Auditor General To Audit Walton Planning Department

[Bob Hudson]

The goal of a operational audit is to determine whether the internal controls of the business, such as policies and procedures, are sufficient to produce an optimum level of efficiency and effectiveness.

A forensic audit is an examination and evaluation of a firm's or individual's financial information for use as evidence in court. A forensic audit is normally conducted in order to prosecute a party for fraud, embezzlement or other financial claims.

 

[Misty]

If the operational audit will look into the times Walton County has let a developer do a project under the "Minor" requirements instead of "Major" as defined by the land development code, they will get a shock. Every project in Sandestin has been brought forth as Minor for the last 20 years even though they are defined as major by the code. Same thing for Seaside, and Topsail as well as Hammock Bay. These unwritten policy's have costs the county a fortune in lost fee's and millions in defending lawsuits. The Sandestin HOA owes the county almost 300k in legal fee's by written agreement, but the BCC won't collect even though Davis pointed this out to them in a BCC meeting. It's politics for developers while the average citizen will pay ALL the fees required to obtain permits.

 

[Misty]

Bob, are the audits only for the Planning dept? If so, I think they will miss a ton of problems elsewhere.

 

[Bob Hudson]

That's what the Legislature approved. People are working to expand.

 

[Matt J]

If the operational audit will look into the times Walton County has let a developer do a project under the "Minor" requirements instead of "Major" as defined by the land development code, they will get a shock. Every project in Sandestin has been brought forth as Minor for the last 20 years even though they are defined as major by the code. Same thing for Seaside, and Topsail as well as Hammock Bay. These unwritten policy's have costs the county a fortune in lost fee's and millions in defending lawsuits. The Sandestin HOA owes the county almost 300k in legal fee's by written agreement, but the BCC won't collect even though Davis pointed this out to them in a BCC meeting. It's politics for developers while the average citizen will pay ALL the fees required to obtain permits.

Misty I believe all of the developments you listed fall under DRI or PUD and generally development within them is already "approved" by the DRI or PUD, in Sandestin's case it seems that the violations were over development. In other words Sandestin was originally approved for a 4,000 sq/ft home and built a 5,000 sq/ft home, they slowly added on to it and no one noticed the porch turning into a patio and then a roof on the patio and then screening and then "storm windows" and ultimately being closed in. It's just a different scale.