30-A a scenic drive?

[wrobert]

Yesterday I drove from the west end of 30-A to the east end, for the first time in several years when I was not in a hurry to get somewhere. I can certainly now see what many of you are talking about when it comes to density. I can not imagine how you would even begin to fix that hodgepodge of commercial, single family, and multi family buildings and try to bring it into some semblance of order. I have been all over the State of Florida and really do not recall anything that comes close to what appears to be nothing but mass architecural confusion.

And signs. My goodness at all the signs. Are all of those real estate signs places that are for sale or just advertising rental units? It was getting dark when I came through Seagrove and I could not read all of them. And government signs. Do this...don't do that......what a mess.

How are they going to be able to make this a scenic highway and get it cleaned up where it is actually scenic?

[jdarg]

The million dollar question.:(

[Uncle Timmy]

Landscaping cures a lot of evils.

Look at old Seagrove- it’s beautiful, yet if you look closely at the individual buildings they are a real hodgepodge of styles. But when you add a veneer of mature oaks it all comes together.

I think 30-A could use a tough landscape standard. One that encourages dense, native vegetation.

[30A Skunkape]

Landscaping cures a lot of evils.

Look at old Seagrove- it’s beautiful, yet if you look closely at the individual buildings they are a real hodgepodge of styles. But when you add a veneer of mature oaks it all comes together.

I think 30-A could use a tough landscape standard. One that encourages dense, native vegetation.

I agree. I think the section of 30-A in the Blue Mountain/Dune Allen area would be much more attractive if there were some intact trees and brush.

[beachmouse]

I like the hodge-podge look. I like the wide variety of styles and how it is obvious that so many homes were built during different time frames. It makes the area seem more organic and more 'real'.

I'd find it far less scenic if it looked like Sandestin does.

[Beach Runner]

It drives me crazy when builders and developers clear out all of the beautiful natural vegetation -- the live oaks, sawgrass palmettoes, magnolia, wild rosemary, etc., etc. Then they inevitably put in palm trees that are not native. This ain't South Florida!:bang:

Not to mention that it's not very green to remove the natural vegetation which has taken care of itself forever, thank you very much, with no need for sprinkler systems, chemicals, or landscape maintenance crews.

[Uncle Timmy]

I like the hodge-podge look. I like the wide variety of styles and how it is obvious that so many homes were built during different time frames. It makes the area seem more organic and more 'real'.

I'd find it far less scenic if it looked like Sandestin does.

I agree.

But don’t you feel that a layer of nice low vegetation and trees helps reduce the ‘visual cacophony’ that can sometimes result?

Not to mention how much cooler walking or riding your bike thru old Seagrove is during the summer.

Maybe we need a 30-A Arbor Day.

I’d also support a tree ordinance so that folks can’t clear cut their sites only to replant with ‘stick’ palms.

[SHELLY]

And signs. My goodness at all the signs. Are all of those real estate signs places that are for sale or just advertising rental units?


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Those are the Florida State Flowers. :biggrin:



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[JUL]

It drives me crazy when builders and developers clear out all of the beautiful natural vegetation -- the live oaks, sawgrass palmettoes, magnolia, wild rosemary, etc., etc. Then they inevitably put in palm trees that are not native. This ain't South Florida!:bang:

Not to mention that it's not very green to remove the natural vegetation which has taken care of itself forever, thank you very much, with no need for sprinkler systems, chemicals, or landscape maintenance crews.

I agree. What I love about the panhandle and what I dislike about the lower half...the palm trees. I love the pine trees, rosemary lakes and the ocean all together...so unique and nature filled...

[hnooe]

Yesterday I drove from the west end of 30-A to the east end, for the first time in several years when I was not in a hurry to get somewhere. I can certainly now see what many of you are talking about when it comes to density. I can not imagine how you would even begin to fix that hodgepodge of commercial, single family, and multi family buildings and try to bring it into some semblance of order. I have been all over the State of Florida and really do not recall anything that comes close to what appears to be nothing but mass architecural confusion.

And signs. My goodness at all the signs. Are all of those real estate signs places that are for sale or just advertising rental units? It was getting dark when I came through Seagrove and I could not read all of them. And government signs. Do this...don't do that......what a mess.

How are they going to be able to make this a scenic highway and get it cleaned up where it is actually scenic?

Official federal designation (in Feb.) will bring added state and federal funding to 30A--I attended several meeting with Claire Bannerman spearheading the effort--monies will go toward standardizing a lot of the signage and wayfinding all along 30A, will clean up the the look of the Dune Lakes as you travel 30 A, will also provide standardized park penches, bicycle racks, etc.

I think things will improve along 30A, but it will also bring A LOT more touristas, SUV's...hope that parking situation is tackled!

[scooterbug44]

You have been all over Florida and 30-A is what you consider unsightly and an architectural hodgepodge? :idontno:

I'm not saying that certain buildings or areas couldn't be improved, but IMO this area has much more charm and continuity than many others.

There is nowhere in the world (outside of artificial planned communities and theme parks) where the architecture is all the same. The reason you probably notice a "hodgepodge" is because there are so many little developments, each w/ their own obsessive compulsive design guidelines and need to distinguish themselves from their competition.

[NotDeadYet]

I hate to say it but a good deal of what I could consider unsightly along 30A is in the county right-of-way, including and especially the part of the right-of-way between the bike path and the road. Alsom, code enforcement has ignored a lot of crapola that has been placed in the right-of-way by people claiming it and trying to stop parking in front of their houses. If the county would clean up their part of 30A that would be a big improvement.

[wrobert]

I hate to say it but a good deal of what I could consider unsightly along 30A is in the county right-of-way, including and especially the part of the right-of-way between the bike path and the road. Alsom, code enforcement has ignored a lot of crapola that has been placed in the right-of-way by people claiming it and trying to stop parking in front of their houses. If the county would clean up their part of 30A that would be a big improvement.

It is a shame but you are correct. People are going to extraordinary lengths to try to claim their part of the right of way.