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South Walton Community Council

Community Organization
Jan 17, 2007
270
78
www.southwaltoncc.org
One of the most important items on this agenda is #4 under TDC, Jim Bagby. In spite of holding a public hearing where the majority of the public spoke against a new and separate beach access through Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, the TDC is still engaging the process and taking the next steps toward this goal. Apparently public opinion in South Walton can no longer carry the weight to reverse decisions made by those we hire and elect to govern our county.

Second, please note the sheer number of quasi-judicial items for development approval. This is a trend we are seeing as the economy continues to be strong. The pressures for development and for granting deviations and variances from our comprehensive plan and land development code grow stronger each day and are becoming more common.

Last week at the Technical Review Committee meeting, the first public step in development approval, 14 items were on the agenda, most requesting major development. These will work their way through the process and eventually be approved or not by the BCC.


Pleases continue to be vigilant and join in any time you can in letting commissioners, residents, friends and family know what the development trends are in South Walton.




AGENDA
WALTON COUNTY​
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS​
September 9, 2014​
Further information for many agenda items is available at https://walton.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Click on the agenda of interest and once the document is open, click on any of the links providing supplemental information.
2:30 PM Special Meeting and Executive Session
Susan Margaretten vs. Walton County, Florida, Case No. 2013CA154
3:00 PM Special Meeting and Executive Session
Suzanne Harris vs. Walton County, Florida, Case No. 2011CA1027
4:00 PM Opening Comments
Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag
Invocation
Recognition
Call to Order
Consider Additions/Deletions
Approval of Agenda with additional and/or deletions
Public Comments – please limit comments to five minutes or less
Items removed from Consent Agenda for further discussion

Approval of Consent Agenda
1. Clerk’s Items:
1. Approve Expenditure Approval List (EAL)
2. Approve Minutes of August 26, 2014 Regular Meeting
2. Administrative Items:
1. Approve to surplus/dispose a 2009 GMC Truck, BCC # 7307 and one 2010 Beach Tech as requested by the TDC
2. Approve to surplus/dispose of several items from Fire Rescue, Public Works, Landfill and Mosquito Control
3. Request to move the October 14, 2014 4:00 PM Regular BCC Meeting from the South Walton Annex to the Walton County Courthouse and move the October 28, 2014 9:00AM Regular BCC Meeting from the Walton County Courthouse to the South Walton Annex due to the Supervisor of Elections utilizing the Boardroom in DeFuniak Springs for early voting
4. Approve a Resolution proclaiming the week of September 28, 2014 through October 4, 2014 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Week in Walton County
3. Budget Amendment Resolutions/Transfers:
1. Approve to move $419,000 of unanticipated revenue into Funding Sponsorship Grants as requested by the TDC
2. Approve a budget amendment to transfer $266,950 from Industry Development and Promotional Activities to Administration/Website to fund the approved contract to rebuild the TDC website as requested by the TDC
4. Agreements/Contracts:
1. Approve to enter into a State Hazard Analysis Sub-grant Agreement with
the State of Florida, Division of Emergency Management in the amount of
$4,852.00
2. Approve Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity dated July 31, 2013
through June 10, 2014
3. Approve the FY 2015 State Aid to Libraries Grant Agreement
4. Approve the Engagement Letter and Agreement for auditing services with
Carr, Riggs, & Ingram for the FY 2014 HUD Housing Audit
5. Ratify the agreed-upon procedures Engagement Letter with Carr, Riggs, &
Ingram for completion of the FY 2014 Annual Local Government Financial
Report
6. Ratify the Agreement with Carr, Riggs, & Ingram for annual testing of
Walton County’s Investment Policy Compliance
7. Ratify the Engagement Letter with Carr, Riggs & Ingram for the FY 2014
Financial Statement Audit
8. Ratify the Engagement Letter with Carr, Riggs, & Ingram for the FY 2014
Solid Waste Program Management Escrow Cash Account Audit
9. Ratify the agreed-upon procedures Engagement Letter with Carr, Riggs, &
Ingram for attestation of compliance with the State of County Funded
Court-Related Functions, 29.0085, F.S.

4:05 PM Larry D. Jones, County Administrator

  • 1. Administration
  • a. Linda Sumblin, Workforce Development Board – Request to renew the Interlocal Agreement between Okaloosa County and Walton County
  • b. City of Freeport’s request regarding their Fire Department
  • c. Appoint a citizen to serve on the Value Adjustment Board
  • d. Request to award RFP #014-016 for Telecommunication Auditing Services to Troy and Banks
  • e. Request to reject bids for RFP #014-026 for Security Monitoring Services and re-advertise
  • f. Walton County 30A Tax Increment Project and Walton County 331 Tax Increment Project update
  • g. Sports Park property update
  • h. Approve to allow staff to convert the vacant environmental position/funding to support RESTORE Act via either staff position, consultant or hybrid of both
  • i. Request to consider Proposal to purchase land at the Walton County Industrial Park at Mossy Head and direct staff accordingly
  • 2. Public Works
  • a. Request to award Bid #014-015 Pine Tree Planting at the Walton County Landfill to the lowest responsive responsible bidder, Choctaw Land & Timber, LLC
  • b. Request to approve an Agreement with Choctaw Land & Timber, LLC for Pine Tree Replanting at the Walton County Landfill (Contract # 014-015)
4:30 PM Jim Bagby, TDC Executive Director
1. Request approval to initiate the process for the possible purchase of the “Angelos Parcel” on
Beachside Drive (Parcel number 19-3S-18-16080-000-0162) according to the Property
Acquisition Ordinance
2. Request approval of a Budget Amendment for the allocation of $200,000 towards Phase 1
Landscaping for the east 30A/US 98 Improvement Plan and $228,000 for the Pathways of
Phase 1 upon contingency that developers will fund ongoing Phase 1 Maintenance cost that
was approved at the August 5, 2014 TDC Meeting
3. Request to approve an Agreement between Visit Florida and the Walton County TDC for
Emeril’s Florida television program for the 2015 season in the amount of $120,000
4. Request approval to send a letter requesting the Florida Division of Recreation and Park
Services to draft a memorandum of understanding outlining the commitments and
responsibilities of a proposed partnership for additional beach access at Topsail Hill Preserve
State Park
5. Updates
4:45 PM Mark Davis, County Attorney
1. Request to approve a Resolution establishing the highest and best use for the property on
which the Cowford Water Well lines
2. Request to approve Donation Agreement for the proposed donated land from Wells Fargo
Bank
3. Request to hold a Closed Special Meeting on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 11:00 AM for
the purpose of discussing the status of the Collective Bargaining Negotiations with the Walton
County Firefighters Union
4:55 PM Public Hearing
1. Approve Resolution amending the Budget for the Daughette MSBU Fund to bring forward
$27,000 for expenditures related to a dredging project for FY 2013-2014
4:55 PM Vice-Chair Cindy Meadows, District Five

  • 1. Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
  • 2. TDC Sponsored Charrette
  • 3. Tax Increment Financing District Study
  • 4. Stormwater projects
  • 5. Driftwood Estates Special Magistrate Recommendation
5:05 PM Commissioner Sara Comander, District Four
1. Appointment to the North Walton TDC
5:10 PM Commissioner Bill Imfeld, District Three
5:15 PM Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen, District Two
5:20 PM Chairman W.N. “Bill” Chapman, District One
5:25 PM Citizen Requests:
1. David Lilienthal – Drainage Easement Issues
2. Sean McSheehy – Request to approve 23rd Annual Triathlon (30A Triathlon) to be held
October 11, 2014 and road closure
5:55 PM Additional Public Comments - please limit comments to five minutes or less
Agenda Recap - Staff Review of Directives
6:00 PM Planning and Development Services 1. Request to authorize the Chairman to sign the Annual Report Certification and to transmit the Annual Reports to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for SHIP Program years FY 2011- 12, FY 2012-13 and FY 2013-14 2. Request the Board review amendment to the Outdoor Events Ordinance and provide comments QUASI-JUDICIAL ITEMS: 1. Bay-Walton Sector Plan- Project number 14-00100062 is being reviewed by Tim Whaler. This is a Sector Plan application submitted by The St. Joe Company, requesting the approval of the Long Term Master Plan in accordance with F.S. 163.3245. The project area consists of 13,284 acres with future land uses of Coastal Center, Coastal Village One, Conservation, General Agriculture, and Traditional Neighborhood Development. The project is located generally west of the Bay County line, north of US 98 east of Point Washington State Forest and south of State Road 20 and Black Creek Road and is identified by parcel numbers 01-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 02-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 03-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 04-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 05-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 08-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 09-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 10-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 11-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 12-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 13-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 0010, 14-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 0010, 15-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 16-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 22-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 0020, 23-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 0010, 24-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 0010, 25-2S-18-15000-002-0000, 25-2S-19-24000-001-0000, 25-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 25-3S-18-16200-000-00A0, 0670, 0680, 0690, 25-3S-18-16210-000-00A0, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040, 2050, 2060, 2080, 2110, 26-2S-18-15000-002-0000, 26-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 27-2S-18-15000-002-0000, 27-3S-18-16000-001-0000, 27-3S-18-16000-002-0040, 31-2S-18-15000-001-0000, 34-2S-18-15000-001-0000, 35-2S-18-15000-001-0000, 36-2S-18-15000-001-0000, 36-2S-19-24000-001-0000. 2. ESCAPE Lot 3 Revisions - Project number 14-01300013 is being reviewed by Tim Whaler. This is a major development order application submitted by Emerald Coast Associates, Inc. requesting approval to amend the preservation area on Lot 3 as approved in the E-SCAPE major development order 06-00100021 and recorded on the E-SCAPE Plat book 18 page 42. The project consists of 0.245 acres with a future land use of Neighborhood Infill. The project is located on the south side of Pompano Street, 200 feet east of South Wall Street, and is identified by parcel number 36-3S-18-16113-000-0030. 3. The Hub Prominence Commercial Plat - Project number 14-00300009 is being reviewed by Tim Whaler. This is a plat application submitted by Innerlight Engineering, Corporation, requesting approval of the Prominence Commercial – “The Hub” plat in compliance with the Development Order 13-00100089 Prominence Phase II South Commercial Infrastructure. The plat consists of 2.60 acres with a future land use of Traditional Neighborhood Development .The project is located on the south side CR 30A, 2 miles west of Watersound Parkway and is identified by parcel number(s) 20-3S-18-16000-002-0000. 4. Carson Oaks Phase II- Project number 14-00100092 is being reviewed by Brian Underwood. This is a major development order application submitted by Jenkins Engineering, Inc. requesting approval to construct 15 new single family lots, on 5.51 acres with a future land use of Neighborhood Infill, within the existing Lots 66, 67, 68, & 69 of Carson Oaks Phase I Subdivision, along Carson Oaks Lane and is identified by parcel number(s) 24-2S-21-42720-000-0660, 24-2S-21-42720-000-0670, 24-2S-21-42720-000-0680, 24-2S-21-42720-000-0690. 5. Highland Park at BMB Phase 2, Lots 126-143 - Project number 14-00100103 is being reviewed by Brian Underwood. This is a major development order application submitted by Innerlight Engineering Corporation requesting the approval to amend the PUD for a habitat buyout on Lots 126-143, and to install a 10-foot wide pedestrian walkway as platted, with a future land use of Traditional Neighborhood Development. The project is located 0.75 miles west of the C.R. 83 and CR 30-A intersection on Gulfview Circle. Property is immediately on the north side of Gulfview Circle and is identified by parcel number(s) 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1260,01-3S-20-34610-00F-1270, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1280, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1290, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1300, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1310, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1320, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1330, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1340, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1350, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1360, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1370, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1380, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1390, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1400, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1410, 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1420, and 01-3S-20-34610-00F-1430. 6. Sharruf Building - Project number 14-00100084 is being reviewed by Brian Underwood. This is a major development order application submitted by ECM, Inc., requesting the approval to construct a 3,800 square foot two-story commercial building on 1.157 acres with a future land use of Coastal Center. The project is located 0.25 miles east of the intersection of US 98 and Holiday Road and is identified by parcel number(s) 29-2S-21-42000-011-0012. 7. Lula Cone Peterson-SSA-14-005 - Project number 14-00600002 is being reviewed by Tim Brown. This is a small scale amendment application submitted by ECM, requesting to change the future land use designation of 2.516 acres from Conservation Residential 2:1 to Neighborhood Infill. The project is located on the south side of Louva Lane at the intersection with Deno Drive and is identified by parcel number(s) 02-3S-20-34160-000-0230. Adjourn
 

miznotebook

Beach Fanatic
Jul 8, 2009
962
603
Stone's throw from Inlet Bch
I would point out that the TDC (Tourist Development Council) is not hired or elected, They are volunteers appointed by the county commission. They have not voted on this access, nor has the concept for it been presented to them at this time that I am aware of.
 

Zebraspots

Beach Fanatic
May 15, 2008
840
247
Santa Rosa Beach
No, but the Commissioners are elected and they are the ones who will be approving the decision.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
The TDC director was hired and the last one was [STRIKE]fired[/STRIKE] abruptly resigned when she kept pushing to use state lands for a new office.
 

Andy A

Beach Fanatic
Feb 28, 2007
4,389
1,738
Blue Mountain Beach
Local, I don't believe in throwing the baby out with the bath water. Jim Bagby is a great director for the TDC and while I would rather see no TDC at all, as long as we have one, we need a director with some "smarts". We have that now. I understand the angst among the environmentalists regarding the beach access at Topsail. But in all fairness, where is the suggested access in place of it? As usual in Walton County, many are placing the cart before the horse.
 
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Zebraspots

Beach Fanatic
May 15, 2008
840
247
Santa Rosa Beach
Aside from the fact that the current beach access at Topsail is one of the few beach accesses that is under capacity on a regular basis, the proposed access goes through sensitive preservation area, provides no amenities like restrooms or parking, will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build (estimates range up to $700,000) and is at least a 3/4 mile walk.

So far the only argument for the boondoggle is that Cypress Dunes wants it to improve their property values.

Really don't understand why they keep pushing forward with this, it is a horrible location.
 

Zebraspots

Beach Fanatic
May 15, 2008
840
247
Santa Rosa Beach
Reposting a summary of the issue posted on Facebook by a Beachview Heights resident:

An open letter from the current residents of Beachview Heights to the Commissioners and public.

We would just like to re-cap the history of this whole thing to make sure that you, the Commissioners, have a clear understanding of what you are voting on … and possibly ask some questions along the way. Ms Meadows, Mr. Bagby please correct if we are wrong on any of this as none of us in Beachview have been involved in the development of this in any way, and as such have no first hand knowledge as to exactly what has transpired between Meadows, Bagby, Cypress Dunes and the parks dep over the past year. Although Beachview Heights is going to be the host community for this new access, the fact is we have not been involved in any of the meetings with the parks people …Unlike the residents of Cypress Dunes (CD) and others.

First lets all understand that BV and CD are not beachfront properties… they are located ½ mile north of the beach as the crow flies and have never had any kind of beach access. Those were the terms that everyone who bought lots in Beachview and CD understood and agreed to when they bought their lots.
Also lets understand that unlike the other beach access in Walton county, the county does not own the land that this walkway will be built on .. hence this idea to use state preserve land to access the beach instead of actual county owned land. The county has never had a beach access in BV. The other beach accesses in Walton county are built on land that the county owns and has owned for a long time.
Now to the history… as we understand
About a year ago Cypress Dunes took a survey of their homeowners and their guest and found that the most requested thing CD vacation renters asked for was a beach access for CD. … so in an effort to satisfy their renters and homeowners CD asked the parks dep if they could get permission to follow a foot path originating at their pool area and walk across the ½ mile of Topsail Hill Preserve dunes system south of CD to access the beach.
The State says they would talk about it with them but it would have to be an elevated board walk and CD would have to take down their gate and open their neighborhood to the public as the parks dep could not grant an access to a gated community that the public could not use. .. …so CD thinks about it and decides to tell the parks dep they can not, or will not take down the gate and open their neighborhood to the public.
This brings us, the residents of BV, to our first question.
If CD homeowners feel it is this important to have a beach access, why did they decide not to oblige the parks dep and open their neighborhood to the public in order to obtain the access they wanted? We understand it’s a gated subdivision but why couldn’t the homeowners change that if they all thought it was in their best interest and good for their property values as they have stated.
We can only assume that the residents of CD didn’t want the commotion, traffic and parking issues that plague other public beach access in the area.
But for whatever reason CD passed on removing the gate and petitioned the state for another option,
Again, as we understand, the parks people said the next option would be to put the beach access next door in Beachview Heights. …At this point someone (medows, bagby, CD people?) must have said “that’s a great idea!!” … so a go ahead was given, and the state executed a farley extensive study on cost ,endangered species habitat invasion, construction details. .ect… all taxpayers money spent on evaluating the BV location with absolutely no input from any BV residents…
this leads us to our next question…
why, at that time 4-2-14 weren’t the residents of Beachview Heights brought into the discussion? This is at the crux of our irritation…
Indeed the total input from BV residents on this whole thing has been a grand total of 3 min each at the one and only “workshop” held by the County… By the way the count was 17 people for and 47 against.
One can only surmise that residents of BV were intentionally left out of the discussion because bagby and meadows knew there would be opposision from the BV residents.
So we have a county commissioner and the head of the TDC pushing through an agenda to satisfy the wants of a small group of people, namely the CD homeowners who started this whole thing to begin with.
To walk from Flamingo Village, the largest of the neighborhoods that this thing is supposed to serve, to the beach via this access will be over a mile. It will take at least an hour or more for a tourist carrying a cooler (remember there is no water to drink or bathrooms) and dragging he wife and two kids along with their umbrella and beach chairs to get to the beach via this access.… the fact is that no one is going to make this kind of walk.
That same family could instead just load everything in their car and drive ¼ mile from Flamingo, or CD or BV to the already established entrance at Topsail. They could park in the 120+ car parking lot. From there they could let the kids play on the swings and teeter-totter at the already built playground, they could use bathrooms and get a drink of water… then they could get on the tram and ride to the beach access already built. When they get to the beach walkover they could use the bathrooms, get a drink of water at the fountain, have lunch at a picnic table… and go to the beach.
Cypress Dunes, you had a pipe dream… its over… BV doesn’t want it … naturalist from here to Oklahoma City don’t want it …a clear majority of local residents at the one and only workshop don’t want it… Commissioners, move to drop this whole idea and tell Bagby to get to work on keeping the trash at the beach assesses that we already have picked up.
 
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Patriot Games

Beach Lover
Aug 28, 2014
230
208
Also of key note on the agenda is under Sara Commander, She is nominating Robert Nelson from Defuniak to be on the TDC.

1. According to his bio on the supervisor of elections office he has no college degree.
2. He is not a bed tax collector.
3. He is not even a resident of Sara's district, he is a close personal friend.
4. He was defeated soundly in every office he has run for. He came in fourth in the 2012 commissioners race because of his views and lack of education.
5. I've never seen him at a TDC meeting, which I attend regularly.
6. This is nothing but a political favor.

I asked someone who knows him well enough to have visited his house, and I was informed he hung super hero action figures from his ceiling as decorations. If you were picking a board to advise you on what to do with millions of dollars of yearly income of your own money, would you really pick or nominate him? We have over 30 million dollars of TDC money in the bank. This appointment is a political favor and can't possibly be in the TDC's best interest given the performance of past TDC's in both Walton county and surrounding counties. You can't put underqualified people on boards with this kind of responsibilites, if you want professional results, put educated professionals on your boards and this will happen.

Also the last item under quasijudicial items is another person trying to change the Future Land Use Map from 2-1 conservational residential (low density housing of two houses per acre) to Neighborhood Infil.(Much higher density and other uses permitted.) The BCC continues to grant variances from the Land Development code and other adopted plans to the point there mine as well be no rules. Notice this one is the last item on the agenda and will get approved at 9 o'clock at night when everybody has left and the BCC isn't paying attention because they have been in the chair since 2 o'clock and just want to go home, not discuss the issues.

7. Lula Cone Peterson-SSA-14-005 - Project number 14-00600002 is being reviewed by Tim Brown. This is a small scale amendment application submitted by ECM, requesting to change the future land use designation of 2.516 acres from Conservation Residential 2:1 to Neighborhood Infill. The project is located on the south side of Louva Lane at the intersection with Deno Drive and is identified by parcel number(s) 02-3S-20-34160-000-0230.

I hate to be negative on my first post, but as a long time lurker of SOWAL I am fed up with what I see going on in local government. It's time to get some public participation at these meetings so we can get the commissioners to stop making stupid mistakes. They seem to need public guidance to move in the right direction and we've got to give it to them. I think we have to straighten out our local government before we start figuring out how to get State government, the Senate,Congress and President to give us better representation and move this country forward in a positive direction.

I pledge to start getting up to the podium and saying something about all the stuff that keeps occuring over and over again at these meetings and I also plan to get at least one neighbor to come with me. What will you pledge to make Walton County a better place? Every little bit helps.

What motivated me to write this was learning that one of the most vocal leaders of the "NO" vote on the school referendum, had his daughter register to run for superintendant less than two weeks after the vote. I don't believe it had anything to do with giving our kids a better education, it was simply county politics directly affecting the children of this county. Thanks to the poster of that thread, I verified it with the supervisor of elections office and wanted to throw up.
 
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