Walton County: Leave no Trace - modified ordinance approved

[DuneLaker]

Again, I'm not a lawyer, nor do I have lawyers and lobbyists available to run this by, but customary usage has made its way through the courts from what I remember and the court decided with the public's right to use the beach. Beach areas received a special and specific court ruling on customary usage. I don't recall this "Customary usage" granting squatting rights of setting up tents overnight, or for a week or month of Sundays.

So, the Supreme Court could rule 1) The public has the right to use the beaches in a customary manner such as walking and sitting and recreation for day use. 2) As they often do, they may expound that this customary use does not include setting up a tent with beach activity accessories and leaving them overnight or for any other extended period 3) They will say that land that was public was public land in pepertuity and that this applies to a lot of beach land.

The beach looked the best last year it has in a long time when there was some picking up. Right now, the beaches look fabulous. Hope they stay that way.

 

[Kurt]

Nothing will change this year because there will be no enforcement. There never has been. End of story.

We'll see - it is hard to enforce so much beach with so few people. I don't really want to see more vehicles on the beaches either. I think an effective method would be to hire temporary contractors to enforce hard early each season, along with an education campaign through rental companies, etc. Also involve local beach vendors, condo associations, resorts, etc. And local (courteous) volunteers.

Also maybe enforcing strongly on Monday of each week during the season. After a few years of doing this I think the enforcement would then be manageable by a smaller county crew and continued education.

 

[IRIETYMES]

Watched this over twenty years

The sprawl of tourists crap as we moved from beach towels, cooler, chairs and umbrella to tents and awnings and now full cities erected and often left after the owners have moved on. There must be rigid enforcement and education. The rental companies, the beach chair, bike, kayak, etc. rental companies must be made aware and make their customers aware. Rules, in written for and in refrigerator magnet form, should be gicen out. Tagging the crap once then removing it the next day is the most effective way to enforce this. I am tired of seeing the beach between tent and awning poles. I am tired of coming to the wonderful sand and having to pick up cigarette butts, lemon and lime rinds, cups, bottles, cans, blown about detritus, the flotsam and jetsam of the oblivious tourist. IMHO.

We'll see - it is hard to enforce so much beach with so few people. I don't really want to see more vehicles on the beaches either. I think an effective method would be to hire temporary contractors to enforce hard early each season, along with an education campaign through rental companies, etc. Also involve local beach vendors, condo associations, resorts, etc. And local (courteous) volunteers.

Also maybe enforcing strongly on Monday of each week during the season. After a few years of doing this I think the enforcement would then be manageable by a smaller county crew and continued education.

 

[tsutcli]

We have a decal on our car and I forget where we got it but it sais;

"Welcome to Walton County
Please remove your cxxx from the beach
Trashy people trash beaches"

Maybe if everyone got one some of the tourons would get the message.

 

[ASH]

I predict we are about to have our worst year yet for turtle walkers for what is about to be a new influx of items left where they should not be.

I will be toting my camera and reporting to the County what I see that is not according to local law.

Did this last season as well and the response from the county was to block the incoming emails. It could be a sad season and this is the year the Green turtles will be back typically making higher nest numbers than last year......those that survived the cold stuns this winter that is.

 

[miznotebook]

Changes approved

Shown as underlined on the attachment are the changes that were approved to the Leave No Trace Ordinance, per the Clerk of Court's Web site.

 

[Matt J]

We have a decal on our car and I forget where we got it but it sais;

"Welcome to Walton County
Please remove your cxxx from the beach
Trashy people trash beaches"

Maybe if everyone got one some of the tourons would get the message.

There's more where that came from.

 

[scooterbug44]

So basically, you have to take your stuff off the beach at night (unless you get a permit for your volleyball net), but you can just chuck it near the dunes and it's okay?

 

[Matt J]

It's been turned into the "trash the dunes" ordinance.

 

[Andy A]

I predict we are about to have our worst year yet for turtle walkers for what is about to be a new influx of items left where they should not be.

I will be toting my camera and reporting to the County what I see that is not according to local law.

Did this last season as well and the response from the county was to block the incoming emails. It could be a sad season and this is the year the Green turtles will be back typically making higher nest numbers than last year......those that survived the cold stuns this winter that is.

Ash, if you should get emails blocked by the county, please post that on the website or PM me. I'd like to call a Commissioner or two...maybe five.