from WZEP AM
Commissioner Continue To Address Rentals and Use
Is the business operating on your property the type of business allowed for the property when the development permit was approved? The Walton Commissioners have been considering a measure that would require businesses to register with the county so the government and emergency services know what is going on where.
The commissioners started the effort after deciding a business needs to be operating in the right land use, but they did not want to have a county wide business license like cities such as DeFuniak Springs. This also started a question about short term rentals where a business such as wedding events take place in a home developed as a residential unit. The effort also questioned if the registration should be just south of the bay or the whole county, if it should include all business and commercial enterprises such as agriculture and churches or should some be exempt.
At their recent meeting, Commissioner Sara Comander said she has been working on the issue for several years and hoped the two sides could come together, but after threatening emails, she decided they needed to take another approach. She said they should look at Land Use Compliance registration and at the short term rentals, separating the two issues. Comander also asked to work with the sheriff and bring back the noise ordinance. Walton has a noise ordinance, but it is not always being enforced due to training, equipment and other factors. Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen asked about state statutes and how the county could better enforce regulations.
Commissioner Scott Brannon said they need to look at enforcement, noting both the Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement will be used and their work should be defined. Commissioner Cecilia Jones said they need someone to work weekends and to be on-call at night. She said some know what they can get away with on the weekend. Comander agreed, saying the problem is both north and south of the bay. Acting County Administrator Gerry Demers said they have worked on the weekend and found it is more effective to work on Monday after the mess.
Brannon talked about noise, saying the Board needs to consider the problem and how to address it, even on the weekend. He said the fines they levy are considered by some to be a cost of doing business. Brannon asked to find a way to make it effective without overlapping what the Sheriff’s Office is doing. The sheriff has offered to send a deputy out with Code Enforcement. Jones noted the county has been down the noise ordinance path several times and needs to decide what they want. Jones said the Sheriff and Code Enforcement need to have a good document to enforce.
The ordinance would require all businesses in the county, other than home occupation, register to make sure the business is in compliance with the land use. Commissioners agreed to move forward, but took out section five, separating the short term rentals. The ordinance includes silver culture and agriculture. Commissioners said they are not trying to regulate, only wanting to know what is going on in the county since there are no business licenses. This means if you live in a residential area and operate a business, the county wants to know.
Sheriff Mike Adkinson said he deals with the symptoms of the problem. He told commissioners a problem is, if they go to a complaint such as a loud party, then they can give a warning, but not cite due to the owner not being there. He offered to help by using deputies and providing office space for Code Enforcement. Adkinson said they have to address the problem when it happens.