South Walton business owners react to passing of customary use of beaches bill
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South Walton business owners react to passing of customary use of beaches bill
Bill 1622 is already drawing reactions from people in Walton County. Local business owners claim that limited public beach access in recent years has driven many visitors away. “I pray that it is going to be beneficial to all the businesses,” said Jay Hale, Jambos Italian Lemonade Owner. County Attorney Adkinson stated that the goal is to establish a more consistent approach to public beach Access.Commissioners say marking the erosion control line will be key to enforcing the new rules. “There are times, especially this beach in particular, that have always been very small, so it gets very packed because there aren’t a lot of places for people to set up,” said Abby Gonzalez, Blue Mountain Beach Creamery Manager. “If we can restore that optimism and that confidence in the tourists, it’s going to help them, help us, it builds a community,” said Hale.
The area is home to thousands of businesses, and most of them depend heavily on tourism to stay afloat. According to the 2024 Spring Walton County Tourism report, 95% of visitors listed going to the beach as their top activity.
However, local business owners claim that limited public beach access in recent years has driven many visitors away.
In Grayton Beach, Jambos Italian Lemonade is the newest business, just a few feet away from a beach access. “I grew up in Chicago, where we had a lot of Italian Lemonade, so it’s been a dream to open up my own business by the beach, and here I am,” said Jay Hale, Jambos Italian Lemonade Owner.
But the privatization of beaches in Walton County was a concern for Jay. “In my humble opinion, I believe the beaches it’s God’s playground for all of us to enjoy, like this is a beautiful beach and it’s littered with signs and umbrellas and people telling you to go away, it doesn’t feel like a free society anymore you know, it’s just really strange to me,” said Jay.
Now, he hopes that the newly signed bill will bring more customers to the area. “I pray that it is going to be beneficial to all the businesses, that we’re going to see a lot more tourism again and a lot more optimism, so if we can restore that optimism and that confidence in the tourists that there’s going to be a beach when they get here, it’s going to help them, help us, it builds a community,” said Jay.
Just a few minutes down the road, the Blue Mountain Beach Creamery gets extra busy during the summer. At least 95% of their customers are tourists, according to the store’s manager, who says that more public beach access will help boost their sales.
“I feel like it’s definitely going to make us busier because more people are going to be able to come to the beach, cause there’s a beach access just right down the road that people will a lot of times walk to get ice cream from the beach,” said Abby Gonzalez, Blue Mountain Beach Creamery Manager.
Abby says limited space has frustrated beachgoers for years. “There are times, especially this beach in particular, that have always been very small, so it gets very packed because there aren’t a lot of places for people to set up,” said Abby.
Both Jay and Abby say they’re eager to see a bigger public beach and a bigger clientele.
When NewsChannel 7 spoke with Walton County commissioners last month, County Attorney Adkinson stated that the goal is to establish a more consistent approach to public beach access.
Commissioners say marking the erosion control line will be key to enforcing the new rules.
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