A locally produced documentary podcast
By Jared Schnader
“Since the Walton County [Customary Use] ordinance was adopted mid-year 2016, can’t we just say, ‘this section shall not apply to an ordinance adopted and effective on or before Jan. 2, 2016’? That would protect Volusia and St. Johns counties…”
That sentence, taken from a 2017 email written by lobbyist Gary Hunter to then–State Representative Katie Edwards-Walpole, would quietly reshape the future of Walton County’s beaches. The very next day, that language appeared in House Bill 631. With it, a long-simmering dispute over who owns—and who can use—Florida’s beaches erupted into one of the most consequential local battles.
Eroded: 30A’s Battle for Florida’s Beaches chronicles the creation, passage, and fall out from this bill through 7 audio episodes.
Over the past two years, I have interviewed key figures on all sides of this conflict and spent countless hours researching how Walton County arrived at this point. What I found was not a single villain or an easy fix, but a complicated convergence of politics, property rights, lobbying influence, and public misunderstanding.
My own journey into this issue began a few years earlier, when I overheard a candidate for county commission confidently tell a voter, “If you vote for me, I will fix the problem with our beaches. The commissioners can do this—they just aren’t.” Even without fully grasping the details at the time, I knew that statement was inaccurate. But if that wasn’t true, what was?
Eroded is a documentary-style podcast designed to answer those questions. Through interviews with local business owners, longtime residents, tourists, legal experts, and the lawmaker who originally wrote the law that would become HB 631, we uncover how all of this came about and what could be done next.
The podcast begins by laying essential groundwork, explaining concepts like Customary Use and Beach Nourishment—terms that are often misunderstood but central to the dispute. Listeners learn how, in 2014, beachfront homeowners and local business leaders stood together against a proposed beach nourishment project. This alliance unraveled as HB 631 passed and public beach use collided with private property rights.
From there, the story broadens. Senator Passidomo recounts how her initial attempt to address Customary Use was derailed, ultimately forcing her to kill the bill. I also speak with local business owners and tourists about how they have been impacted, and advocate for fighting to restore public beach access. The series explores why the 2025 repeal of HB 631 failed to return the public’s rights to the sand, leaving many questions—and frustrations—unresolved.
Eroded was created to give the community a clearer picture of how we got here—and to encourage informed, constructive involvement in what comes next. My hope is that listeners come away better educated, more engaged, and ready to take part in shaping the future of our community and our beaches.
You can find all 7 episodes on the major podcast platforms, or visit the website for links: www.erodedpodcast.com
Jared Schnader is the creator of the locally produced Eroded: 30A’s Battle for Florida’s Beaches. He lives in Santa Rosa Beach with his wife and children.
