Vacation plans and beach access

[Darwin]

I followed Dune-AHH's recommendation and sent a letter to the Sun editor, but I believe we are done with South Walton. The frustration of rehashing last summers incident makes me realize we just need to move on and vacation some where else. We really love our pre 2007 memories of South Walton but as a tourist its not worth the effort to have to ask county officials for clarification on where we can lay a towel other than in the surf. We hear there are family friendly beaches elsewhere where deputies don't remove children from sand castles.
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[Jdarg]

Keep checking back with us Darwin. Maybe things will get better. Let us know what you find for the next destination.

It is sad that people purchase property here but don't care about building a "community".

 

[DuneAHH]

I followed Dune-AHH's recommendation and sent a letter to the Sun editor, but I believe we are done with South Walton. The frustration of rehashing last summers incident makes me realize we just need to move on and vacation some where else. We really love our pre 2007 memories of South Walton but as a tourist its not worth the effort to have to ask county officials for clarification on where we can lay a towel other than in the surf. We hear there are family friendly beaches elsewhere where deputies don't remove children from sand castles.
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Darwin, I hope you also sent along this addendum to the Sun.

The whole deal makes me so sad (and more)...seconding JDarg's request to pls keep checking back. I'm sure your willingness to speak out publicly will prove to be a "force for good".

 

[Darwin]

The community issue is one we are fighting and winning in downtown Atlanta. The old neighborhoods were laid out in such a way to encourage interaction of neighbors. In the 90s property values sky rocketed and developers came in and bulldozed the old houses to put massive cheaply built eye sores in their place. The property owners that originally sought out the old neighborhoods to live in banded together and changed the laws that allowed the McDonalds culture in. We are saving our neighborhoods/community and actually have always allowed visitors to walk on the sidewalks in front of our houses without calling the cops. I bet even visitors from Florida have walked in front of our house without the threat of police action.

 

[TreeFrog]

So there's one visitor staying away. TDC take note. I'd guess that's about $2000+ that someone in SoWal won't get.

Having a guide to visitors showing public and private will, in my opinion, hurt more than it helps. When you're looking at renting a non-beachfront house that's not part of one of the major developments, you can't be too excited about spending a couple of thousand bucks for a week at the beach, only to be confined to a narrow area.

 

[Darwin]

Actually I calculated the impact as higher including rent/food/play etc. My family in our rental spends about 4k. My wife's sister's family stays in Seaside where they spend probably around 8k for the same two weeks. My mothers bridge group probably spends about 2k while in Seagrove. Walt Disney always understood that its not just the one person you piss off, there is a snowball effect that goes well beyond the one person. I don't think my sister-in-law and mother want to stay in South Walton if we are not there with them.

 

[seacrestkristi]

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!

I never said they did but where's the county accesses here? Just curious how can one use the public beach if there'no access to it? How exactly are these people freeloading? After this thread I won't be there at all if my Tennessee/Seacrest money ain't good enough. How does one use an access in an 'unreasonable' manner? Why would someone drive in from cheapy accomodaations to be shunned and looked down upon?

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....

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!"

Stereotyping is what's 'not right'. I think it's nice that people who may not be as priveleged as us would get excited about seeing a big mansion on the beach. What's wrong with that anybody pleeease?

 

[Chia Pet]

Exactly Ms Kristi. Comments such as those are unjustified and downright predjudicial. I would hope all owners in those neighborhoods don't have the same snobbish attitude.

 

[seacrestkristi]

Chia Pet Thanks for ch-ch-ch-chimin' in. ;-)

 

[BeachSiO2]

Here is a link to the County public access points maintained by the TDC.

http://www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com/accesses.asp