Destin Public Beach vs Private Beach question

[slduvall]

Public Access points are just that, access points. But those access points are NOT public parks. The access points are surrounded by development property, some wider than others. The truly public parks are those you pay to get into, Henderson, Beasley etc. All the other land is owned by the developers, BUT they can only own so far down to the water line. Of course the water line is constantly changing. the vendors are also going to set up in the same place and attempt to claim the "best water view". As the water line changes, they are not going to adjust that.

The no trespassing is applied to the area immediately behind the condo or house and to the mean high tide line or whatever. So you can walk the beach, but not up to the condos etc.

If you want a good beach, but don't want to pay to park, just drive along Hwy towards FWB and park along the base property, (no condos).

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by slduvall

If you want a good beach, but don't want to pay to park, just drive along Hwy towards FWB and park along the base property, (no condos).

Technically you need an Eglin rec permit to use base property- something like $11, a copy of your driver's license, and a willingness to sit through a short film on 'UXB and You' at the Jackson Guard office in Niceville- but I don't know how much they ever check for those in that area.

Okaloosa Island has the two large free parks and then a bunch of smaller neighborhood parks with somewhat decent parking along Santa Rosa Blvd. They're slowly paving the parking lots and adding restrooms at those as funding permits.

[slduvall]

We park there all the time, but of course we have a sticker on our car, but have never been approached. I know the cars near us are usually out of towners.

I was out on Okaloosa Island this weekend, and I was quite pleased with the marked access points etc. Not sure how long they have been marked that way. I just hope as the smaller condos get torn down and bigger ones get built it stays less crowded. Wayside (or whatever it is called now, it will always be wayside to me) can get pretty crowded, but there is lots of beach there!

[beachmouse]

We lived over by the Best Western on the island in the 90s, and they've had the neighborhood accesses since then.

There's a certain limit to how much they can redevelop the island- the Air Force asked for a six story limit there in order not to interfere with their mission (planes, radar testing, etc.) and well-paying DOD jobs rightfully trump tourism jobs in these parts.

[slduvall]

I left in 90 and we just moved back a couple years ago after retiring from military. Prior to that I lived at Island Echos condos. But hadn't been down to that portion of the Island till a few weeks ago. I knew about the limit, but in talking to some developer friends, I think the fear is some of the really old places which are located next to each other will be sold to a single developer and put in more places like the Azure with stacked parking garages, allowing for more rooms in the same space. Thereby creating the same landscape of beach chairs! I'm sure some of them are praying for a hurricane which seems to change more than the coast line!

[gvsteve]

Originally Posted by slduvall

Public Access points are just that, access points. But those access points are NOT public parks. The access points are surrounded by development property, some wider than others. The truly public parks are those you pay to get into, Henderson, Beasley etc.

I can't say that all "PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS" points are public parks, but the Barracuda Street and Crystal Beach "PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS" signs were accompanied by these "PUBLIC PARK" signs: