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Patriot Games

Beach Lover
Aug 28, 2014
230
208
This letter is on facebook and sent to the BCC's of Walton and Okaloosa

Commissioners,

I am a citizen of Walton County but want to make you aware of a Walton County action that will affect Okaloosa County forever. Walton County is about to give the go ahead to a large expansion approval to the approx 2000 acres of Sandestin. This development order is a DRI and two of the regional impacts that affect Okaloosa County are Stormwater and Traffic. Walton county is about to turn a blind eye to it's duty to either enforce the requirements of the DRI or request the state issue a "notice of violation" (NOV) and suspend the development order. Please read the below conclusion that was paid for by Walton County in compliance with a special masters hearing.

This report was issued by Dr. Henry Harper and the full report is attached for your reference. It evaluated the two largest neighborhoods in Sandestin and found them to be about 80% non compliant with retention and dumping runoff directly into the bay without treatment. It also confirmed the state DCA and DEO's position that indeed the development order required retention.


Conclusions
Based upon the review of available documentation, there appears to be overwhelming evidence that the storm water standard for the Sandestin DRI is intended to be a “retention” standard. This conclusion is supported by documentation provided by the applicant as well as DCA which has reaffirmed their position on the issue on multiple occasions. In contrast, other than the interchangeability of the words “retention” and “detention” during the 1970s, and allegations by the County that a pond designed with a wet permanent pool volume must be detention by definition, there is little evidence to support a detention rather than retention interpretation of the standard. The Engineer agrees that the 3-year, 24-hour retention standard is an extraordinarily high standard, particularly for the period in time, but the 3-year, 24-hour retention standard is consistent with the stated objectives by the applicant of maintaining water quality within Choctawhatchee Bay. Therefore, the Engineer concludes that the Sandestin DRI storm water standard is a retention standard which is equivalent to approximately 5.1 inches over the contributing drainage basin area for Interior portions of Driftwood Estates and 4.8 inches over the contributing drainage basin area for Exterior areas.

Attached for your proof are the following documents

1. Dr. Harpers full report

2. Readings from the Bay showing the mid part of the bay is impaired from nitrogen levels of medium. (The headwaters of the bay tested normal)

3. An aerial photo of the two of the Sandestin neighborhoods evaluated by Dr. Harper. Please note in the waters on the west side as compared to the east side. The black algae and growth is present on the side where Sandestin discharges its runoff. The main river and Alaqua and the bunker area flow the runoff towards Okaloosa naturally, hence the pollution cant make its way east. See in the photographs. Prior to all this expansion in Sandestin, photo archives show this effect has occurred over the last 15 years or so since the resort abruptly stopped its annual reporting.

4. A email chain and Plan between Walton County engineer and the developers engineer that shows systems only designed to retain 1 inch. Those neighborhood calculations would require 4.8 and 5.1 inches of retention to meet the DRI standards.

5. A storm water presentation on whats required.

6. The final document is an off color guest column I have submitted but unfortunately it's true.

I'll leave you with this, two of the BCC commissioners voted the development order was out of compliance including the one whos' district it lies in.The three that voted yes were all heavily supported by the developers and their legal teams and experts. There are currently ethics complaints pending on the BCC chair over this issue. I successfully sued the county over it and they paid 1.3 million to walk. I cannot make them comply, but politics and money aside, we all have a duty to protect all the waters of the emerald coast for the future of the next generations. I live on the water where you see the growth in the photo, my fish have left for cleaner waters. Don't let it get to you because it will be too late.
Walton County has no documentation other than their and the developers engineers statements that the water runoff standards are compliant. As Dr. Harper says, the development order says different and the engineer for Walton county formally worked for the previous developer......

Demand Walton County produce a comprehensive traffic report of the affects of Sandestin on US 98 and it's traffic saturation levels and the water quality compliance proof. They will give the go ahead with out these requirements in a BCC special meeting on Nov 7, at 1 PM. I would request you send Greg Stewart as your representative. (He is Familiar with the issue) and object until compliance is completely obtained. If they refuse you may request the DEO issue a NOTICE OF VIOLATION and suspend the development order until it is compliant. Future generations who love the water (and being able to drive) will thank you! You cant fix this after they build it......

For the Good of Order

Respectfully,
Alan Osborne
 

Attachments

  • DEP calcs.pdf
    978.3 KB · Views: 52
  • Driftwood Estates zoomed.jpg
    Driftwood Estates zoomed.jpg
    618.7 KB · Views: 71
  • Harper Report 1 - Driftwood Estates Technical Memo-Rev Nov 30, 2015 - D.pdf
    303.8 KB · Views: 73

Kaydence

Beach Fanatic
Jan 19, 2017
1,415
1,124
Florida
This BCC cares nothing about improving anything in Walton County if it doesn't benefit them or their cronies!
 
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