Headlines ... not from Jay Leno, but from BR

This month the Atlanta City Council's Zoning Committee voted in favor of an ordinance that would ban the building of big houses on small lots. Hummmm ... let's see ... isn't that what a developer is proposing in the 30-A corridor? Six three-story, beachfront, over-3000-square-foot, single-family homes called "condos" on .88 acre (technically 1.27 if you count the beach -- LOL -- as if that were buildable) that will tower at a height of 45.5 feet over the neighborhood that by covenants has a maximum building height of 37 feet. BTW this comes for a vote at the BCC meeting in DeFuniak on Tuesday. I think that the City of Atlanta is on the right page on this issue. Hopefully, so will the Walton County BCC. I have faith that the five members of the BCC will have the integrity and wisdom regarding the future of South Walton County to vote no.

I admire the way you keep such a sharp eye out on what's happening in our neighborhood. It's good news that Atlanta's finally using comon sense and I'm with you in hoping that the Walton County BCC members will also vote in a similar fashion!

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This month the Atlanta City Council's Zoning Committee voted in favor of an ordinance that would ban the building of big houses on small lots. Hummmm ... let's see ... isn't that what a developer is proposing in the 30-A corridor? Six three-story, beachfront, over-3000-square-foot, single-family homes called "condos" on .88 acre (technically 1.27 if you count the beach -- LOL -- as if that were buildable) that will tower at a height of 45.5 feet over the neighborhood that by covenants has a maximum building height of 37 feet. BTW this comes for a vote at the BCC meeting in DeFuniak on Tuesday. I think that the City of Atlanta is on the right page on this issue. Hopefully, so will the Walton County BCC. I have faith that the five members of the BCC will have the integrity and wisdom regarding the future of South Walton County to vote no.

When I was in college at Belmont, my advisor seemed to go to Destin every weekend. Her family had a home there. That was probably when I first began to feel so fond of the area.

When I spoke to Ginger in April, I asked her if she had been to Destin recently. She said, "No, we sold the place after mother died. The last time I was there was for my nephew's wedding, and we stayed at Sandestin. I'll never go back. The traffic was horrible, and when I looked out at the beach from the balcony it was like looking down at an anthill. You could barely see the sand."

I told her that she should go east and stay in Seaside or Rosemary. I told her how much I love the area (and this was before I was on SoWal.com!) and how the density is more controlled with no massive people-storing monsters blocking the view of the beach and spilling forth hordes of people every morning.

But I suppose that people like this developer are going to make it even harder to find a quiet piece of paradise, hmmm?

I have seen Destin turn from a fishing village to what it is now. I hope that all of you are successful in fighting that trend in your area.

This month the Atlanta City Council's Zoning Committee voted in favor of an ordinance that would ban the building of big houses on small lots. Hummmm ... let's see ... isn't that what a developer is proposing in the 30-A corridor? Six three-story, beachfront, over-3000-square-foot, single-family homes called "condos" on .88 acre (technically 1.27 if you count the beach -- LOL -- as if that were buildable) that will tower at a height of 45.5 feet over the neighborhood that by covenants has a maximum building height of 37 feet. BTW this comes for a vote at the BCC meeting in DeFuniak on Tuesday. I think that the City of Atlanta is on the right page on this issue. Hopefully, so will the Walton County BCC. I have faith that the five members of the BCC will have the integrity and wisdom regarding the future of South Walton County to vote no.

I am happy that you both have taken the time to fight for this---your integrity is real. We are behind you 100%!

Fight the power

If this is allowed, where will it stop?? Every time I visit SoWal, from Destin to Inlet Beach, there's more development. I often think how wonderful it would have been back in the day, when it was more "primitive". I know development is inevitable, but wouldn't this project, crammed into such a small space, kinda defeat the image that SoWal is trying to project?......JMHO.

we can't believe all the changes in just the 5 or 6 years we have been coming to sowal, when will it end ? this just does not seem like a good idea in the least. just another way to beat the system...

Perhaps somebody could provide a links to contact commitee members and a time/place where the meeting will be held?

Hate to burst your bubble ..but I have seen 30A go from nothing over 3 stories to what it is today. Did the residents oppose this? Were they vocal about it? An emphatic YES to both. Did it matter? Not much. Apparently the wording in the codes are like Baby Swiss, and the big $$ will find and exploit every possible loophole. Out of town developers will come in with their expensive lawyers and "good-ol-boy" Walton Co. will bow at their feet when they see those $$ and cant figure out the "mitigation" language, but think they are getting a heck of a deal.

Perhaps somebody could provide a links to contact commitee members and a time/place where the meeting will be held?

Might this be what we want?

http://www.co.walton.fl.us/default.asp?ID=2

Pat Blackshear, Planning and Development Services Director
31 Coastal Center Blvd, Ste 130
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Telephone: (850) 267-1955
Fax: (850) 622-9133
blapat@co.walton.fl.us

District 1:
Scott Brannon
19367 U.S. Hwy 331 S
Freeport, FL 32439
Tel: (850) 835-4860
Fax: (850) 835-4836
E-mail: brascott@co.walton.fl.us

District 2:
Kenneth Pridgen
17400 State Highway 83 North
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433
Phone: (850) 834-6328
Fax: (850) 834-6385
Email: prikenneth@co.walton.fl.us

District 3:
Larry Jones
1483 County Highway 1087
DeFuniak Springs, FL. 32435
Phone: (850) 892-8474
Fax: (850)892-8475
e-mail: jonlarry@co.walton.fl.us

District 4:
Sara Comander
(850) 835-4834.
417 Highway 20 East
Freeport
Email: comsara@co.walton.fl.us

District 5:
Cindy Meadows
90 Spires Lane, Unit 7-A
Santa Rosa Beach, FL. 32459
Phone: (850) 622-3059
Fax: (850) 622-3067
e-mail: meacindy@co.walton.fl.us

I can't believe they would let him get away with the height thing. Considering how H.O's and Developers all try to claim some sliver of the gulf and call it a gulf view.

I can't believe they would let him get away with the height thing

He could probably get away with it by having 16' ceilings on every floor plus a tower/cupola, plus any other "not-livable" (but still usable) space not to mention parking underneath (still "not-livable" but still adds another 16' to the height off the building) because they definitely dont have room for parking anywhere else on .88 of an acre. Having worked in the construction industry I have seen alot of "creative ways" that developers,architects etc. use the code for their benefit. I mean think about it.... 20' for under-parking area, 20' ceilings on each floor,15' tower/cupola and dont forget to add the extra 3-5' between each floor for trusses etc and you have something that will tower 45' over any existing "3 story" home.

technically 1.27 if you count the beach -- LOL -- as if that were buildable

But it is still figured into the "lot size".....

over the neighborhood that by covenants has a maximum building height of 37 feet

But is this lot part of the platted subdivision? I have seen people go back to ANCIENT maps and claim they are not part of that subdivision etc, just to get away with this kind of thing.