Idyllic vacation hotspot in Southern state is at war as multi-millionaire locals fight to keep crowds off their stunning private beaches
A group of multimillionaire homeowners in Florida are fighting to protect their exclusive access to some of the state’s most beautiful beaches from tourists.
Walton County residents are trying to keep visitors away from their private beaches as more and more tourists feel their property rights are unfair.
The province, with 42 kilometres of crystal clear water and 16 seaside resorts, has become a popular holiday destination in recent years.
Walton County is located on the Emerald Coast and borders the Gulf of Mexico. It is home to the cities of Freeport, Panama City Beach, Laguna Beach, Vernon and Westville.
Last yearThe region received more than 2.3 million tourists and the number continues to grow. This spring, about 1.3 million people visited the region.
But as popularity grows, loyal beachgoers say public areas have become extremely crowded in recent years.
Walton County residents are trying to keep visitors off their private beaches as a growing number of tourists claim their property rights are unfair
This summer, Georgia resident James Jordan rented a three-bedroom house for his family for four nights for about $3,200 total, hoping for a perfect beach vacation. He was disappointed, however, when the house was packed with people.
“In a word, busy. The hardest part was that you could look across this imaginary line and see unused beach,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
But homeowners in South Walton refuse to give up their private access, saying they paid for it with their homes years ago.
Eric Wilhelm, founder of two Atlanta supply chain companies, revealed that he has the“a very conscious decision” to buy two million-dollar properties along the coastline with private beaches, because he felt it was quieter and safer than other nearby vacation spots.
The issue escalated further after officials reached a legal settlement agreement earlier this year that made more than 1,000 beachfront properties in Walton County private — sparking protests and legal action
The county, which boasts 26 miles of crystal clear waters and 16 beach communities, has emerged as a vacation destination in recent years
Homeowners in South Walton refuse to give up their private access, claiming they paid for it with their homes years ago.
“A lot of my neighbors are third- or fourth-generation beach owners, and that’s their biggest asset,” he told the publication.
The issue escalated further after officials reached a legal settlement agreement earlier this year that declared more than 1,000 beachfront properties in Walton County private, sparking protests and legal action.
John Dillard, concerned citizen with the Facebook group Support Open Florida Sand & Beaches explained: ‘We are mainly focusing on raising awareness, both locally and regionally, where all our tourists come from, about the problems we experience here on the beach, because it is no longer fun to go to the beach.
“There are security guards, police, red cones, orange cones, all kinds of signs that just cause stress, whereas before it was a stress-free environment.”
Since then, hundreds of appeals have been filed by private property owners and frequent visitors in hopes of changing the law.