GoodWitch58
Beach Fanatic
Has anyone spoken to the people and found out what they are doing and if it has been authorized by the permitting folks?
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Help! Bulldozing on Bay Right Now
- Thread starter 30A Skunkape
- Start date
30A Skunkape
Skunky
Here is your wrap-up on the events. Two beefy guys from WALCo arrived, got the operator out of the backhoe and then left. The guy then resumed his work but seemed to only be moving around debris on dry land. After a trip to the beach, we came back and I watched the guy attacking the oak tree you see in Smiley J's photo, knocking off limbs and beating the trunk in an attempt to knock the whole thing into the bay. He gave up and left. The tree looks like it has been struck by lightning-I am sure he will be back tomorrow to finish the job:angry:
Hop
Beach Fanatic
boy, those pesky oaks are hard to knock down....
30-A
"There are laws about the removal of tires in a way that won't cause damage to the water and the environment."
What does this mean? What damage to the water are you talking about? I for one would much rather have the tires gone once and for all.
It seems that a few people on this board, albeit an extremely vocal bunch, come out swinging every time the word environment is mentioned. I don't know what happened to the feller who filled a portion of his lot in this area, but from what I can understand from him in an earlier thread on here he had all permits in place, and that after being publically roasted. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. And, fyi, having those tires and all the garbage gone is a lot better for the environment and the water than them still being there.
30-A, as a sideline, I am very curious to know if you fought the dredging that apparently is going to happen in the area. If you are so concerned about the removal of tires, I would think this would cause you grayt concern.
Kev
"There are laws about the removal of tires in a way that won't cause damage to the water and the environment."
What does this mean? What damage to the water are you talking about? I for one would much rather have the tires gone once and for all.
It seems that a few people on this board, albeit an extremely vocal bunch, come out swinging every time the word environment is mentioned. I don't know what happened to the feller who filled a portion of his lot in this area, but from what I can understand from him in an earlier thread on here he had all permits in place, and that after being publically roasted. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions. And, fyi, having those tires and all the garbage gone is a lot better for the environment and the water than them still being there.
30-A, as a sideline, I am very curious to know if you fought the dredging that apparently is going to happen in the area. If you are so concerned about the removal of tires, I would think this would cause you grayt concern.
Kev
Jdarg
SoWal Expert
Since there have been cases where land has been illegally cleared, I am glad there are people watching out. As long as the developer has the permits in place, why would they care if people check for those permits? Isn't it better for us to be over-cautious? A developer is going to be "publicly roasted" only if they are doing something illegal.
Beach Bimmer
Beach Fanatic
Agree with JDarg on this one. Developers with proper permits whose land clearing meets the letter of those permits are understood and more likely to be accepted on this board.
Conversely, here we have one who was photographed backing a bulldozer into the bay and pushing sand up on shore...ripped up trees on the beach itself...and did it as we head into a holiday weekend, probably hoping some County and/or DEP officials would be on vacation until Tuesday.
That's another story altogether, and one that rightfully should be questioned.
Conversely, here we have one who was photographed backing a bulldozer into the bay and pushing sand up on shore...ripped up trees on the beach itself...and did it as we head into a holiday weekend, probably hoping some County and/or DEP officials would be on vacation until Tuesday.
That's another story altogether, and one that rightfully should be questioned.
JDarg,
I am too. However, is code enforcement usually not brought in to check a violation? It is kind of like calling the police before a crime has happened. I agree 100% with you that we should check if proper permitting is in place, but what happens when the "developer" or as in the example I used, the single family lot owner, is hung out there, accused, and convicted by people on this board prior to establishing that he had done anything wrong? I am not sure what the end result was, but I assume he was in the right as no more was mentioned on the subject.
If Skunkape had called Walton County first and checked and found out that the proper "permits" were not in place to remove debris and old tires, and then called the code enforcement, that would be one thing. All I am saying is follow the proper channels and don't assume that everyone who sticks a shovel in the ground is guilty of doing something "illegal".
Kev
I am too. However, is code enforcement usually not brought in to check a violation? It is kind of like calling the police before a crime has happened. I agree 100% with you that we should check if proper permitting is in place, but what happens when the "developer" or as in the example I used, the single family lot owner, is hung out there, accused, and convicted by people on this board prior to establishing that he had done anything wrong? I am not sure what the end result was, but I assume he was in the right as no more was mentioned on the subject.
If Skunkape had called Walton County first and checked and found out that the proper "permits" were not in place to remove debris and old tires, and then called the code enforcement, that would be one thing. All I am saying is follow the proper channels and don't assume that everyone who sticks a shovel in the ground is guilty of doing something "illegal".
Kev
Jdarg
SoWal Expert
Kevin- I understand your point, but I think having an "alert" posted on this board is helpful on both sides. Maybe somebody that knew something about the bulldozing might have been on the board and offered some valuable info- like "I know that developer and he has permits" or similar. And personally, I would not have known who to call first either, and would have posted the same "help" message. This is happening in my neighborhood, and I am watching.
I also would like to find out the outcome of yesterday's code enforcement visit. How do we do that? The fact that the officer came, left, and work continued could mean 2 things- that there was not a violation, OR, that there was, but they waited until the officer left to finish up what they started. I would like to know what scenario actually happened, since it could go wither way.
I also would like to find out the outcome of yesterday's code enforcement visit. How do we do that? The fact that the officer came, left, and work continued could mean 2 things- that there was not a violation, OR, that there was, but they waited until the officer left to finish up what they started. I would like to know what scenario actually happened, since it could go wither way.
scooterbug44
SoWal Expert
If I thought someone was committing a crime, I'd call the police, not doublecheck the local laws and statutes and make a citizens arrest. Same for a potential code violation.
If they are doing nothing wrong they have nothing to worry about and probably appreciate knowing they have neighbors protecting the area.
We're not assuming that anyone who cuts down a tree or clears a lot is doing something wrong, but there are certain red flags that cause general alarm.....such as a lone bulldozer making shoreline changes just before a holiday weekend.
If they are doing nothing wrong they have nothing to worry about and probably appreciate knowing they have neighbors protecting the area.
We're not assuming that anyone who cuts down a tree or clears a lot is doing something wrong, but there are certain red flags that cause general alarm.....such as a lone bulldozer making shoreline changes just before a holiday weekend.
rapunzel
Beach Fanatic
Just FYI -- if you see a backhoe in the water of the bay dredging up sand and building up land, it is pretty safe to assume that there is illegal activity going on. After looking into the permitting process required to build a dock, I knew amateur backhoe creation of land was verboten.
As for that oak...well, its part of the shoreline, it's roots are holding a substantial portion of the land stable. Knocking it down with a backhoe just seems counterproductive on his part unless he wants to lose another 8-10 feet of property.
