Rosemary Thymes Beach Access Article

[SHELLY]

"One does not sell the land people walk on."

Crazy Horse, September 23, 1875

If there was Interest Only and Neg Am mortgages available in 1875, this would have read:

"Now is the best time to buy!! They're not making anymore land."

Crazy Horse, September 23, 1875​

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[GoodWitch58]

 

[seacrestkristi]

I am not vague at all when it comes to the point of public/private. I am wholeheartedly AGAINST the concept of private beach. And as browndog said, it goes completely against the grain of NUD. But the point I am trying to get across is that the HOAs of these communities that were elected after the development deals were done, seem to have no clue about those deals but yet feel the county (read:us) should maintain their amenities and beaches and also provide more space for public areas so they dont catch the fall out of wanting to keep the places they are private. Well, there is only SO MUCH sand out there. And when it has all been bought up and gated off, there is none left for the public areas. So, YES, those gated communities are the villain here and cant expect to not take the repercussions of keeping things the way they want them. I feel that if we pay we get to play, but these HOAs still feel the need to act all high and mighty while still professing that they have done nothing wrong. When in fact all the public areas are pretty much GONE due to them. And we cant expect for the county to come in and renourish/maintain the small 10ft wide areas around the public accesses without touching the subdivisions while they are at it. Until it is settled in I would venture to say the Supreme Court,cause you know they wont stop at the local level, the debates about it are senseless. The only way there will ever be resolution is for us to elect some officials that are not afraid to P.O. some of the people and stand firm in a decision without @$$ kissing the big money. Our county has a HUGE tax base now and I dont think they need to cater to the developers and abandon what few County beach accesses left.

I agree with you plus some! I don't know if the debates are senseless though. Talk has to begin somewhere, right? Maybe it will open some eyes. People aren't mind readers, right? We are stronger in numbers. We need to connect through various forms of communication like this board. After all word of mouth is the best advertiser.

 

[andy robertson]

Watercolor will start their security"concierge" in the spring. I am an owner there and would love to have public access to the beach for everyone. It's a big beach. The issue is more the use of the pools and that's the need for the "concierge." The pools and facilities are very expensive to maintain and to date has been treated like a common amenity for any who want to visit.

My two cents

 

[CampCreekLou]

Watercolor will start their security"concierge" in the spring. I am an owner there and would love to have public access to the beach for everyone. It's a big beach. The issue is more the use of the pools and that's the need for the "concierge." The pools and facilities are very expensive to maintain and to date has been treated like a common amenity for any who want to visit.

My two cents

No one should argue with that. It seems to be a problem on 30-A. We had to kick out a couple of kids (construction workers), who announced that it was their right to swim in our pool because they paid taxes like everyone else.

I think that the cops and the site manager finally cleared that up

 

[CampCreekLou]

This is a sad story. One of the main concepts of a New Urbanist Development, such as Rosemary Beach, is to build a strong sense of community- where people move freely throughout the town amentities, including the beach. No fences, no gates to keep out the outsiders...

My initial response is emotional. I am sad to see Rosemary Beach become a town that forgets its roots so quickly.

This is a GREAT observation, and sadly true. Well said.

 

[scooterbug44]

REAL towns don't have large fences, entry gates, or security guards!

Something crazy about fostering a sense of community or some silliness about being a good neighbor. ;-)

 

[rapunzel]

The short-sightedness and laziness of the whole 'solution' to the overcrowding is just really bugging me. Today, I went biking in Rosemary and it occurred to me that when the new condos on the north side of the street are finished, the fractional ownership club gets going, and the Hotel Samba is opened the number of people turned away from the W. Water Street access is going to be nothing. This security patrol is just a Band-Aid on the problem.

Riding through Rosemary, I really felt sorry for this poor Jim Bagby guy. As the town manager he must be getting pressure from all sides to fix the overcrowding issue, meanwhile he's got to keep throwing up more and more development, and he's just one person. One person can't begin to fix this problem. So yes, security guards and scapegoating Seacrest Beach dwellers may be really silly and abhorrent to the idea of New Urbanism, but how else could he make it seem like he was being responsive? It's a shame that the RB homeowners don't realize this is a problem they simply can't delegate away.

Of course, for all the outrage on this board, how many of us are really actively trying to challenge the unchecked development, the ridiculous density, or the privatization of the beaches?

 

[Kurt]

Just a couple of thoughts:

A planned "new urban" community may start with laudable goals and intentions but ultimately it is up to the homeowners (organized) to decide what the end product becomes.

An original owner in a new urban community is likely to have different ideas than a 2nd, 3rd, 4th . . . . 10th owner.

An owner might have certain ideas and hopes when they buy in a new urban community and then change their attitude when faced with the reality.

 

[John R]

i think we should sue Andreas.