Violators to face fines over Walton County beaches tent ordinance

Tents any larger than six feet by six feet are no longer allowed on public beaches in Walton County and the ordinance behind it has drawn ire from vacationers.

The ordinance was put into effect on April 1 and bans large tents. Vacationers say it will force them to pull up stakes and move down the beach.

Josh Westberry has spent his adult life in the beach chair business and he has spent Monday morning calling code enforcement.

"Those large tents, they have been more and more common, and with more windstorms we are getting; they fly, people get hit by them and they are really hard to control," Westberry said. "I mean, when my umbrellas fly, they can hit somebody and knock them out. Something with that much surface area, it's just gonna fly and not stop. And they break and people leave them on the beach, it's a hassle."

Walton County TDC Representative David Demarest said the ordinance is about 'Leave No Trace' principles.

"You are allowed to have a beach umbrella or a smaller tent, so I don't think this is something that makes a difference in terms of pushing people away," Demarest said.

However, visitors like Dan Mayberry think the county's ordinance digs itself into a hole. He puts up the tent to protect him, his wife and his kids from the sun.

"I think it's kind of silly. One, there is no sign posted, two, I just don't think that if you have little babies you would want it not be able to put up a 10 by 10 tent," Mayberry said.

And after a 13-hour drive from St. Louis, he has second thoughts about coming back. For now he will just have to cope.

"It kind of stinks, my condo is right here. I rented it for a week. But you know, I'll drive somewhere where I can put the tent up. For sure, that is more important for my family than walking 75 yards," Mayberry said.

The ordinance does not apply to private beaches in Walton County. Anyone Walton County Code Enforcement comes across with an ordinance-violating tent faces a $100 fine.

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Violators to face fines over Walton County beaches tent ordinance - WEAR