NY Times "Escape" Section on Seaside

[katie blue]

I stop into Seaside only now and then, but drive thru it all the time. My perspective may be skewed because I'm from Atlanta, but I've never really minded the traffic. It's just a couple minutes to get through it at it's busiest, and usually less. Great opportunity to people watch--it's like a festival. It's beautiful empty, and full, for different reasons. If you're travelling on 30A (and not 98), you're probably not in too much of a hurry anyway.

On the other topic though, I can totally relate to preferring not to having a giant Expedition right outside my porch as my only view. Must be frustrating.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Got it. Camp Creek Cottages rules. Its the mecca of all development on 30a. Seaside could learn a lot from Camp Creek Cottages. Some people and community groups compliment every project that gets developed on 30a. What does that mean? Excuse me for having an opinion different than yours.

Santiago, I respect your opinion and even if you said you hated the development, that is fine with me. You simply made some statements about the land condo designation that were incorrect. I wanted to clarify those statements so some owner of the cottages didn't read your posts and freak out because you said that they didn't own the land under their homes. I am related to the developers so I really do know what I'm talking about.

I didn't say that the Cottages at Camp Creek was the greatest development on 30A--it is pretty much like all of the other small developments. However, it also isn't as terrible as you represented it to be. I apologize if I offended you.

 

[Coast is Clear]

While I do understand your concerns of parking in Seaside, this is what I see when I go to Seaside:

SJ, thanks for the photo fix. Just what I needed and better than any drug (and I grew up in the 60's and 70's!! )

 

[Jdarg]

I would love to see Seaside in the off season. I bet it is awesome! But I would really just like to drive through without children running out into the street from behind parked cars, or people talking on their cell phones and not looking as they cross the street, etc. It's like driving in NYC- you cannot take your eyes off the road for one minute!

 

[ecopal]

I would love to see Seaside in the off season. I bet it is awesome! But I would really just like to drive through without children running out into the street from behind parked cars, or people talking on their cell phones and not looking as they cross the street, etc. It's like driving in NYC- you cannot take your eyes off the road for one minute!

Are you saying that it is an inconvience to you to be distracted from your cellphone or grooming in the rear view mirror when driving? Incidently,the only reason you should be driving in the residential section of Seaside is to go to your dwelling.

Actually street parking is an urban planning strategy to calm traffic.
I agree that the huge SUVs are a gross intrusion on the ambiance but that is the decadent vehicle of choice for many of the wealthy elite that live or rent there.

 

[Sheila]

Are you saying that it is an inconvience to you to be distracted from your cellphone or grooming in the rear view mirror when driving? Incidently,the only reason you should be driving in the residential section of Seaside is to go to your dwelling.

Actually street parking is an urban planning strategy to calm traffic.
I agree that the huge SUVs are a gross intrusion on the ambiance but that is the decadent vehicle of choice for many of the wealthy elite that live or rent there.

Oh my bad! I did not see the sign that said dwelling owners and guests only posted in Seaside!

By the way, not everyone talks on a cell or grooms in the rearview mirror while driving. But thanks for the reminder to those that might be that thoughtless. Is it ok to drive through Seaside while going to points east or west? Just want to get the protocol correct.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Oh my bad! I did not see the sign that said dwelling owners and guests only posted in Seaside!

By the way, not everyone talks on a cell or grooms in the rearview mirror while driving. But thanks for the reminder to those that might be that thoughtless. Is it ok to drive through Seaside while going to points east or west? Just want to get the protocol correct.

Actually, the Seaside residential streets do have signs posted along 30-A noting that the streets are private, and parking is by permit only. IMHO, Seaside does a great job of welcoming people into the public areas. They have public parking, although that is shrinking, and you can walk through the neighborhoods.

I find myself looking at homes and people when I drive through there, but I quickly remind myself that some little kid is about to dart out in front of me on a bicycle or on foot. You really do have to pay attention to everything and drive slowly while in these tight-knit communities. I would fall apart if I were to run into someone. I do see people on their cell phones and not paying attention to potential hazards, such as people. It is very dangerous.

 

[Santiago]

Santiago, I respect your opinion and even if you said you hated the development, that is fine with me. You simply made some statements about the land condo designation that were incorrect. I wanted to clarify those statements so some owner of the cottages didn't read your posts and freak out because you said that they didn't own the land under their homes. I am related to the developers so I really do know what I'm talking about.

I didn't say that the Cottages at Camp Creek was the greatest development on 30A--it is pretty much like all of the other small developments. However, it also isn't as terrible as you represented it to be. I apologize if I offended you.

I didn't say mean it was terrible and yes it is very typical. I admitted I was out of line regarding the land under the home issue. After checking further, I think that the property was designated condos to reduce the side setbacks from the typical 7.5' to 5'. Although the development was praised by many parties, this aspect of it was originally met with some skepticism until the developers rightfully convinced them that this was an acceptable use of the land codes, not a disregard for it. I will stand by my statement that it was done for density reasons. Regarding your statement that they did not use the full density allowed, l will not dispute this. As a developer myself, I will say that in many cases, you do not use the full density because the allowed units will simply not fit onto the site plan. There could be many reasons for this such as having to work around the wet areas on the property. At any rate, no apologies are necessary and the ultimate vindication of success for the developer is that the owners are happy with their purchase as you are. Peace.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I briefly entertained the idea of buying a home in the Cottages at Camp Creek when they were just beginning construction. Several homes around the pool were nearing completion. I thought it worked very well for vacation homes, but I was looking for a full time home. I haven't been in the development for over two years now, but my memory was that the homes were too close together and I don't recall much natural around the homes at all. Is the natural, undisturbed vegetation mostly at the north end of the property?

 

[Sheila]

Actually, the Seaside residential streets do have signs posted along 30-A noting that the streets are private, and parking is by permit only. IMHO, Seaside does a great job of welcoming people into the public areas. They have public parking, although that is shrinking, and you can walk through the neighborhoods.

I find myself looking at homes and people when I drive through there, but I quickly remind myself that some little kid is about to dart out in front of me on a bicycle or on foot. You really do have to pay attention to everything and drive slowly while in these tight-knit communities. I would fall apart if I were to run into someone. I do see people on their cell phones and not paying attention to potential hazards, such as people. It is very dangerous.

I agree SJ. We always park in the public parking and walk. Sometimes there is a nice way to get a point across as you have exhibted here and then there is the rude blanket statements that hit a nerve with me. I'm sure the post I responded to was not meant to be rude, it just read that way to me.

Truth told we normally take 98 to avoid the crowds and traffic in the Seaside area.