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From the POA
Welcome to Rosemary Beach!
In this issue, we offer some insight into the history of our Town Center and some insights into the merchants and civic functions that
form the heart of our community. If you are reading this, you most likely have experienced the excitement of entering Rosemary Beach through the magical avenue of live oak trees along 30A, arriving at Barrett Square to all the activity on the greens and in the shops, against the backdrop of the iconic Town Hall and Post Office buildings. It’s no wonder that Architectural Digest named our Main Street as one of the 30 Most Beautiful Main Streets Across America, all the more notable given that the 29 other towns on the list had head starts on us by as much as 280 years!
SO, WHY IS OUR TOWN CENTER IN THE CENTER OF TOWN?
Like other New Urbanist communities, the town’s master plan is no haphazard arrangement of lots, but rather was carefully laid out to create a harmonious community that promotes social interactions and access to beautiful, mixed-use community spaces. One of the criteria used by town planners DPZ was ensuring that a 15-minute walk from any home in Rosemary Beach would get you into the Town Center. A system of hierarchical lanes, boardwalks, neighborhood parks, streets and avenues all lead to (and from) Barrett Square and Main Street. It’s no wonder that Walkover G, at Western Green, is so popular!
And, it was not only the placement of the Town Center that was considered so carefully but also the content of it. The Town Hall, often used for town meetings, weddings, concerts and other community events, occupies a prominent spot on high ground. It is easily seen as a landmark, helping to orient youngsters and adults alike as they move about the town. Restaurants are mixed with retail shops on the ground floors, and with offices and apartments on upper floors above, such that a walk to the Post Office might just include a spontaneous visit (and cup of coffee) with friends you didn’t know were in town. As you move about, there is activity all around you. Moving away from Town Center, things become more peaceful and paths lead to the beach, smaller parks and other quieter amenities.
ENJOYING OUR BEACH SAFELY
Speaking of the beach… it cannot go without saying that the most important part of enjoying the beautiful beaches here is being aware of water safety. To that important end, the POA continues to contract with the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) to extend SWFD’s Beach Safety Program to our beach. In addition to the lifeguards stationed in towers and on ATV’s
near the water, the program is also focused on educating the public about conditions at the beach and how to avoid situations that can lead to trouble.
There is a flag here in Rosemary Beach posted at Walkover “I” near the west end of our beach as well as a flag at the public beach access on our eastern boundary at Winston Lane. Please note that the flags do not specifically advise of the presence of rip currents at a particular location (rips tend to move about from day to day) - rather the flag colors are determined by the most dangerous surf or rip conditions within the county's beaches and the appropriate color flag or flags are then flown across all beaches. It is possible that the conditions at the beach where you are visiting may appear less dangerous than the beach flags that are flying.
One of the most important things to remember is never to try to swim against a rip current. “Rips” are powerful currents that form when water that has rushed up to the beach runs back out through breaks in the sandbars. They are hard to spot from the beach and can easily surprise even strong swimmers. If you get caught in a rip, remain
calm and focus on staying
afloat. Wave your arms to alert those on the beach. The current will not carry you far out to sea but will weaken as it reaches deeper water. Once the current weakens, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then swim back to the beach. Your best bet is always to obey the flags, and remember to use caution as conditions in the Gulf of Mexico can change quickly.
SWFD is constantly monitoring the water conditions and weather forecast to provide the most accurate and timely water and surf information possible. To learn more about SWFD and their programs, please visit www.swfd.org BEACH STEWARDSHIP
In addition to taking care of our patrons, we also take very seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of our beach as a natural resource for us and for future generations. As many of you hopefully know, Sea Turtle nesting season starts May 1 and runs through October 31 each year. During this time, it is critically important that we keep our beaches CLEAN, DARK AND FLAT. CLEAN means that we don’t leave items or trash on the beach, small items like bottle caps are especially harmful to not only sea turtles but also many other creatures as well when they are mistaken for food; DARK means that any light visible from the beach is kept to a minimum and that we avoid flash photography and unfiltered light near nests that can frighten nesting mothers or disorient new hatchlings as they make their way to the water; and FLAT means that we fill in all holes to make both the mothers and the hatchlings journey across the sand safer. To learn more about the many species of sea turtles that call the Gulf of Mexico home and the things we can all do to help continue the recovery of those that are endangered, please visit www.friendsofswturtles.org
We are occasionally asked why we don’t rake or remove the seaweed from the beach. A good question – the simple answer is that we don’t remove it because seaweed is a natural and important part of our local ecology. Specifically, the area between the high and low tides, also called the “wrack line” where seaweed typically accumulates, is an especially dynamic spot where small creatures, such as crabs and other invertebrates, forage for food
and shelter. Over a short period of time, the seaweed is either naturally buried or moves back out into the water. During periods of heavy seaweed accumulation, it is certainly okay to throw some of it up onto the base of the dunes if it is in your way. Occasionally, we do rake the beach, but that is done with the intent of removing any man-made litter that has become buried in the sand.
Along with the lifeguards, our Beach Service staff continue to work hard to raise the bar taking care of both our patrons and the beach itself. Please remember to carry your amenity passes with you to the beach – when things are busy, one of the staff’s duties is to ensure that only our owners and guests are using the beach walkovers and beach service, so having your pass with you helps us make sure this is the case.
If you ever have a question regarding the beach, please don’t hesitate to approach any of our beach attendants in person, or give us a call at 850-231-1860.
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
The community’s websites rosemarybeachfl.org, which is maintained by the Rosemary Beach Property Owners Association (POA), and rosemarybeach. com, which is maintained by the Cottage Rental Company (CRC), are updated regularly with notices of interest to owners and visitors. The calendars on both websites are updated continuously and are available to all users. Take a moment to check out these online resources when you have a chance.
Please drop us a line at POA@ rosemarybeachfl.org and share your thoughts with the staff and the Board. We hope that you are enjoying your time here in Rosemary Beach.
