Help! Bulldozing on Bay Right Now

[GoodWitch58]

I contacted Commissioner Meadows today and asked if site work or any work other than a building needs to also have the permits posted and she replied that she believes they are required to be posted in the same way as a building permit. She is double checking and will have the Permitting person contact me with the details.

One can only hope that if permits have been issued, then the process of public hearings, proper methods, etc., have had a thorough airing and yes, some things still go wrong, and some things are still damaged, but at least if the permiting rules are followed there is a chance of the work being done properly.

 

[Jdarg]

Way to go Punzey and Skunky for making the call, and SJ for the pics!! And yet another occasion where the SoWal message board came in very handy.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I'm also thinking if there is not already a penalty for the worker who is doing the illegal work, there should be--the stop work order is issued to the property owner, but I find it hard to believe that any construction worker who has ever set foot in Walton County doesn't know that permits are required!

So, perhaps if there is a penalty for the person operating the equipment as well as the owner who hired him/her, then maybe more of the damage could be prevented.

It's obvious to me that the only way to make things work properly around here is to have citizens be proactive as our Sowallers were this week.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I'm also thinking if there is not already a penalty for the worker who is doing the illegal work, there should be--the stop work order is issued to the property owner, but I find it hard to believe that any construction worker who has ever set foot in Walton County doesn't know that permits are required!

So, perhaps if there is a penalty for the person operating the equipment as well as the owner who hired him/her, then maybe more of the damage could be prevented.

It's obvious to me that the only way to make things work properly around here is to have citizens be proactive as our Sowallers were this week.

I don't know. The guy operating the equipment looked all of 25 years old (tops) and was probably just earning a buck. He was probably just doing what he was told by somebody higher up on the food chain.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Thinking more about this Stop Work Order, it is issued to the owner of Lot 7, yet it the sign is posted in front of the work closer to lot 9, in front of one of the places where the track hoe operator made a trail down to the Bay so he could work in the water. The work being done was not on Lot 7 alone, but on every BayFront lot in the sub-division, each which is owned by different people.

 

[GoodWitch58]

So, SJoe, does anyone know what they are trying to do there on that property? And, do the other property owners know about the destruction?

I know that the operators are probably just following orders, but if they knew they could be held accountable too, they might ask to see the permits and/or be a bit more careful when crossing private property....

 

[Jdarg]

I can't believe that if someone operates heavy machinery in this county, they wouldn't make sure that the permits were in place first before they hauled their equipment to a job site. Or are they getting paid a bunch of cash to hurry in, do the work, and leave? I'm kinda thinking the bakhoe operator is just as guilty as the property owner.

 

[Smiling JOe]

So, SJoe, does anyone know what they are trying to do there on that property? And, do the other property owners know about the destruction?

I know that the operators are probably just following orders, but if they knew they could be held accountable too, they might ask to see the permits and/or be a bit more careful when crossing private property....

I agree with the operators, or the operators' company, needing to be held accountable for their actions. It is likely that a property owner thinks that the company they hire to do the work will take care of any permits needed. Who knows how that coversation went in this case.

"I hear that you will clean up some tires and trash from property. What do you charge for that?"

"Yes, we can take care of that for you. Where's the property?" ...


Goodwitch, from what I've seen at the property, I would guess that they are trying to clean up the shore line at the property. I don't think anyone has a problem with that, although there is a problem with the way they did it, and they are exposing the property to erosion which the tires and trees helped to prevent. At the eastern and western lots in the s/d, it looks like they tried to build up the beach from sand out of the Bay. Now we have a problem. (These lots defining northern border is the water's edge.) I am not a property owner in the sub-division and don't know if this was a collective decision by the Bay-front owners, or something that the developer was doing to clean up the water-front of the s/d.

 

[John R]

thanks for keeping an eye open you guys.

i would put money on the developer. even though the lots are sold, they're still putting in infrastructure and amenities. this work could have be being done to make the bayfront lots more attractive for resale. although, they have a bunch of unsightly stuff hanging around on the interior that could use some sprucing up also.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Thanks for the info SJ. What a mess!

I find it very hard to believe that anyone would think it is okay to go into the Bay and remove sand....

on the other hand, who knows