Additions to Defuniak Entry to Beach

Not sure what else will be attached to the posts or if anything...they look rather bare. I believe the goal is to keep folks from parking along the dune area there in order to go to the Red Bar or to Shorty's.








Let's see if the new sign and fine makes a difference. In order for it to work the beach patrol guys need to be on the beach and willing to stop and enforce. At least it is a start.

Happy Birthday Santa Rosa Beach Florida

Santa Rosa Beach Celebrates 100 years. Interesting article in Sun with old photos of Grayton.

http://www.waltonsun.com/news/beach-4473-rosa-santa.html

Hotz Re-Striping

The re striping has been done. The candlesticks barriers have not been installed. Many areas along Hotz have been marked as no parking spots. (I wonder if these areas will really be considered as no parking areas by our tourists...after all they don't mind parking in our yards, or blocking our driveways or even blocking the roads that lead down to the beaches.) Without any bite or county enforcement these newly marked no parking areas might not work. Here are some photos of the area that I took to share with you this morning.

Just as an added note...I rode down last Thursday around 5 PM. Cars were parked all over the place, many had not pulled all the way in, many were parked in the striped out areas...Hotz was a "one way" as only one car could drive between the parked cars at one time. The security guard that was on duty was standing down on the corner by Red Bar doing nothing. (As much as I hate to say it...this Phase 1 "FIX" doesn't appear to be working. I personally believe the only thing tht will help this Hotz situation is to make one side of the street parallel parking only. No cars jutting out into the roadway is the only way to make the road wider for emergency vehicles to pass.)

WORK TO BEGIN ON HOTZ

Phase 1 is about to start;

Re-striping parking area, removing 4 spots and replacing with candlestick barriers and also installing new parking signs.

(Let's hope that Phase 1 works so that Hotz will NOT be turned into a one way.)

Will post pictures with changes as soon as County completes the work.

Wildlife Lighting on Beach

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1601 Balboa Avenue
Panama City, Florida 32405
Telephone: 850-769-0552
Fax: 850-763-2177
http://www.fws.gov/panamacity/


WILDLIFE LIGHTING WORKSHOP MARCH 23, 2010
GRAYTON BEACH, WALTON COUNTY, FL

The Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, University of Florida Extension Office, and the South Walton Turtle Watch are offering a 2-hour workshop on Wildlife Lighting along the beachfront. Participants will learn about threatened and endangered sea turtles that nest in Walton and Okaloosa Counties. They will also see how different types of lights affect the turtles, and what lights work best for sea turtles and people. In addition, the workshop will include examples of different lights appropriate for beachfront development, and how property owners and managers can change or install the lights. Assistance is available to help property owners and managers ensure the installation of Wildlife Lights. Wildlife Lighting certification exams will also be available upon request. This workshop is open to the public and will be held from 10 AM to noon at the South Walton Extension Office, 70 Logan Lane, in Grayton Beach, RSVP: 850-892-8172. Proper beachfront lighting is crucial to the survival of sea turtles. The emergence from the nest and crawl to the sea is one of the most critical periods of a sea turtle hatchling’s life. Once they hatch, young sea turtles instinctively follow the brightest horizon to guide them into the water. But some types of beachfront lighting attract hatchlings and lead them away from their destination to the sea. Hatchlings that do not quickly make it to the sea become food for ghost crabs and birds, or become dehydrated and may never reach the sea. In addition, adult female sea turtles looking to nest have a tendency to avoid stretches of brightly illuminated beach. Simple changes in beachfront lighting can help hatchling turtles reach the sea and give adult female sea turtles suitable habitat in which to lay nests. As Deputy Field Supervisor Don Imm explains, “artificial lighting is one of the greatest threats to nesting sea turtles and other nocturnal coastal species but the easiest and most affordable to correct.”

YOU'RE INVITED TO A PARTY

CLICK TO ENLARGE

March 9th Commissioner's Meeting

There were three issues on the agenda that had connections to Grayton Beach.

Hotz Street - Ryan Douglass reported to the Commissioners that the County had come up with a Traffic Plan for Hotz Ave. He was presenting Phase 1. First the no parking areas would be striped and "candle stick" barriers would be put in place to keep folks from parking in those areas. The businesses located on Hotz have gotten together and have acquired off site parking and will be using a trolly car to run folks back and forth during the heavy evening hours. Both restaurants are going to pool their security personnel and have them work with local police officers assigned to the area to enforce the no parking areas. The county will also be putting up new no parking signs in the area. The county is also going to draw up a new no parking ordinance that will be tried out in Grayton and then if successful then will be applied throughout the county. All Commissioners voted to approve Hotz Street Phase 1. ( I would also like to add that the Fire Chief even after hearing this Phase 1 Plan is still pushing to make Hotz one way.)

GARFIELD STREET ADDITION- The TDC (Tourist Development Center) has awarded a bid to Floridan Construction for a 211 linear feet beach walkover with an observation deck that will be handicapped accessible. Their bid came in at $58,672.00. (If I remember correctly this addition will be added to the beach walk over that is already at the end of Garfield. (It will mean that several of the parking spots in this area, I believe 3 will be lost to handicap parking.)

You can read about this in a previous post:

http://graytonbeachflorida.blogspot.com/2009/09/tdc-grayton-boardwalk-update.html


The Leave No Trace Ordinance was passed. You can read this at:

http://fl-waltoncounty.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2011

Have you paid your 2010 dues?

If you haven't paid your GBNA dues ...it would be greatly appreciated if you could take the time to do so now. You can send your check for $25 per lot owned to :

GBNA
PO Box 2162
Santa Rosa Beach Florida 32459

If you have changed addresses or emails if you could update that info either with a note with your check or an email to me :

yzarctoo@aol.com

Your Board is trying to plan our April 2010- April 2011 budget and depend on your annual dues.

Thanks,
Ann

PIGS DO FLY

Click on FLYER to enlarge.

LEAVE NO TRACE

NEW .....NEW.......NEW....

LEAVE NO TRACE ORDINANCE

http://fl-waltoncounty.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2011

If you have in the past left your beach going gear on the beach overnight or if you own a rental you might want to relay this new Ordinance to your renters. The County has come up with this ordinance to help keep our beach clean and to clear up some confusing in the previous ordinance. You can read all about it at the above link.

Hotz Matter Looking Better...

Look at the wording Folks. It looks good. No mention of one way. Perhaps they will be willing to try to find another way. Will post meeting results Tuesday evening.

If clicking on image doesn't enlarge document for you...you can go to:

http://fl-waltoncounty.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2005

Hotz Matter ...no news to report!

All has been silent on the Hotz Street matter. As of today, Tuesday, nothing has been done by the county's Road crew...there was some talk that they were going to TRY restriping, changing/ removing some parking spots etc. So far NOTHING. The next meeting is March 9th. I will post the agenda as soon as it is posted.

If this horrible weather...very cold, very rainy, very windy... continues....we will not have many Spring Breakers to worry about...so parking on Hotz might not even be a problem this Spring Break. There is nothing worse than being at the beach when it is cold, rainy and very windy.