Florida Governor Orders Counties to Keep Beaches Open and Public

[jeanne17]

We own just over the line in Bay County at Pinnacle Port - but I have dear friends with a rental home just 1100 feet from the beach in Seacrest just on the northside of 30A. Their guests this weekend were told they couldn't set up on the beach. I advised my friends to tell their guests they could set up down at water's edge, but he's been told that since the "mean water line could be "under water" that wasn't necessarily true. I call BS on that, but whatever.

Maybe it's a dumb question/observation but....if no one except direct gulf front owners can use the beach, wouldn't this affect those owner's property values? Seems to me that if no one can use the beach, the entire 30A brand (and South Walton Branding in general) is mush less valued. What is all that development good for if visitors can't go to the beach? I mean, yes, locals know of all sorts of good stuff besides beach access, but tourists come for the beach - period.

Seems a bit like shooting one's self in the foot to me.

 

[Emerald Drifter]

Posted today, publicly, on YouTube. Looks like Vizcaya in the background. I really feel for the WCSO deputies who are caught in the middle of this mess.

 

[jodiFL]

I dont think the officer that is doing the talking realizes who he is talking to. Pretty sure the guy he is talking to knows more about property law than he does.

 

[EZ4144]

That's Daniel Uhlfelder and Justin Gaffrey forcing the issue. I'd like to see more people visiting that spot every day

 

[jodiFL]

That's Daniel Uhlfelder and Justin Gaffrey forcing the issue. I'd like to see more people visiting that spot every day

Yea, I know. Will be interesting to see them go head to head with Mr. Uhlfelder.

 

[BlueMtnBeachVagrant]

Hmmm....

When I first saw the choregraphed video of Mr. Daniel Uhlfelder making “fools” of the deputies just trying to do their job I was beyond disappointed. But I admit, making them do the moon walk while drawing a line in the sand with their foot was a bit entertaining.

But when he pulled out the Nazi card at tonight’s customary use meeting, I was absolutely disgusted and infuriated...trivializing the death of 6 million Jews as some how being on the same topical plane as customary use, i.e. his grandparents escaped the Nazis because of the “same reason” - oppression.

 

[FloridaBeachBum]

We own just over the line in Bay County at Pinnacle Port - but I have dear friends with a rental home just 1100 feet from the beach in Seacrest just on the northside of 30A. Their guests this weekend were told they couldn't set up on the beach. I advised my friends to tell their guests they could set up down at water's edge, but he's been told that since the "mean water line could be "under water" that wasn't necessarily true. I call BS on that, but whatever.

If you understand that the property MHWL is an elevation (.75 feet) from sea level the MHWL can be below the water. The Sheriff may elect to enforce the wet-sand but the legal property boundary defined by the Florida law is the MHWL.

Maybe it's a dumb question/observation but....if no one except direct gulf front owners can use the beach, wouldn't this affect those owner's property values? Seems to me that if no one can use the beach, the entire 30A brand (and South Walton Branding in general) is mush less valued. What is all that development good for if visitors can't go to the beach? I mean, yes, locals know of all sorts of good stuff besides beach access, but tourists come for the beach - period.

There is NO evidence without customary use the Walton economy or property values would decline. Value is determined by supply and demand - and demand has far exceeded supply, so the Walton commissioners decided to take 20 of the 26 miles of private beach and make it available to the public by ordinance without owner due process first or compensation (HB631/FL Statute 163.035 corrected that). Okaloosa and Bay counties do not recognize customary use. As well and 30 other Florida coastal counties and those counties' property values are increasing just like Walton's. Opinions are one thing - facts are another.

The Walton commissioners' deliberate customary use misinformation, emotional public outcries, fear mongering, and vilifying law abiding private property owners protecting their Constitutional rights - create an adversarial atmosphere that will get worse in the next many years before it gets better - until the courts rule or until commissioners and tourist respect private beachfront property rights.

You can sit and occupy gulf front beach IF you have permission. You have an attitude or are disrespectful to property owners and private property rights you reduce your chance to have an owner's permission.