County Commissioners Meeting Oct 26

My reaction to a new Driving on Beach Draft:

I am very interested in the Driving on the Beach permit that was discussed tonight at the County Commissioners meeting. I believe that the county's plan that was drawn up and voted on did exactly what the Commissioners wanted, .....It reduced the number of cars on the limited beach located at Grayton. Tonight I heard the concerns that the County Commissioners wanted their lawyer to look at:

1. Disable permits adjustments

2. Cap the number of permits to 900

3. Hold a lottery to allow permits to be issued up to that number

4. Remove the requirement that a structure should be on the property.

In early August I asked the Tax office to share the number of permits issued as of the August 1st deadline. The following information was shared:

2009- 1063 permits issued
71 boat launch permits
11 charter permits


2010 726 permits issued
71 boat launch permits
11 charter permits


A reduction of 337 permits from 2009 - 2010.

This lower numbers happened because there was a limit of one permit per lot with structure. In the past some owners had up to 6 permits...they got them for all family members. In limiting them to one permit per property it really made a difference. I feel that if we remove the structure on the lot requirement we will be going backwards. In the past we had some folks buy a small piece of property in the county and have multiple owners, one case had 14 owners, and all fourteen had permits to drive on the beach. If there really is going to be a lottery to reach the magical number of 900, then I would like to see the lottery open to those who own property with structures that missed the deadline, and to those new owners that have purchased new properties with homes on them. I really feel that offering permits to property owners with no structures is not a good idea. I am surprised that the Commissioners would look at the number of 726 permits issued as a "problem" since they expressed at all of the hearings the whole reason for the ordinance was to reduce the number of cars on the beach. As you know the area that cars can drive on in Grayton is a very small area (about 875 feet of beach front)...and the space has to be shared with our Charter Boats and their trucks and trailers. We are fortunate that with 20 Charter permits allowed that only 11 have been issued. We also have 71 boat launch permits which allows boat trailers too. I am sure that there is no solution that is the perfect answer, but the Commissioners worked with the public last year on this ordinance for a long time and I think we came up with a fair plan, and best of all it did work we lowered the number of permits issued.

I would love to only allow any new Grayton Beach Property Owners, or those who missed the deadline be the first ones honored by the lottery, but I know from past experience that this will not fly.  Wouldn't it be great, if we could get the Commissioners to agree that a permit issued to a home in Grayton could be passed down to other family members? You know part of the Grayton Beach history is driving on the beach and our properties tend to stay within the family. Again, please if you have feelings one way or the other contact the Commissioners (emails on GBNA blog) or Ms. Hoshihara who has been charged to draft the new update. Also mark Dec 14th on your Calendar for Public Hearing.

I understand the concern of those Grayton Property Owners who rent their properties, with the proposed Short Term Rental Draft. I do not own any rental properties so I only speak from a resident who lives among short term renters. I experience the noise, the parking problems , where one house is shared with many many cars. Some Grayton Visitors are wonderful, others seem to leave their common sense at home. As much as one hates to be the party pooper with our holiday guests, at 2AM it is nice to know who to contact to complain about the visiting guests. You hate to call the police to complain. I think the old ordinance that was rejected went to far and demanded too much of those folks who rent out their property...so hopefully those of you who do rent will contact the two folks listed and share your comments and suggestions with them. I just ask you to remember that there are many of us who live here year round and we have the right to enjoy our environments too.

Please free to leave me comments.


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Musical Noise in Grayton

Grayton Beach has a Noise Ordinance. You can read it here:

http://library8.municode.com/default-test/template.htm?view=browse&doc_action=setdoc&doc_keytype=tocid&doc_key=facef78260c6d5a36b1ba0abfd612530&infobase=12452

I live on Pine Street on the other side of Rivard, and in the evenings I can hear the music and the microphone chatter from Pandora's. I can only imagine what those residents on the Grayton Trail hear. It does break up that cool Fall Sleeping that I was referring too. This is just another case where our neighborhood commercial establishments have extended their entertainment out into the neighborhood beyond the limits of their property boundaries. To combat this, one has to close the doors and windows and give up that cool Fall Sleeping or wait for the magical bewitching hour when the music stops.

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