the Walton Sun "letters
to the editor"...
to the editor"...
When I wrote to our Cindy Meadows by email, I recieved an answer the next day from her then about a week later from TDC. I'll paste the correspondence below:
July 25, 2007
Subject: Public vs Private Beach FAQ
Dear Ms. Meadows,
As a resident of South Walton I feel it very important to let you know my feelings on the County's new stand on "private beaches". I think it would have been prudent for the County to wait until the courts decide before taking a stand one way or the other. I feel confident that public access will extend at the very least to Mean High Water (MHW) and not only "wet sand" (which are very often not the same) . That aside, I am VERY disturbed about the following statement on County website under FAQ about private beaches.
"Most public beach accesses are nestled between private properties. Beachgoers should stay within the easement of the dune walkover to set up on the dry beach. Along Scenic 30A, beachgoers who wish have beach set ups outside of these areas must be on the wet sand." (bold mine)
The public beach access I use, Dune Allen, is not 'nestled between private properties'. The Gulf front properties East of the park do not extend seaward all the way to MHW. Since this is the access I use, it is the only one I've researched. But, I think the County would be wise not to err on the side of restricting public use of public beach by making the above generalization. It is misleading.
If Walton County is going to support the "private beach" idea, I think it has a duty to indicate on a map where the "private" portions actually are.
Thank you very much for allowing me to express my opinions on this matter.
July 26, 2007
I will forward your comments to the TDC. We are working on a map showing public/private areas of the beach. we are working on the opinion but had to act in the meantime to an issue that is important to all of us.
Commissioner Cindy Meadows
August 1, 2007
July 25, 2007
Subject: Public vs Private Beach FAQ
Dear Ms. Meadows,
As a resident of South Walton I feel it very important to let you know my feelings on the County's new stand on "private beaches". I think it would have been prudent for the County to wait until the courts decide before taking a stand one way or the other. I feel confident that public access will extend at the very least to Mean High Water (MHW) and not only "wet sand" (which are very often not the same) . That aside, I am VERY disturbed about the following statement on County website under FAQ about private beaches.
"Most public beach accesses are nestled between private properties. Beachgoers should stay within the easement of the dune walkover to set up on the dry beach. Along Scenic 30A, beachgoers who wish have beach set ups outside of these areas must be on the wet sand." (bold mine)
The public beach access I use, Dune Allen, is not 'nestled between private properties'. The Gulf front properties East of the park do not extend seaward all the way to MHW. Since this is the access I use, it is the only one I've researched. But, I think the County would be wise not to err on the side of restricting public use of public beach by making the above generalization. It is misleading.
If Walton County is going to support the "private beach" idea, I think it has a duty to indicate on a map where the "private" portions actually are.
Thank you very much for allowing me to express my opinions on this matter.
July 26, 2007
I will forward your comments to the TDC. We are working on a map showing public/private areas of the beach. we are working on the opinion but had to act in the meantime to an issue that is important to all of us.
Commissioner Cindy Meadows
August 1, 2007
I received your e-mail from Commissioner Meadows. It is a tricky situation right now as there has not been a survey conducted to identify the mean high water line. The Walton County Sheriff's Department is enforcing the wet sand rule as it is their interpretation of the Florida Attorney General's opinion. As a TDC, we do not make or enforce the rules but simply serve as a communication vehicle. Our function is to market the destination, protect and maintain the area's beaches and provide leadership on tourism issues. Our FAQ sheet ensures visitors do not place themselves in a compromising situation. While we do make generalizations and err on the side of caution, it is because we'd rather have our visitors in an area that we know is public than have our visitors be harassed, asked to move or, worse, arrested. The feedback from our visitors has been very positive as they are most appreciative of us outlining the rules. They prefer to know where it is safe to set up instead of being asked to relocate later.
The county is addressing this issue and we hope to have a clear understanding of where the public is allowed by the 2008 tourist season. In the meantime, we are directing visitors to our public beach accesses. We are delighted to hear you use the Dune Allen Beach access and hope more residents and visitors will use our public beach accesses, which are ideal since they have parking, restrooms and lifeguards.
Best,
Tracy Louthain
Walton County Tourist Development Council
The county is addressing this issue and we hope to have a clear understanding of where the public is allowed by the 2008 tourist season. In the meantime, we are directing visitors to our public beach accesses. We are delighted to hear you use the Dune Allen Beach access and hope more residents and visitors will use our public beach accesses, which are ideal since they have parking, restrooms and lifeguards.
Best,
Tracy Louthain
Walton County Tourist Development Council
Where is the public access in Rosemary Beach please? How about Alys please? How did the public access these beaches before they were developed?
Rosemary and Alys are private resorts and have no obligation to provide public access to the beach from within their boundaries. Note that I am not talking about the beach, just access points. I don't think Alys or Rosemary have a problem with people patronizing their shops and then using the access in a reasonable manner. I am sure there have been episodes of folks driving in from cheapie accomodations and parking in Rosemary and freeloading, and that isn't right!
You can always spot those folks....
Cousin Eddie sticks out like a sore thumb at Alys Beach doesn't he? Hope he doesn't try and empty the crapper into the pretty street drains....
You can always spot those folks....
The kids are all jacked-up on Mountain Dew and loot the candy at Fonville:shock:
Then they stand on the access, mullets blowing in the Gulf breeze, and yell "Sheeeeit look at that big a$$ house next to that other big a$$ house!"