www.mypanhandle.com/news/changes-to-walton-county-land-development-code/763307046
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. - Over in South Walton, the Board of County Commissioners held their bi-monthly meeting. On the agenda was a hot topic: Walton County Land Development Code. Planning director, Mac Carpenter requested for authorization to amend the Major and Minor Development application threshold in Chapter 11.
"After many, many public hearings and much much public input over the last 20 years, these are the things that make Walton County special and unique and allow us to charge higher prices than our sisters counties," said Mac Carpenter, Walton County Planning Director.
The request included streamlining the development review process, to make it more consistent with other local governments in our area but, many community members were not pleased with the idea for change.
"From a neighborhood association, from a property owner, individual perspective, the process right now is daunting enough to keep track of what goes on in our community," said Rich Jaffe, Vice President of Historic Inlet Beach HOA.
"People are getting really tired of knowing that the developers and the people that pay other people to have their development projects approved quick and early are getting really fed up with it," said Suzanne Harris, Walton County resident.
Carpenter said it would reduce the time required to obtain most development orders in Walton County, thus saving developers money.
"We've had several projects continue at recent meetings. Well, when a project that has a $10,000 a day carrying cost, being continued 30 days, that's a significant impact financially for developers," explained Carpenter.
The public asked the Board and Planning Director to consider public hearings to further discuss changing the thresholds.
The board voted to approve the change in a three to one vote. Walton County Planning Director said they will hold future public hearings to at least consider changing the thresholds.
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. - Over in South Walton, the Board of County Commissioners held their bi-monthly meeting. On the agenda was a hot topic: Walton County Land Development Code. Planning director, Mac Carpenter requested for authorization to amend the Major and Minor Development application threshold in Chapter 11.
"After many, many public hearings and much much public input over the last 20 years, these are the things that make Walton County special and unique and allow us to charge higher prices than our sisters counties," said Mac Carpenter, Walton County Planning Director.
The request included streamlining the development review process, to make it more consistent with other local governments in our area but, many community members were not pleased with the idea for change.
"From a neighborhood association, from a property owner, individual perspective, the process right now is daunting enough to keep track of what goes on in our community," said Rich Jaffe, Vice President of Historic Inlet Beach HOA.
"People are getting really tired of knowing that the developers and the people that pay other people to have their development projects approved quick and early are getting really fed up with it," said Suzanne Harris, Walton County resident.
Carpenter said it would reduce the time required to obtain most development orders in Walton County, thus saving developers money.
"We've had several projects continue at recent meetings. Well, when a project that has a $10,000 a day carrying cost, being continued 30 days, that's a significant impact financially for developers," explained Carpenter.
The public asked the Board and Planning Director to consider public hearings to further discuss changing the thresholds.
The board voted to approve the change in a three to one vote. Walton County Planning Director said they will hold future public hearings to at least consider changing the thresholds.
