We just returned from our quick beach fix in Blue Mtn Beach. We had a wonderful time. I must make one complaint, regarding others disregard for the beautiful beach. People left their tents and chairs out and never put them up for the day, therefore walking on the beach at night was like a land mine. We even found holes dug during the day, left by whoever, and anyone could have fallen and really hurt themselves. We even found an old tent that had collapsed and was just left staked to the beach. I thought there was some type of enforcement to keep this from happening. This really needs to be enforced! Including the many litterbugs out there. Otherwise, we enjoyed our stay and will be back.
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Beach furniture
- Thread starter tolynne
- Start date
GoodWitch58
Beach Fanatic
Perhaps you, as a tourist, could direct your complaint to www.beachesofsouthwalton.com specifically marked for Sonny Mares, Director.
They are the ones who can best get something done. Thanks for coming to visit--we are trying very hard to get people to pick up their stuff! Your writing to the TDC Director could help.
They are the ones who can best get something done. Thanks for coming to visit--we are trying very hard to get people to pick up their stuff! Your writing to the TDC Director could help.
BeachSiO2
Beach Fanatic
As has been posted previously, the TDC DOES NOT have the authority to remove items UNLESS it is left at a public beach access, or is left adjacent to a trash receptacle. On privately-owned properties, Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's department takes the lead since it requires an enforcement action and the TDC has no enforcement powers.
tsutcli
Beach Fanatic
Hopefully Mr Mares will forward this to the proper authoities. Thanks for your feedback on your visit and I hope we will be doing better the next time you are down.
NotDeadYet
Beach Fanatic
Yes. Well. Since I live here and use the same accesses daily and frequently, I can say from personal experience that the beach crews are very timid about removing abandoned stuff even when it fits within these guidelines, and even when it is clearly trashed. I am sorry if this sounds critical of crews that work very hard out in the heat and the sun all day long. I do respect what they do and appreciate their efforts. But I am beginning to suspect that there is some kind of unspoken unstated policy to be overly cautious lest they find themselves in the position of angering tourists or private property owners. These sorts of attitudes are usually "top down" in that they tend to come from management. Frankly, I don't see a strong, obvious commitment on the part of the TDC management to cleaning up our beaches and protecting turtle nesting. And I know that some of that attitude also comes from the BCC. What I am getting around to trying to say here is that we have become an anything goes beach. It is because of the "hands off" attitude from the BCC and the TDC management that we are in the position of needing more and more enforcement. IMHO.
GoodWitch58
Beach Fanatic
I did not say they did.
But, the TDC is constantly saying they hear this and that from tourists...so, if tourists are asking the TDC to do more to clean up the beach, the perhaps we just might see some leadership from the TDC. If they took a pro-active approach to making sure the beach was cleaned up; i. e., if they worked with the BCC and the SO and the SWFD to make sure that everything that could possibly be done was done, then I think we would see a different outcome.
Frankly, I am getting a bit tired of the attitude that the TDC has no authority...IMO opinion, they have as much authority as they are willing to assume...and that doesn't appear to be much when it comes to cleaning up the beach. What we need is some leadership.
Jdarg
SoWal Expert
I agree - the TDC needs to step up here. It is hard to believe that beautiful beaches are not their #1 priority.
BeachSiO2
Beach Fanatic
Since I am not the TDC nor do I work for them, I should and will take a step back here. The point I was trying to make was a simple one. The TDC has no authority in removing items from a privately owned piece of land as that requires a legal interpretation of a violation of ordinance or statute which can only be done by an enforcement agency like code enforcement or the Sheriff's office. That was the point I was trying to make. Sorry if anyone is offended by my phrasing, but please note that I am aware of at least two occasions where the TDC had to replace items left on the beach not at public beach accesses that they had removed because they were not told to remove them by the appropriate agencies.
Landlocked
Beach Fanatic
We visited Mrs. LL's parents down in Orange Beach a couple weeks back and I noticed something ironic about the beach crap there.
The public beaches were spotless in comparison to the areas in front of the private beach homes.
You would think it would be the other way around.
The public beaches were spotless in comparison to the areas in front of the private beach homes.
You would think it would be the other way around.
NotDeadYet
Beach Fanatic
Then by what authority has the TDC placed trash receptacles on private property?
I ask because it seems to follow from this reasoning that anything that does not fit in a trash receptacle placed on private property cannot legally be removed by the TDC unless ordered to do so by CE or SO. What then is the difference between a bunch of empty cans and a broken chair? The TDC can legally remove one but not the other?
