Public Beach & Bay Accesses - list and map

[jodiFL]

No, it doesn't. Read the map legend. Those two are listed as "undeveloped" accesses.

Those accesses have always been there and they have never maintained them. I have lived in this neighbor hood for 20+ years and there has been alot of hot air blown about them becoming "developed" but there always seems to be one reason after another as to why they are not. First it was priority to get the beach ones done to protect the dunes, then possible litigation, then they had to research if they had abandoned them or not, then the storms. You can only procrastinate so long before you just have to fess up that you are never going to do it.

 

[tsutcli]

It looks like the new public access between Watercolor and Seaside is about ready to open with amenities and parking for 100 cars. I work for St. Joe and as far as I know no one is being told to leave the beach in front of Watercolor. In fact people park at the Inn parking lot and use the access next to Fish Out Of Water - a private access and no attempt is currently being made to screen the users. If this does change it will be because enough people abuse the situation. You have to take care of the paying guest first.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I think I will walk over and investigate!

I tried to upload a pdf of the map, but my internet is too slow to upload it.

 

[ktmeadows]

Wonder why #12 Sugar Cliffs is still on the list. That's the access across from Cassine Village that owners of the beachfront home next to the access sued for and won. Used to be a great public access but it's now private

 

[jodiFL]

I just looked at the GIS, and it shows the access property being about 55' in width, and it is shown as being directly across from Pat's house (corner of Dawson and Mitchell). However, I seem to recall Pat saying there was some arguments about the actual location.

The former owners of that area (the Miners) had fenced it in and until the property was being sold it was never considered an access. However when they started to sell the property some neighbors questioned whether or not the county had abandoned it. We were told they had not so those owners made an adjustment to the far west side of the property in order for the sale to go through. The access was basically in between their lots and they gave up a portion on the west side so the lot could still be sold as one lot. The GIS you are looking at is evidently from before that time. If you have any questions Pat or Frank can clear up exactly where it is since they are the ones that made sure the neighborhood access was inadvertently "given away" during that time and cleared it way back then. But I am sure that it isnt anywhere CLOSE 55' wide.

 

[John R]

I believe that parcel is about 25-30' wide and is barely able to be walked. Frank clears a bit of it out almost every spring/summer for fishing access. I was led to believe that it was indeed traded to the county to facilitate the sale of the parcel as one piece, since dawson ran straight to the bay right through it. and it has boundary issues to the south also, but that is for another thread.

 

[Kurt]

Discussion of public vs private beach has been moved -
Public vs Private Beach - SoWal Beaches Forum

Please limit discussion on this thread to accesses.

 

[Kurt]

The map is very helpful, but as an FYI, the map does not include all of the Public Accesses, just the TDC maintained accesses.

Thanks - that is a very good point!

It looks like the new public access between Watercolor and Seaside is about ready to open with amenities and parking for 100 cars.

Thanks for the reminder. Here are some pics from 1/25/08. http://www.sowal.com/photos-012508.html

The Butler access looks ready to go now.