Follow Your Money

[IronBeard]

Not a huge fan of the tourist season on the beach but im a lot more concerned with all these people who are permanently moving here as local people are being pushed out by the housing price increases. I am watching my little hick town become something I don't recognize.

Yeah, I get "progress," and all that, but Navarre/Santa Rosa county built their own coffin by allowing the first hotel along 98, and then watched, dumb-founded, as low-end business, after low-end business encroached on 98 to the extent the only way to remedy the current traffic situation is an elevated highway. They've become the Destin they never wanted to become.

Right now, there appears to be an endless supply of well-to-do folks who want to retire here near the beach so the kids/grandkids will come see 'em once a year. Well and fine if you have to be nowhere and riding your brakes at .25-.33 of the speed limit is your idea of living the good life; not mine. If you have to evacuate for a hurricane, leave 3-4 days early. Consequently, 90%+ of my leisure time/$ is not spent locally. Hello?

The project being discussed is being billed as the greatest thing ever for Navarre, and all about the residents of Navarre. Apparently that has been swallowed, hook, line, and sinker, to the extent faithful "friends" believe they'll be entitled to VIP parking at the new resort. Yeah, ok, you can't compete with the Nashville $ they are after. Check license plates now and then. If ya don't see it, ya don't want to.

 

[Jhunter]

The powers at be are thinking with their calculators. It’s a great place to work but The beach is not fit for living. Even the homes down there are essentially businesses offering vacation rentals. I have found it easier to drive south for work vs being angry at the tourist playing Marco Polo in the pool next door at all hours of the night.

 

[Bay Ranger]

I just can't believe the stupidity of the Santa Rosa School Board. Think about this. We need a new high school in the Midway/Navarre area. What do they do ? They buy the old "flea market" property for the high school. What happens during the times when students are coming and going? They reduce the speed limit to 20 mph. Now, you have taken a major state road that is normally 55mph and reduced the speed limit to 20mph - traffic backs up in both directions and people get pissed. Just look at what happens to traffic going through the city of Gulf Breeze during school transit times. Traffic is backed up past the Naval Oaks area in the morning and onto the 3 Mile Bridge in the afternoon. After they have invested millions of dollars developing the new high school there will be "buyers remorse".

 

[fl57caveman]

Pilot and flying J and buccees are US owned.

took me over 30 minutes last saturday, just to get the heck out of buccees in robertsdale, didnt even get gas, waiting line at pumps also

 

[Carl]

The project being discussed is being billed as the greatest thing ever for Navarre, and all about the residents of Navarre. Apparently that has been swallowed, hook, line, and sinker, to the extent faithful "friends" believe they'll be entitled to VIP parking at the new resort. Yeah, ok, you can't compete with the Nashville $ they are after. Check license plates now and then. If ya don't see it, ya don't want to.

Yep the greatest thing ever for the investors bank accounts. It certainly does create a shithole for locals to live (drive) in. I still think that the floods of people moving here permanently are much worse for the area where I live.

 

[MarkS]

Not a huge fan of the tourist season on the beach but im a lot more concerned with all these people who are permanently moving here as local people are being pushed out by the housing price increases. I am watching my little hick town become something I don't recognize.

They will be religiously electing Gullium's for Florida in no time I predict.

Hwy 189 in Baker has so much traffic during tourist season that the only traffic light in Baker will back up traffic for over a mile. Now there’s over 900 new homes permitted to be built behind the school on a road that doesn’t meet state requirements for width. This is just going to add to the traffic congestion plus I’ve watched the prices rise until the locals aren’t going to be able to afford to buy a home thanks to the low wages. Cefco is building a station across from Baker’s only gas station and it’s both good and bad news. There’s no traffic light at that intersection and it’s already a challenge to turn left onto Highway 4 from Galliver Cutoff I dread what it will be like once Cefco opens. Hopefully the state will but up a traffic signal but I wonder how many wrecks will occur until they do

 

[capt.joe]

I just can't believe the stupidity of the Santa Rosa School Board. Think about this. We need a new high school in the Midway/Navarre area. What do they do ? They buy the old "flea market" property for the high school. What happens during the times when students are coming and going? They reduce the speed limit to 20 mph. Now, you have taken a major state road that is normally 55mph and reduced the speed limit to 20mph - traffic backs up in both directions and people get pissed. Just look at what happens to traffic going through the city of Gulf Breeze during school transit times. Traffic is backed up past the Naval Oaks area in the morning and onto the 3 Mile Bridge in the afternoon. After they have invested millions of dollars developing the new high school there will be "buyers remorse".

Same thing is going to happen on sorrento road when the new elementary school in the swamp opens

 

[Carl]

Hwy 189 in Baker has so much traffic during tourist season that the only traffic light in Baker will back up traffic for over a mile. Now there’s over 900 new homes permitted to be built behind the school on a road that doesn’t meet state requirements for width. This is just going to add to the traffic congestion plus I’ve watched the prices rise until the locals aren’t going to be able to afford to buy a home thanks to the low wages. Cefco is building a station across from Baker’s only gas station and it’s both good and bad news. There’s no traffic light at that intersection and it’s already a challenge to turn left onto Highway 4 from Galliver Cutoff I dread what it will be like once Cefco opens. Hopefully the state will but up a traffic signal but I wonder how many wrecks will occur until they do

Yes sir. We seen so many big storage unit complexes go up around Niceville the last couple years it’s nuts. Some call it progress I call it an invasion. We’re definitely looking to move to BFE.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Shoo, try 59 in Foley. Total cluster. They built the high school next to it. Behind walmart.....

 

[MarkS]

Shoo, try 59 in Foley. Total cluster. They built the high school next to it. Behind walmart.....

Hwy 59 is 4 lanes Hwy 189 and Hwy 4 are 2 lanes with enough traffic for a 4 lane
I never thought Baker would have traffic problems

 

[IronBeard]

The powers at be are thinking with their calculators. It’s a great place to work but The beach is not fit for living. Even the homes down there are essentially businesses offering vacation rentals. I have found it easier to drive south for work vs being angry at the tourist playing Marco Polo in the pool next door at all hours of the night.

Fortunately, where I am, they just put an end to renting your house at as a vacation rental. We'll see how that goes. What were previously "vacation rentals" are now up for sale, but not selling. Still, having also lived in Crestview, it is nothing more than greed for $, $, $, that has an entire area/county build up against the only road possible until that road is unusable during normal daylight hours.

 

[IronBeard]

I just can't believe the stupidity of the Santa Rosa School Board. Think about this. We need a new high school in the Midway/Navarre area. What do they do ? They buy the old "flea market" property for the high school. What happens during the times when students are coming and going? They reduce the speed limit to 20 mph. Now, you have taken a major state road that is normally 55mph and reduced the speed limit to 20mph - traffic backs up in both directions and people get pissed. Just look at what happens to traffic going through the city of Gulf Breeze during school transit times. Traffic is backed up past the Naval Oaks area in the morning and onto the 3 Mile Bridge in the afternoon. After they have invested millions of dollars developing the new high school there will be "buyers remorse".

My wife follows a lot of this local stuff more than I. She handles it better and feeds me bite-sized pieces... Based on what I've heard, the original publicly-available plan for that property was to build the school at the back of the property.

We drove by yesterday, and I noticed site improvement going on up front, like they are going to pour a "pad." Wife researched it, and it looks like more apartments will be built on the front of the property. YHGTBSM. W-T-F?!

 

[IronBeard]

Ytook me over 30 minutes last saturday, just to get the heck out of buccees in robertsdale, didnt even get gas, waiting line at pumps also

Yep, local schools are on spring break... Enjoy May all you can, 'cause schools close in June and all of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas will be here, plus the once-a-year, max-out-my-credit-card liberals from "up north." Love your neighbor, ya'll

 

[IronBeard]

Hwy 189 in Baker has so much traffic during tourist season that the only traffic light in Baker will back up traffic for over a mile. Now there’s over 900 new homes permitted to be built behind the school on a road that doesn’t meet state requirements for width. This is just going to add to the traffic congestion plus I’ve watched the prices rise until the locals aren’t going to be able to afford to buy a home thanks to the low wages. Cefco is building a station across from Baker’s only gas station and it’s both good and bad news. There’s no traffic light at that intersection and it’s already a challenge to turn left onto Highway 4 from Galliver Cutoff I dread what it will be like once Cefco opens. Hopefully the state will but up a traffic signal but I wonder how many wrecks will occur until they do

Yep, there's another quiet town about to be wrecked as county "representatives" whore themselves in persuit of tourist's $.

I continually wonder why this area pursues no business/industry other than tourism, and the only answer I can come up with is it's easy. People come here with the attitude, I'm on my once-a-year, one-week vacation. This is all there is. I'll pay anything, for anything, and max out my credit card, or get another one, as long as the wife/kids will shut up for even five minutes.

But, they don't, and won't, so I'll just drive like an @#$hole while we're here, and all the way home, 'cause I can't wait to get out of this car, away from this BS, and back to work. FU, I'm on vacation...

And then we are stupid enough to hand our $ to "tourist" businesses in the off season....

 

[IronBeard]

Same thing is going to happen on sorrento road when the new elementary school in the swamp opens

Dammit, there goes my shortcut to Perdido and Orange Beach...

 

[IronBeard]

Yes sir. We seen so many big storage unit complexes go up around Niceville the last couple years it’s nuts. Some call it progress I call it an invasion. We’re definitely looking to move to BFE.

Niceville ain't so nice, anymore. As with boardering counties, the money-grubbers that occupy high seats in the county are all about they, them, and theirs. If there is $ to be had personally, it's a "good thing," for "the county." Niceville = Bluewater Bay = $ for Destin businesses owned by those who run the county.

But, but, but. They goes to muh church. They buys uniforms fer the kids' ball team. He/she alright, we went ta schoo' t'gether...

 

[IronBeard]

Shoo, try 59 in Foley. Total cluster. They built the high school next to it. Behind walmart.....

Even the exits of 10 to 59 are FUBAR to the point traffic backs up on 10. During tourist season, if I go to AL, heading west, I'll jump off onto 90, and go in that way. The average mouth-breathing tourist won't dare get off a main road.

 

[Ric-san]

Wow…lots of disgruntled folks here. Here’s my $.02 as JJ would say. I don’t care where anyone buys gas at. American citizens for the most part work at these places, buy gas there and they get to earn a living. Yes some fat cat some where’s else in the world is making profit. It’s not like we are all driving American made cars. My new Jeep I just bought was made by Fiat/Stelantis, so some grubby Italian in Europe made some $$$ from me. I primarily buy my gas on base as I’m military retired. On the occasions that I buy in the “real world”, I use the Gas Buddy app to find the best deal. Most of the time it’s not Tom Thumb or Citgo or even Circle K. I look for the best deal, no matter who’s going to buy a Pink Cadillac for thier Mom with my mula.
On the whole Navarre is now the center of the universe thing going on now….I’ve lived in Milton near Whitting Field since the late 1990’s when I came to the area with the Navy/USMC BRAC move. Back then prices in both Navarre and Milton in new home sales were pretty close. Now Navarre is the future Destin. Keep it. I could have bought a house there back then. I’ll keep my house, where the lower house insurance I pay here in Milton vs those who live south of I-10. I hear the horror stories from co-workers about the money they have to spend finding and keeping homeowners insurance. Yep I spend quite a bit extra in windshield time going to and from work, (20k avg per ur) and have to visit the said gas stations more often than the average person on this forum, it’s all good. Yes, I deal with the damn Yankees who come for spring and summer to the beaches and clog the roads and drive like complete morons also.
On a side note a lot of you guys here help keep one’s sanity by reading your rants of gas stations, mom and pop stores vs big box stores, Navarre vs the universe and other stuff, so thats a good point to make…occasionally I see a good deal on a gun or two here.

 

[tros6t]

Facebook is US owned (maybe) and one wonders why they pumped millions into critical Democrat elections in 2020! Well, I hope they are happy because they have since laid off thousands! Probably could do this for hours!
Anyone remember when Walmart had signs in the stores about made in America? You will have to really search to find anything made in America in there now!