SoWal Incorporation

[Bdarg]

Let me say this as simply and succinctly as I can. I have never seen an individual or group make a concerted effort to establish viable zoning and development criteria with Walton County since I have lived here. If incorporation is to take place, let it be in the gripeing East end from Rosemary Beach to Grayton Beach. Leave us out of it!

Andy,
With all due respect, you must have missed the very concerted effort about 3 or 4 years ago by a highly qualified, in fact very prestigious, group of local architects, planning professionals and others who developed a plan and gave a number of presentations to the public and to government officials, BCC, etc. It was rejected by the county without much consideration. Keep in mind that our community is very fortunate to have globally recognized experts in such matters that live here in our small community. Then, of course, the SWCC has been making a near constant effort for the better part of 20 years. The number of train wrecks the the SWCC has prevented are innumerable.

Right now there is effort to fund and complete a feasibility study of incorporation. This is the required first step in exploring the effects and determining interest, range of areas to possibly include, and level of service. There is interest from the east county line to the west county line and in every community between those two lines. I don't know how to leave out the "us" that you refer to, especially in light of the range of "include me" requests that have been received.

It is too early to make assumptions about potential city limits, services, taxes, etc. The current effort is a feasibility study, which is the formal step, and method, to educate ourselves about incorporation. Only with a feasibility study in hand we can go beyond our fears of what incorporation might mean and come to understand what it would mean. It would be nice to methodically work through the possible options. You have named two that you had not realized had been explored many times, for many years, at great expense and with great effort.

A feasibility study is an independent assessment of an area that provides information in an accurate and methodical manner. What is the harm is there in funding a feasibility study to see if just maybe incorporation can provide any potential options to improve our community? Why the rush to a wholesale dismissal of the one tool that can give us real answers about incorporation? If you are right in your guess, then it should support your guess.

 

[JoeWormwood]

I would rather live next to hog farm than live next to Bdrag.

 

[poppy]

I would rather live next to hog farm than live next to Bdrag.

I would rather live in a hog farm than in an incorporated south Walton County.

 

[bentley williams]

I would rather live next to hog farm than live next to Bdrag.

:nono1: that's nasty.

 

[Andy A]

I fully understand a feasibility study. If it is fair, unbiased toward one decision or the other, it would be fine. I fear it will be very slanted toward incorporation and will not address both sides of the issue. We in BMB are not the same as Seaside and those areas East of us. I have said it before and will continue to say it. I, and many others, are quite content with the way things are now. We do not need nor desire wholesale "incorporation". I might also add that the former attempt failed, not only because the BCC didn't want it but the fact that local South Walton residents didn't want it either. One thing more. I keep pretty well abreast of what transpires in Walton County governance. I am not uninformed in the pros and cons of attempting to incorporate. We may have "globally recognized experts" in this matter in our small community but let me assure you we also have some educated in such affairs here in America present as well. Once again, in closing, I see no upside to my area being part of incorporation. I feel sure a referendum on the subject would bear this out. After all, it is only one educated, informed man's opinion and I have been wrong in my life before.

 

[miznotebook]

I fully understand a feasibility study. If it is fair, unbiased toward one decision or the other, it would be fine. I fear it will be very slanted toward incorporation and will not address both sides of the issue. We in BMB are not the same as Seaside and those areas East of us. I have said it before and will continue to say it. I, and many others, are quite content with the way things are now. We do not need nor desire wholesale "incorporation". I might also add that the former attempt failed, not only because the BCC didn't want it but the fact that local South Walton residents didn't want it either. One thing more. I keep pretty well abreast of what transpires in Walton County governance. I am not uninformed in the pros and cons of attempting to incorporate. We may have "globally recognized experts" in this matter in our small community but let me assure you we also have some educated in such affairs here in America present as well. Once again, in closing, I see no upside to my area being part of incorporation. I feel sure a referendum on the subject would bear this out. After all, it is only one educated, informed man's opinion and I have been wrong in my life before.

Are you sure about the reasons for the failure of the previous attempt? I never knew the reason but recently heard a different story. Have there ever been indications that the BCC opposed or would oppose incorporation? I know some residents did support incorporation the last time it was looked at.

 

[Andy A]

Are you sure about the reasons for the failure of the previous attempt? I never knew the reason but recently heard a different story. Have there ever been indications that the BCC opposed or would oppose incorporation? I know some residents did support incorporation the last time it was looked at.

No, miznotebook, I am not positive about the reasons for failure last time. I am only going on what I was told by what I consider a reliable source. I really wasn't involved in the effort last time one way or the other. That will not be so this time around.

 

[PJJ]

It would be nice if the county government would do the right thing. If would be nice if the districts were not gerrymandered. It would be nice if the commissioner that represents me, knew that my part of his district exists, let alone has problems. It would be nice if the commissioners visited the economic engine of the county during its peak season to see how their arbitrary rulings impact those who live, work and play here. It would be nice if our only chance at fair representation were not to have to go through the time, effort and expense of incorporation.

I cannot agree with this more. On the other hand, the growth of permanent/voting residents south of the bay has occurred, in terms of election cycles, in a blink of an eye. In almost every other area of the country, I'd be a relative newbie to the area. Here I'm an old timer. I've lived in Seagrove for about a dozen years and remember when the east or west Winn Dixie was the closest option for groceries (other than Modica, of course). I have a dog on both sides of the fight but appreciate those who, paraphrasing W.F. Buckley, stand athwart history yelling "stop". Everyone's a little bit NIMBY sometimes.

 

[seal]

After reading the above report in its entirety, I am even less convinced that this is necessarily the best answer to perceived problems. There is no doubt that the biggest problem for this area is land use and the zoning thereof. If it cannot be better addressed at the county level then incorportation might be the answer. Outside of the fact that land use control is almost non-existent in SoWal, there is little use, IMO, to incorporate. Our provided and necessary services provided, such as EMS and Fire, Waste Management and Mosquito Control among others, is outstanding and very responsive when called upon. If you think that by incorporating, you will do away with many of the problems you already have, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. There has not yet been enough done in an attempt to solve our problems with the BCC and countyadministration. This should be attempted first and then look to other solutions. Also, it is time for the North part of the county to accept the fact that the South part is a growing, viable enity that can greatly benefit the county as a whole if treated properly. Work with what you already have vigorously before attempting to reconstruct what you already have, IMO.

Agree 100% Andy. "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it" applies here. One of the appealing things of living in SoWal is NOT having a city government. Another layer of government on top of county could bring about more issues/problems. Focus on better land use and zoning adjustments that will better benefit SoWal.

 

[Bdarg]

Agree 100% Andy. "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it" applies here. One of the appealing things of living in SoWal is NOT having a city government. Another layer of government on top of county could bring about more issues/problems. Focus on better land use and zoning adjustments that will better benefit SoWal.

There has been an exhaustive focus by multiple groups for the past twenty years or more to get the county to adhere to the existing land development code and the existing comprehensive plan with no result ( there is no zoning in Walton County. In theory it is only guided by the the comp plan and LDC). Variances to those, the only planning documents, are handed out like bumper stickers at a political rally. No rhyme. No reason. No forethought. That is how the south county got traffic jams like those on30a that back up from cr 395 to eastern lake or beyond.

"City light", which is a city that only has only planning, zoning and code enforcement functions, is the only way that south Walton is going to get "better land use and zoning adjustments".

To borrow Pastor Niemöller's famous observation, "first their lack of long term planning destroyed the property values on the other side of the county, then their lack of long term planning destroyed the property values of those down the road, then their lack of long term planning destroyed the property values of my neighbor, and my neighbors' property values were mine too".