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Residents and advocacy groups press Walton County over vendors seaward of erosion‑control line
Summary
Public commenters and attorneys notified the county that state and constitutional law may bar commercial vending seaward of the ECL; county staff said the current administrative direction allows vendors below the ECL but acknowledged the legal questions will be pursued with county counsel.
A central and heated topic at Walton County’s beach ordinance workshop was whether private vendors may operate seaward of the county’s Erosion Control Line (ECL) — a question residents, advocacy groups and commercial operators asked county staff to resolve with legal counsel.
Several speakers cited a letter from the Florida Office of Public Counsel in Tallahassee and contended that, under Florida law, sand seaward of the ECL (or mean high‑water line in certain places) is sovereign public land and not available for private commercial use. Dave Roskol, representing Bridal Beaches for All, told the workshop attorneys had sent a demand letter asking the county to remove any ordinance language that the commenters believe encroaches on the public’s right to use seaward sand.
“This sand seaward of the ECL is public domain ... there should be no beach chairs,” Roskol said, and asked county staff to strike language that restricts public use or grants vendors exclusive setup in that zone.
Tony Corman acknowledged receipt of legal correspondence and said he had forwarded the material to county administration. He described the county’s current administrative direction: vendors are allowed to operate below the ECL, but noted that interpretation could change if legal counsel advises otherwise.
Why it matters: The ECL and mean high‑water line determine where state sovereign lands begin and where local regulatory authority differs. Several residents said the lack of a clear, publicly available survey line and differing interpretations have caused enforcement confusion and public confrontation between vendors and beachgoers.
Speakers asked the county to clarify whether leases and vendor contracts that grant exclusive placement rights on public accesses are consistent with state constitutional protections. County staff said this is a legal question for county counsel and that they will follow up during the off season.
Ending: Staff said they would work with legal counsel and county administration to resolve questions about vendor access seaward of the ECL and promised to include findings when they return a revised ordinance to the commissioners. No policy decision was made at the workshop.
