For Beach Parking and Public Access--By Dotty Nist
Walton County will have parking for hundreds more beachgoer vehicles and hundreds more feet of beach access property, funded through the bed tax, if efforts now being pursued by the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and the county come to fruition.
Executive Director Jay Tusa provided a number of updates to county commissioners on Aug. 9, with topics including potential parcels for beach parking and access and options for use of the parcels.
This was at the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) regular meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
Two locations were discussed where property is available for purchase that could be utilized for beachgoer parking.
Tusa commented that there would be many opportunities for public/private partnerships in developing the parcels, giving the example of Lee Park in Okaloosa County.
As had been requested, Tusa displayed examples of parking garages in other areas such as Naples and St. Augustine, Fla. where there had been a focus on aesthetics, unobtrusiveness, in short a different appearance from that of the typical parking garage. The garages can be built to look like beach cottages, for example, or anything else, he explained.
If constructed in south Walton County, parking garages would be subject to the 50-foot height limit applying to the area.
The cost for construction of a parking garage would be approximately $19,000 per space, Tusa reported. For retail space constructed as part of parking garage projects, a $4.48 per square foot rental charge or more would be possible, he added.
Tusa discussed the need for a shuttle in connection with at least one of the parcels. A bike sharing program would also be possible, he commented.
Tusa suggested holding workshops to “incorporate the human element” and find out what people would like to see in the way of parking garages.
The “Grayton Grand” parcel
Turning to the two parcels that are available for purchase, Tusa said the one on CR-283 in Grayton Beach is seven-tenths of a mile from the beach and would require a shuttle ride of two to three minutes. This is known as the “Grayton Grand” parcel due to its having been approved for a project by that name in 2003.
Grayton Grand was approved for a 75-room hotel, 78 condominium units, 1,000 square feet of retail space, a 3,600-square-foot exhibition area, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, and a 160-seat conference facility, all on the 7.35-acre site. The approved construction height is 50 feet.
The structures were never constructed, but there are currently 188 spaces of parking on the site with curbing and limestone base, according to details of a proposed purchase agreement drafted by the property owner that was presented at the BCC meeting. Also in place, according to the document, is a 1,000-foot elevated boardwalk traversing natural areas on the site.
The proposed agreement also states that the project is approved for a total of 309 surface parking spaces, or an additional 121 spaces over those now in place.
The parking area was utilized at one time by Seaside for employee parking.
Tusa observed that, if the property were acquired by the county, while a three-to-five-year plan would likely be required to construct a parking garage, he had discussed the question, “What can we do for the next season,” with Walton County Public Works Engineering.
Tusa estimated that the county could construct the additional approved surface parking for approximately $92,200 through the use of county staff. The cost would be approximately $147,500 if the work were contracted out, he said.
Future uses might include an events plaza and restaurant, Tusa noted.
Appraisals obtained for the property were $7.785 million and $7.5 million. The price negotiated with property owner Jay Odom was $7.632 million.
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Walton County will have parking for hundreds more beachgoer vehicles and hundreds more feet of beach access property, funded through the bed tax, if efforts now being pursued by the Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and the county come to fruition.
Executive Director Jay Tusa provided a number of updates to county commissioners on Aug. 9, with topics including potential parcels for beach parking and access and options for use of the parcels.
This was at the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) regular meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
Two locations were discussed where property is available for purchase that could be utilized for beachgoer parking.
Tusa commented that there would be many opportunities for public/private partnerships in developing the parcels, giving the example of Lee Park in Okaloosa County.
As had been requested, Tusa displayed examples of parking garages in other areas such as Naples and St. Augustine, Fla. where there had been a focus on aesthetics, unobtrusiveness, in short a different appearance from that of the typical parking garage. The garages can be built to look like beach cottages, for example, or anything else, he explained.
If constructed in south Walton County, parking garages would be subject to the 50-foot height limit applying to the area.
The cost for construction of a parking garage would be approximately $19,000 per space, Tusa reported. For retail space constructed as part of parking garage projects, a $4.48 per square foot rental charge or more would be possible, he added.
Tusa discussed the need for a shuttle in connection with at least one of the parcels. A bike sharing program would also be possible, he commented.
Tusa suggested holding workshops to “incorporate the human element” and find out what people would like to see in the way of parking garages.
The “Grayton Grand” parcel
Turning to the two parcels that are available for purchase, Tusa said the one on CR-283 in Grayton Beach is seven-tenths of a mile from the beach and would require a shuttle ride of two to three minutes. This is known as the “Grayton Grand” parcel due to its having been approved for a project by that name in 2003.
Grayton Grand was approved for a 75-room hotel, 78 condominium units, 1,000 square feet of retail space, a 3,600-square-foot exhibition area, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, and a 160-seat conference facility, all on the 7.35-acre site. The approved construction height is 50 feet.
The structures were never constructed, but there are currently 188 spaces of parking on the site with curbing and limestone base, according to details of a proposed purchase agreement drafted by the property owner that was presented at the BCC meeting. Also in place, according to the document, is a 1,000-foot elevated boardwalk traversing natural areas on the site.
The proposed agreement also states that the project is approved for a total of 309 surface parking spaces, or an additional 121 spaces over those now in place.
The parking area was utilized at one time by Seaside for employee parking.
Tusa observed that, if the property were acquired by the county, while a three-to-five-year plan would likely be required to construct a parking garage, he had discussed the question, “What can we do for the next season,” with Walton County Public Works Engineering.
Tusa estimated that the county could construct the additional approved surface parking for approximately $92,200 through the use of county staff. The cost would be approximately $147,500 if the work were contracted out, he said.
Future uses might include an events plaza and restaurant, Tusa noted.
Appraisals obtained for the property were $7.785 million and $7.5 million. The price negotiated with property owner Jay Odom was $7.632 million.
Story Continued here...
defuniakherald.com/officials-acquire-parcels-public-beach-parking-beach-access/
