Here's a brief summary of events to date for those "just joining in":
1. 10/18/2004: Redfish Village purchased bathroom lot #1, east of the 83 access, for $2,600,000.
2. 2/14/2005: Almost 4 months later, they purchased the main property on 30A, for $21,587,500.
3. 8/31/2006: Redfish Village purchased bathroom lot #2, west of the 83 beach access, for $5,045,000.
RFV ran into stiff opposition from the neighbors, including BMBCA, regarding building bathrooms and walkover on bathroom lot #1. In an effort to appease the neighbors, RFV then proposed to only build bathrooms on the lot. The county still would not grant them a permit.
There are 4 public access in close proximity to bathroom lot #1 including the 83 public access. The 83 public access is scheduled to have bathrooms built in about a year, according to TDC. Access (or no lack of) to the beach is therefore not an issue for RFV.
At the public community meeting this past November, RFV (Brad Zeitlen) denied that they were turned down for approval on bathroom lot #1. When asked why RFV decided to spend over 5 million dollars for bathroom lot #2 if they were supposedly not turned down for lot #1, their attorney said, "Zoning."
RFV initially tried to slide the project through as a minor development order. This type of classification would then NOT involve the public or the county commissioners....only the planning commission.
But bathroom lot #2 is zoned "infill". The Walton County land use code clearly states that
1. any development on an infill zoned property, must be handled as a major development order which requires public notification and input as well as a vote from the County Commissioners (scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 23rd in Defuniak Springs).
2. that any development be COMPATIBLE with the existing neighborhood.
RFV pulled the (minor development order) agenda from a previous county commissioners' meeting because they knew they would be forced to follow the rules regarding infill zoning (public process). So now they are addressing item 1 above.
Item 2 is the one that is the main issue AND that has been completely ignored by the Walton County Planning Commission based on their approval, against their own rules. Allowing access for over 300 people (80 remotely located condos that are part of a commercial development) on a single residential lot is simply not compatible.
To me (and many others including the attorney for the neghborhood), it's very clear that per item 2, the County Commissioners should not approve this project because there is no compatibility, plain and simple. This is the core issue. Everything else is what it is ;-) .