My wife and I bought a house near Crystal Beach a dozen years ago because we loved the area’s beauty, fishing and quiet, family-friendly atmosphere. Back then, there were a few spring breakers who came to town and they didn’t pose much of a problem. Sadly, today and for the past couple of years, that situation has changed to the point where sections of the town are virtually unlivable for at least the month of March.
It seems to me and to other “locals” of all age groups that Destin has either decided to ignore the brazen public drunkenness including driving while drunk, violations of noise ordinances and vandalism, or is so overwhelmed that it has no idea how to deal with it.
The city needs to take control of the obvious problem and enforce its laws, or even write new laws before we turn into another Panama City.
I don’t entirely blame the city. Property owners and property management companies willingly turn a blind-eye to who rents from them this time of year, and it usually takes a complaint or call to the police before any action is taken.
I know, I know ... You’ll hear from management companies telling you this isn’t so. I tell you from personal experience it is. I finally had to tell my former company NOT to rent to spring breakers because the damage to my property just wasn’t worth it.
I’m sure bars and restaurants and other retailers want and need the spring breaker money. Fine. Just enforce the laws and make this time of year endurable for the rest of us.
We’re close to giving up and selling, because we truly have little faith that anything will be done to make things better.
T Lelko
Destin
