Seaside...Welcome or Not

[tsutcli]

They can say that the "downtown" Seaside will remain public, but as parking gets even tighter, and beach accesses are cut off, the public will quickly stop shopping in the public stores, and stop dining in the restaurants.

I didn't read the article about the sign wars, but know that Seaside had a run in with the SWFD over the posts in the middle of the roads off of 30A, and the SWFD won that battle. It seems that Seaside didn't want the firetrucks to be able to access the private streets in order for them to put out a fire. They also made Seaside remove the temporary marquees at each of those roads, which stated, "Private, residents only."

Oh, Snap!

There is a public access just being completed between Seaside and Watercolor. Included, across 30A from the walkover, is a parking lot purported to hold 100 cars and a bathroom / shower building something like Ed Waline Park but larger. This land was donated by St. Joe as part of the deal to build Watercolor Resort and should relieve some of the parking problem in Seaside during summer.

 

[Matt J]

There is a public access just being completed between Seaside and Watercolor. Included, across 30A from the walkover, is a parking lot purported to hold 100 cars and a bathroom / shower building something like Ed Waline Park but larger. This land was donated by St. Joe as part of the deal to build Watercolor Resort and should relieve some of the parking problem in Seaside during summer.

Except it won't work. Let's look at the math here:

100 cars
4 occupants per car
400 people
2 square feet per person on the beach standing up
800 square feet needed just for these folks to stand

Now consider that these folks probably won't just mill around standing on the strip down to the wet sand. Where are these folks supposed to go since I'm sure WaterColor and Seaside will defend there land to the death?

 

[Smiling JOe]

There is a public access just being completed between Seaside and Watercolor. Included, across 30A from the walkover, is a parking lot purported to hold 100 cars and a bathroom / shower building something like Ed Waline Park but larger. This land was donated by St. Joe as part of the deal to build Watercolor Resort and should relieve some of the parking problem in Seaside during summer.

First, St Joe didn't donate that land. They owned it, and the County owned some Gulf Front land next to the current walkover to which you refer. WaterColor talked the County into making the exchange, or at least that is the way I hear it. New? The bathrooms and asphalt are new, but the parking lot and walkover have been there for at least two - three years. Funny thing is though, Seaside's "private" signs, like the one in the photo which I posted, are at the edge of the property where the Public walkover is located, and WaterColor's beach area is directly on the other side. Last year, Seaside and WaterColor umbrellas/chair setups, extended the full length of their properties, so good luck with dumping even 100 people on that short stretch of beach.

The bathroom facilities are much appreciated, as is the parking lot. They are a great start and we need a whole crap-load more of them.

I noticed the other day that the Private Pavillion sign at the western stairs to the Dining Pavillion behind Rolly Polly, is now removed. The post is still their but the sign is gone. I wonder if someone stole it.

 

[NotDeadYet]

I had that question about the beach at that access, and someone, I think maybe it was WaltonGOP, posted on another thread that the public's right to use the beach in front of WaterColor is in the agreement. So that would mean those 400 or so people can park, go down the access, and rightfully go west. I suspect the big sign on the beach in front of Seaside is there to make sure they do in fact go west, and not east.
If I remember correctly the whole deal and swap out was mixed up with WaterColor's take permit. It's a big thick document that came about because of beach mice habitat on WaterColor's beach.

 

[Sandcastle]

I noticed the other day that the Private Pavillion sign at the western stairs to the Dining Pavillion behind Rolly Polly, is now removed. The post is still their but the sign is gone. I wonder if someone stole it.

Maybe someone needed a target to sight in their new hunting rifle.

 

[wrobert]

I had that question about the beach at that access, and someone, I think maybe it was WaltonGOP, posted on another thread that the public's right to use the beach in front of WaterColor is in the agreement. So that would mean those 400 or so people can park, go down the access, and rightfully go west. I suspect the big sign on the beach in front of Seaside is there to make sure they do in fact go west, and not east.
If I remember correctly the whole deal and swap out was mixed up with WaterColor's take permit. It's a big thick document that came about because of beach mice habitat on WaterColor's beach.

Sorry but I know nothing about the beach issue. All I ever remember doing is going to the beach. Were not enough places there to worry about where someone laid out a blanket.

Do they still have those feral cat populations down there? I would think that they would have already decimated the beach mouse population.

 

[up4golf]

There is a public access between Seaside and Watercolor.

isn't the access at the obe (western end of shopping/retail area) also a public access? that is in seaside also.

 

[Smiling JOe]

isn't the access at the obe (western end of shopping/retail area) also a public access? that is in seaside also.

Not according to the signs.

 

[Sandcastle]

isn't the access at the obe (western end of shopping/retail area) also a public access? that is in seaside also.

I believe the access you?re referring to is still owned by Robert Davis and open to the public. If you check the on-line plats from the Walton County Property Appraiser, they show that the Seaside Home Owners? Associations own to the high-water line on the east and west ends of Seaside. The beach behind the retail area appears to be owner by the developer. I hope I?m right.

 

[Smiling JOe]

What part about "Private Access for Seaside Owners and Guests" signs, indicate that access is available to the public?