Sanctuary by the sea trying to stake out a "private beach"

[30ashopper]

Hm. Interesting how many posters simply assume that this bruhaha is all because of a bunch of rich, "trust fund" babies greedily depriving innocent folks of their god given beach rights. I guess the facts are not important to some people. The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

All beaches in Florida are public below the mean high tide line. If folks want to setup their umbrellas right in front of your heavily depreciated condos, they can, and you can do nothing to stop them. Thank goodness for that!

 

[John R]

All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

That's quite neighborly of them lucky. One fact is is still in question though, and that is: 'who owns the beach?' Until that is determined, I think customary use will be the catchphrase of the day.

 

[Em]

Hm. Interesting how many posters simply assume that this bruhaha is all because of a bunch of rich, "trust fund" babies greedily depriving innocent folks of their god given beach rights. I guess the facts are not important to some people. The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk. Yes, property rights are valuable and people pay good money for beach rights. They are entitled to enjoy those rights without trespass. Sanctuary does not bother fishermen or waders but it does ask that folks set up their own umbrellas and chairs on the expansive nearby public beach.

Please refresh my memory. I thought the area to the east of Sanctuary by the Sea was private, not state park. The closest State Park in that direction would be Grayton Beach SP, and it is quite a hike away.

 

[Kurt]

Shot from a week ago at Stallworth PUBLIC access - there appears to be some resistance. Folks were camped out all over the beach.

 

[passin thru]

.... The facts are that there is a huge state park and public beaches right next to this development's beaches. All that Sanctuary is asking is that folks go a bit left rather than right when they get to the end of the boardwalk.

The private property owners immediately & adjacently east of SbtS might take issue with your version of "the facts".

 

[gmarc]

murray the facts are the state park is around 100 yards east of the board walk when you enter the beach area. the state park stretchs from little redfish dune lake east. and yes its fine if the greedy people of sanctuary want a private beach. BUT I SURE AS HELL WILL SET UP THE BIGGEST TENT IN THE WORLD BELOW THE MEAN HIGH TIDE LINE. FROM WHAT I COULD SEE TONIGHT THAT WAS A NICE 5-10 YARDS FROM THE WATER. LETS SEE HOW THE PEOPLE IN THE CHAIRS FEEL WHEN THERE VIEW IS LEGALLY OBSTRUCTED. the legal deed from people who live in the preserve and sanctuary at redfish give them unimpeded legal right of way to walk to the mean high tide line. I SPIT ON POLITICIANS WHO EVER ALLOWED PRIVATE PEOPLE TO OWN ANY PART OF A BEACH.

 

[lucky]

All beaches in Florida are public below the mean high tide line. If folks want to setup their umbrellas right in front of your heavily depreciated condos, they can, and you can do nothing to stop them. Thank goodness for that!

Well, that is not where people are setting up. They are far up the beach. I hear your class warfare comment about "heavily depreciated condos" and I get your envy . . . but the point is??????

If you are not in favor of private property, perhaps Venezuela or Cuba would be a nice fit for you.

 

[lucky]

Please refresh my memory. I thought the area to the east of Sanctuary by the Sea was private, not state park. The closest State Park in that direction would be Grayton Beach SP, and it is quite a hike away.

No, its about 30 yards. Remember, there are many pieces of "Grayton Beach State Park" along this area.

 

[lucky]

murray the facts are the state park is around 100 yards east of the board walk when you enter the beach area. the state park stretchs from little redfish dune lake east. and yes its fine if the greedy people of sanctuary want a private beach. BUT I SURE AS HELL WILL SET UP THE BIGGEST TENT IN THE WORLD BELOW THE MEAN HIGH TIDE LINE. FROM WHAT I COULD SEE TONIGHT THAT WAS A NICE 5-10 YARDS FROM THE WATER. LETS SEE HOW THE PEOPLE IN THE CHAIRS FEEL WHEN THERE VIEW IS LEGALLY OBSTRUCTED. the legal deed from people who live in the preserve and sanctuary at redfish give them unimpeded legal right of way to walk to the mean high tide line. I SPIT ON POLITICIANS WHO EVER ALLOWED PRIVATE PEOPLE TO OWN ANY PART OF A BEACH.

I grew up in California where the beaches are completely public. Always been that way and maybe that's the best approach. But that's not the way Florida has done it and as a result, developers have to pay a lot more for gulf front property. Sanctuary by the Sea was the highest price for a gulf front property purchase on 30A ever. A large part of that cost was ownership of the beach and dunes above the high tide mark. (You can't not buy it . . . its baked into the cost of the land). So calling folks "greedy" may make you seen "cool and hip" but it simply ignores the fact that this is a ownership right and responsibility that goes with the property. Indeed, Sanctuary has done a much better job of preserving the natural landscape and dunes in this area than any of the other developers. In addition, all the taxes and bed taxes paid from Sanctuary fund the 365 day beach cleanup and beach nourishment costs that make our beach earn Blue Wave certification year after year. So chill a bit . . . don't make this into something it isn't.

 

[gmarc]

First of all i have a question for lucky. I see you just joined sowal today so i assume you're somehow affiliated with sanctuary by the sea? It seems you joined to talk about this subject so please state your affiliation. Lucky do you know the definition of "mean high water mark". its the average high tide of the past 18.6 yrs. i looked at all sanctuarys 'legal documents" and there flawed as there not up to date. the documents are from 2004 i believe thus are out of date. lucky the whole pt of this conversation is greed, yes i say greed as the beach in front of sanctuary is massive and is basically very deserted and will always be that way. to stake a claim to an area that has so few people is pure greed. again this creates ill feelings among all who use the beach and can backfire. as i said people can put 100's of tents 10 yards in from the shore and create havoc. or maybe 100's neighbors of the preserve and redfish get together and all have boom boxes rumbling.at my home i have a walkway thats in my yard but i allow my neighbors to use it. do i have to? no but its the neighborly thing to do.i showed my father this today and he immediately called them greedy people. it angers people and belittles them like they're second class citizens. the beach is for all to use and enjoy. but again i blame the county for ever allowing the sale of beach area.the definition of mean high water is below. please tell me how anyone can enforce this without constant surveys.as the months and yrs wear on and thousands of renters blop on the "private" beach the sanctuary will give up. oh by the way if sanctuary is "private" why are the "public" walton county trash cans serviced by my tax dollars locate on your "land". last yr these trash cans were 20 yards further
to the left and right and not on the sanctuarys"private" property.i think the county must be informed of this.

(14) "Mean high water" means the average height of the high waters over a 19-year period. For shorter
periods of observation, "mean high water" means the average height of the high waters after corrections
are applied to eliminate known variations and to reduce the result to the equivalent of a mean 19-year
value.​