County Wants State Park Land at Topsail for Beach Access

there's no chance there's a third choice? perhaps there are more people who are for more access than you imagine????

I don't think most oppose more access to the beach.. it's just the preservation of our State Park that's such a concern here. It is a preserve for a reason.

I'm not going to try to sell any of you on the idea, it's not my job.

But replacing a well worn cut thru the dunes that exists now with a
dune walkover on the very edge of the park is hardly starting a strip mine.

It won't pass, but it's not because of genuine concern for the environment,
but because of the we got ours so close the door behind us mentality...

When you think about it, it would actually be a cleaner entrance than the main access with it's miles of paved roads. Then you finally get to a stopping 2500 ft. from the beach where you can no longer drive. At that point you have the option of either walking close to 1/2 mile in the heat or waiting for a shuttle to get to the beach. If there was ever a state preserve that seems to discourage people from having a beach experience, this is it.

I'm not going to try to sell any of you on the idea, it's not my job.

But replacing a well worn cut thru the dunes that exists now with a
dune walkover on the very edge of the park is hardly starting a strip mine.

It won't pass, but it's not because of genuine concern for the environment,
but because of the we got ours so close the door behind us mentality...

It's a slippery slope. This is just one small instance of protecting park land that goes back generations. Thank goodness thoughtful people usually prevail or our protected lands would all erode from short sighted thinking like yours.

Thank goodness thoughtful people usually prevail or our protected lands would all erode from short sighted thinking like yours.

well good thing you're both humble and open minded and not at all prone to histrionics

Facebook's organic reach for a business page is about 5-6% when a business posts something. True, Facebook now makes businesses pay to get any kind of reach.

Truman, the reason I recommended Facebook is not so much for posting info. I recommended it for the ability to "invite" one's friends or "share" the Facebook page on one's own timeline or share it with someone in a message.
I do love SoWal.com for what it is, an online local community, but it does not have the horsepower under the hood like Facebook for sharing a particular page.

Whatever your opinion of Facebook, I did send a nice email to Sine Murray. And I hope everyone else who does not want this "access" will take five minutes and send her an email.

Please post Sine Murray's Email for us to send coorespondence.

Facebook's organic reach for a business page is about 5-6% when a business posts something. True, Facebook now makes businesses pay to get any kind of reach.

Truman, the reason I recommended Facebook is not so much for posting info. I recommended it for the ability to "invite" one's friends or "share" the Facebook page on one's own timeline or share it with someone in a message.
I do love SoWal.com for what it is, an online local community, but it does not have the horsepower under the hood like Facebook for sharing a particular page.

Whatever your opinion of Facebook, I did send a nice email to Sine Murray. And I hope everyone else who does not want this "access" will take five minutes and send her an email.

I like facebook groups and pages and they are great for sharing info about the area, issues, etc, to whoever happens to see your post or share it. An excellent avenue for communication among friends and community members. But it too has limitations - only members will see it and some may share, some invite friends to join, etc.. The Walton County group has grown steadily to over 600 members, and they are a well informed bunch, sharing great info. Many are here as well, reading and/or participating. I appreciate them very much.

Keep in mind that this topic (thread) has more than 3000 views and more than 80 replies. And this is just one discussion. Not comparing... the platforms are completely different. I like that there are more ways than one to get info and discuss. This forum is wide open to the public and it's been growing readership for 10 years. FB groups are more private (even if public) and that's with good reason.

FB groups are gaining in popularity, and they are becoming more sophisticated as to how to set them up and use them. I belong to a private one for friends from all over (invited only) to share fun things or to rant or whatever - it's the only thing I really like about FB! That group is just for funn!

Please post Sine Murray's Email for us to send coorespondence.

Credit goes to "Truman" who posted this above. Here you go, (and Sine Murray is a lady)

NO NEW ACCESS INTO TOPSAIL PRESERVE, ANYWHERE.

Sine A. Murray
Office of Park Planning
Division of Recreation & Parks

sine.murray@dep.state.fl.us

Either not enough Walton County citizens who are opposed to this have not spoken up, or the commissioners are just ignoring the people. Is there not ONE commissioner opposed to this?

“The Walton County Board of County Commissioners (WCBCC) would like to work with you and your staff to assess a couple of alternatives for increasing the public’s access to our local beaches.”
Do not be fooled by the folksy and innocuous sounding language of the letter the BCC will be voting on at the special meeting on the 29th. Close the door on this expensive and destructive plan now, at the state level. Email the Governor and if you have not already, also email the DEP. sine.murray@dep.state.fl.us. They need to hear from us. It is not enough to oppose this locally, take it to the real decision makers.

http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/ Tell him No New Access In Topsail State Preserve.

Yes, after lots of research, we need to focus on Tally.

I sent Sine an email today! (Female)

Flood them with opposition!

(Bcc too...)

The proposal to put a 1650 foot boardwalk for beach access in the middle of the eastern portion of Topsail Preserve State Park is an outrageous cynical attempt by some greedy property investors to increase their property values at the expense of the environment.

As stated above by Celeste :"Topsail Preserve is one of Florida’s last pristine beaches untouched by development and home to 2 of the 15 rare coastal dune lakes in Walton County. Celeste provides history of Topsail Preserve and explains what she understands the proposal to be. The main message is we must stand up for our State Parks and conservation lands.

If we don’t, the jewels we all love the most will be gone. "

Note that there is a special meeting on Monday 29 September at 5pm at South Walton county annex. It will be crowded so if you want a seat or even get in the room come by 4:15 and no later than 4:30.

The group promoting this degradation of this nature preserve have lots to gain and will be there in mass.

no new accsess in Topsail

An open leter from the current residents of Beachview Heights to the Commissioners and public.

We would just like to re-cap the history of this whole thing to make sure that you, the Commissioners, have a clear understanding of what you are voting on … and possibly ask some questions along the way. Ms Meadows, Mr. Bagby please correct if we are wrong on any of this as none of us in Beachview have been involved in the development of this in any way, and as such have no first hand knowledge as to exactly what has transpierced between Meadows, Bagby, Cypress Dunes and the parks dep over the past year. Although Beachview Heights is going to be the host community for this new access, the fact is we have not been involved in any of the meetings with the parks people …Unlike the residents of Cypress Dunes (CD) and others.

First lets all understand that BV and CD are not beachfront properties… they are located ½ mile north of the beach as the crow flies and have never had any kind of beach access. Those were the terms that everyone who bought lots in Beachview and CD understood and agreed to when they bought their lots.
Also lets understand that unlike the other beach access in Walton county, the county does not own the land that this walkway will be built on .. hence this idea to use state preserve land to access the beach instead of actual county owned land. The county has never had a beach access in BV. The other beach accesses in Walton county are built on land that the county owns and has owned for a long time.

Now to the history… as we understand

About a year ago Cypress Dunes took a survey of their homeowners and their guest and found that the most requested thing CD vacation renters asked for was a beach access for CD. … so in an effort to satisfy their renters and homeowners CD asked the parks dep if they could get permission to follow a foot path originating at their pool area and walk across the ½ mile of Topsail Hill Preserve dunes system south of CD to access the beach.

The State says they would talk about it with them but it would have to be an elevated board walk and CD would have to take down their gate and open their neighborhood to the public as the parks dep could not grant an access to a gated community that the public could not use. .. …so CD thinks about it and decides to tell the parks dep they can not, or will not take down the gate and open their neighborhood to the public.

This brings us, the residents of BV, to our first question.

If CD homeowners feel it is this important to have a beach access, why did they decide not to oblige the parks dep and open their neighborhood to the public in order to obtain the access they wanted? We understand it’s a gated subdivision but why couldn’t the homeowners change that if they all thought it was in their best interest and good for their property values as they have stated.

We can only assume that the residents of CD didn’t want the commotion, traffic and parking issues that plague other public beach access in the area.

But for whatever reason CD passed on removing the gate and petitioned the state for another option,

Again, as we understand, the parks people said the next option would be to put the beach access next door in Beachview Heights. …At this point someone (medows, bagby, CD people?) must have said “that’s a great idea!!” … so a go ahead was given, and the state executed a farley extensive study on cost ,endangered species habitat invasion, construction details. .ect… all taxpayers money spent on evaluating the BV location with absolutely no input from any BV residents…
this leads us to our next question…

why, at that time 4-2-14 weren’t the residents of Beachview Heights brought into the discussion? This is at the crux of our irritation…
Indeed the total input from BV residents on this whole thing has been a grand total of 3 min each at the one and only “workshop” held by the County… By the way the count was 17 people for and 47 against.

One can only surmise that residents of BV were intentionally left out of the discussion because bagby and meadows knew there would be opposition from the BV residents.

So we have a county commissioner and the head of the TDC pushing through an agenda to satisfy the wants of a small group of people, namely the CD homeowners who started this whole thing to begin with.

To walk from Flamingo Village, the largest of the neighborhoods that this thing is supposed to serve, to the beach via this access will be over a mile. It will take at least an hour or more for a tourist carrying a cooler (remember there is no water to drink or bathrooms) and dragging he wife and two kids along with their umbrella and beach chairs to get to the beach via this access.… the fact is that no one is going to make this kind of walk.

That same family could instead just load everything in their car and drive ¼ mile from Flamingo, or CD or BV to the already established entrance at Topsail. They could park in the 120+ car parking lot. From there they could let the kids play on the swings and teeter-totter at the already built playground, they could use bathrooms and get a drink of water… then they could get on the tram and ride to the beach access already built. When they get to the beach walkover they could use the bathrooms, get a drink of water at the fountain, have lunch at a picnic table… and go to the beach.

Cypress Dunes, you had a pipe dream… its over… BV doesn’t want it … naturalist from here to Oklahoma City don’t want it …a clear majority of local residents at the one and only workshop don’t want it… Commissioners, move to drop this whole idea today.

thanks for the input from someone who actually does have a "horse in this race"!

thanks for the input from someone who actually does have a "horse in this race"!

you are most welcome...:roll:

I'm thinking a former commissioner who owns a hotel in the area might be working on this behind the scenes.

I'm thinking a former commissioner who owns a hotel in the area might be working on this behind the scenes.

Why?

It would be to his financial benefit and he has political connections.

Ok I'll bite on that...chomp...

He owns a wedding Chapple and may need a place to offer Beach Weddings as well as photos without the "photo bomb" that's alleged to have provoked the "2014 Wedding VS. Beach Vendor Stabbing (almost) incident...(which was so well reported...).

Based on the type of visitor we've had on the beaches this year, I can't blame him, but fully am 110% AGAINST it.

Keep your wedding off my beach!

Host it at your own property.

Ok I'll bite on that...chomp...

He owns a wedding Chapple and may need a place to offer Beach Weddings as well as photos without the "photo bomb" that's alleged to have provoked the "2014 Wedding VS. Beach Vendor Stabbing (almost) incident...(which was so well reported...).

Based on the type of visitor we've had on the beaches this year, I can't blame him, but fully am 110% AGAINST it.

Keep your wedding off my beach!

Host it at your own property.

His daughter is on the TDC BOARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His name is Tim Pauls, the former commissioner who only got elected to approve his own projects. He sent the first email to Cindy Meadows requesting this and has been organizing behind the scenes ever since. Also, his house that he's been trying to sell for years now has a sign in front that says "Direct Beach Access".

His name is Tim Pauls, the former commissioner who only got elected to approve his own projects. He sent the first email to Cindy Meadows requesting this and has been organizing behind the scenes ever since. Also, his house that he's been trying to sell for years now has a sign in front that says "Direct Beach Access".

There is an email and Commissioner Meadows is a part?

There is an email and Commissioner Meadows is a part?

Commissioner Meadows along with Cypress Dunes HOA and Tim Pauls have been the main proponent of this from the beginning.

Commissioner Meadows along with Cypress Dunes HOA and Tim Pauls have been the main proponent of this from the beginning.

maybe, but also plenty of those people who live on the far west end of 30A,
off of east and west Hewitt, Mack Bayou, Goldsby, Don Bishop rds and the entire
area who have gotten short shrift on beach access as compared to anything
east of there in the more "privileged" areas of 30A. But keep pretending you're
environmental superstars and not just "we got ours, so screw you guys, snobs"

unless of course you are trying to prove those on 30A live up
to their specious reputation and would like to gate both ends

Commissioners will not move forward with the walkover as proposed.

As reported on WZEP AM1460

Should a new boardwalk near Topsail Preserve be built? This topic was taken up by the Walton County Commissioners in a special meeting Monday evening. Residents showed up and gave their input. Some say a dune walkover is needed to get more people on the beach and provide better access for the neighborhoods on 30-A. Those opposed feel a boardwalk would only distract from the wildlife of the preserve.

Many who spoke were in favor of the walkover. A young resident, Jessie Beckers, said she wants the beach boardwalk because she sees people jumping the fence and says it is not right. Her dad said the Boardwalk was in the original plan approved in 2007. He says the reports talks about the number of people using the beach and being able to access or vacate the beach. He also talked about waiting for the tram. He called the boardwalk an environmentally friendly boardwalk.

Carolyn Huff also said she is in favor of the plans going forward to the state. She said the accesses can be overflowing. Huff says she uses the annual pass, but does not use the tram due to the hassle. She said people do not come from the outside. She noted how boardwalks are used in other parks and areas with sensitive terrain.

Dave Kennedy talked about reports showing where people are not the primary concern when protecting endangered species, rather predators. He said this will also take cars off 30-A. A resident who lives on the west end of 30-A, said their area is booming and is different in that they get people from other nearby areas. Other residents in support of the walkover talked about the use of them in parks across the nation, the second boardwalk in the management plan, said the wildlife is not in danger and the park is for public use.

Many more spoke in opposition to the proposal. Mary Royce said she is passionately opposed and asked the commissioners to not forward the letter to the state. Edward Alexander said he is against access to the beach through Topsail and is opposed to what he called dissecting the beach. He asked if the width of 8 feet was for golf cart use. Staff said no plans are being made for carts to use the access. Another resident said he is against the proposal because of the nature preserve and the negative impact on his neighborhood. One man said the people who want this are not getting it in their neighborhood and he is against it. Sid Heath, also of Beachview Heights, said none has come up with parking issues. He said they do not have the roads for parking. Heath asked commissioners to not send the letter.

A representative with the Audubon Society said Topsail Hill is special with important habitats. She said the boardwalk is of concern to them. She noted this will be an unrestricted access that could mean dogs and alcohol on the beach. She talked about the two routes mentioned. A representative of the Defenders of Wildlife recommends the commissioners not proceeded with the letter for the eastern access. He said the Defenders of Wildlife believe the boardwalk will cause problems as it creates an advantage for predators and encroaches on wildlife. A representative of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Topsail Access is under no threat of developing. She told commissioners the leading threat is habitat fragmentation and this could create fragmentation if it goes through certain areas. Others talked about the lack of parking, lack of restrooms, the changes to the wildlife and the use by a small number of people.

Commissioner Bill Chapman talked about the area and parking needs. Commissioner Cindy Meadows said, a corporation bought an access and asked if you have to be wealthy to get to the beach. She said people do not want to see others on the beach and feels that is what this is about. Commissioner Bill Imfeld talked about growth and development opportunities. He also pointed out only a small amount of the residences in the area submit bed taxes and questioned funding by the TDC. Commissioner Sara Comander also questioned the use of TDC funds in this case, talked about the lack of parking, law enforcement and no restrooms. She asked about other possible land. The motion to deny sending the letter passed. Commissioners will not move forward with the walkover as proposed.