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Jim Tucker

Beach Fanatic
Jul 12, 2005
1,189
497
- Inlet Beach residents walked away from the Walton County Commission meeting with a small victory Tuesday night.

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"I'm floored. I frankly didn't think we would win. I figured, as so often happens in Walton County in particular, that development would win. We were prepared for that but we also presented, I think, a really good argument and the commissioners heard that," said President of the Historic Inlet Beach Neighborhood Association, Rich Jaffe. "Maybe that's a change as far as this county commission and the way they perceive things and they are listening, we hope, more and more to those of us who pay the taxes and vote for them and have sweat equity and our hearts invested in our neighborhoods other than a bunch of commercial guys that just want to come in and make a buck."

Meeting after meeting, developers approached board members asking for permission to change land development codes in the small community from residential to neighborhood commercial.

"We would be happy to have somebody come in and tear down the lousy building they are talking about. We don't have a problem with that they wanted to do. We have a problem with them having the audacity to come into our community, our neighborhood where we live and say 'You're going to have to change your neighborhood plan that you're people sweated and bled for and fought for decades ago,' in order to let them build a commercial enterprise. That's what we were against," said Jaffe.

But at Tuesday's meeting, after many residents stood up against the land use change, developers were denied their request to amend the current ordinance.

"It's not the first time and it's not the last time but I think more than anything the tides are changing in communities all across this area, but specifically in Inlet Beach. I will tell you that we are going to become a force to be reckoned with. The commissioners, the developers are going to have to listen to us as things proceed," Jaffe explained, "because we are one of the hottest properties, if not the hottest property in Walton County, and that means people want to be there. Developers want to to be there, the resident wants to be there. People want to buy their houses, they want to build their houses in our community but because development wants to come in there in such huge numbers, they want to take advantage of what makes us so special."

Most residents who stood up to speak made it clear their battle was not with the developer's plan, which was to build a parking lot for the Donut Hole restaurant but to stop it from becoming a bigger problem in the future.

"We don't have a problem with what they wanted to do. We have a problem and will continue to have a problem with anybody else who tries the same thing. We have a problem with the way they think they will do it," Jaffe added. "We have to stand that much more vocally and physically up in meetings like this so that people understand that they cannot simply come in our neighborhood and get what they want. It has to be what we want as well, and we're perfectly happy to work with them as long as they're willing to play by the rules. And fortunately tonight [Tuesday], we were able to set those rules."
 

James Bentwood

Beach Fanatic
Feb 24, 2005
1,495
607
I've seen small wins like this before. Often the developer turns around and threatens to sue or actually sues the county and the county backs down.
 

John G

Beach Fanatic
Jul 16, 2014
1,803
553
I've seen small wins like this before. Often the developer turns around and threatens to sue or actually sues the county and the county backs down.
I believe the developers attorney is actually the same one Cecila Jones uses...
 

FactorFiction

Beach Fanatic
Feb 18, 2016
494
409
The attorney was Gary Shipman. Commissioner Comander seems to be very thoughtful about the way she looks at all of the planning projects, particularly ones that require substantial changes to "zoning" type designations. Kudos to her for that. I was really pleased to see Commissioner Chapman vote against the change from residential to commercial.
 
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