Greetings from very concerned Santa Rosa Beach, FL full-time citizens:

My husband and I purchased a beach cottage walking distance to the beach in the Blue Mountain area of Santa Rosa Beach in South Walton County. We were so excited to be able to walk to the beach and enjoy having our children and grandchildren visit us.  We always picked a lovely spot and enjoyed our day, playing, swimming, walking and talking to other beach lovers. We were always very respectful of others' properties, the wetlands and the beaches.  

During the last two years, we have been told to walk and to sit in certain areas basically on and in the water.  My husband, who over 80 years old has trouble getting up from the sinking sand area where we are told to sit. However, no one seems to care about that. Our children and friends don't want to visit this beach any more as it has been taken over by people who feel they own the beach and have been very rude about stating so.  I fear because of these restrictions past visitors will go elsewhere and can you blame them.

Why are a select few in this county able to restrict the enjoyment of local beaches to the majority? And by the way, this majority consists of all people from all political affiliations.  I fear our property values will go down even more and less and less tourists will come to visit.  This problem has already gained national attention and I fear that if the our beaches become private beaches it will set a precedence for other beach counties in Florida.

Please do not let this precious resource be stolen from us and our generations to come  Please stop the Restriction of OUR use of Florida's sand and Beaches.  

Thank for listening to two very concerned full-time residents.

Laurie and Gary Cushner