The Grayton Beach Community Center is located at 44 Hotz Avenue in Grayton Beach. The design has been completed and the application for the Development Order has been submitted. Once completed, the 1,600 +/- square foot building will house a local information station, restrooms, observation deck, a boardwalk to the beach, and access to our transit shuttle. Work is anticipated to begin this Winter.
Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Facility, is located at 44 Hotz Avenue in Grayton Beach and will include a 1,600 +/- square foot building that will house a local information station, restrooms, and an observation deck, a boardwalk to the beach, and access to our transit shuttle. An application for a development order has been submitted and is expected to be received by spring 2024.
Seagrove RBA, Plans and permitting are complete and the project has been advertised for bid, with a bid closing mid-February. Once the contract has been awarded, construction will take approximately 10 months. This project includes parking with dedicated spaces for standard vehicles, ADA, LSV, and bicycles, a 1,,000sf +/- restroom facility, handicap-accessible dune walkover, and connectivity to the multi-use path.
Walton Dunes Regional Beach Access is located at 258 Beachfront Trail. Currently under appeal with the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the Walton Dunes project is on hold until a final determination of the validity of the Development Order can be made. Improvements are expected to include 14 parallel ROW parking spaces with dedicated ADA, LSV, and bicycle parking, restrooms and an ADA-accessible boardwalk.
The Walton County Board of County Commissioners continues to take an active approach to improve parking and transportation throughout the county. Here's a look at some projects currently undergoing or preparing for improvements:
393 Municipal Parking Facility, This 2.3-acre parcel is located north of the Gulf Place Town Center on the west side of County Road 393. The contract has been awarded and construction is anticipated to begin in February. This project will add 83 parking spaces with dedicated parking for ADA, LSV, bicycles, and a 1,300-square-foot transit building with a restroom facility. Construction is expected to begin in February and will take approximately six months to complete.
The Cessna Landing Park Improvements project is located at 1689 County Highway 393 in Santa Rosa Beach and is out for bid, in February. Plans are to add two additional docks, replace the existing pavilions, and reconfigure existing driveways and parking areas. Additional work will include hardscape, landscape, site utilities, site grading/drainage, and stormwater systems. Construction is anticipated to begin in March and take approximately four months to complete.
Updates on Other Capital Improvement Projects:
More detail about Beach Operations Capital Improvements, including beach access, existing beach/bay renovation projects and other projects, is available HERE.
Beach Access & Customary Use Reminder:
While there have been changes for customary use of private beachfront property, much is still evolving. If guests have concerns, we hope the below information will be helpful.
Things to keep in mind:
Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Facility, is located at 44 Hotz Avenue in Grayton Beach and will include a 1,600 +/- square foot building that will house a local information station, restrooms, and an observation deck, a boardwalk to the beach, and access to our transit shuttle. An application for a development order has been submitted and is expected to be received by spring 2024.
Seagrove RBA, Plans and permitting are complete and the project has been advertised for bid, with a bid closing mid-February. Once the contract has been awarded, construction will take approximately 10 months. This project includes parking with dedicated spaces for standard vehicles, ADA, LSV, and bicycles, a 1,,000sf +/- restroom facility, handicap-accessible dune walkover, and connectivity to the multi-use path.
Walton Dunes Regional Beach Access is located at 258 Beachfront Trail. Currently under appeal with the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the Walton Dunes project is on hold until a final determination of the validity of the Development Order can be made. Improvements are expected to include 14 parallel ROW parking spaces with dedicated ADA, LSV, and bicycle parking, restrooms and an ADA-accessible boardwalk.
The Walton County Board of County Commissioners continues to take an active approach to improve parking and transportation throughout the county. Here's a look at some projects currently undergoing or preparing for improvements:
393 Municipal Parking Facility, This 2.3-acre parcel is located north of the Gulf Place Town Center on the west side of County Road 393. The contract has been awarded and construction is anticipated to begin in February. This project will add 83 parking spaces with dedicated parking for ADA, LSV, bicycles, and a 1,300-square-foot transit building with a restroom facility. Construction is expected to begin in February and will take approximately six months to complete.
The Cessna Landing Park Improvements project is located at 1689 County Highway 393 in Santa Rosa Beach and is out for bid, in February. Plans are to add two additional docks, replace the existing pavilions, and reconfigure existing driveways and parking areas. Additional work will include hardscape, landscape, site utilities, site grading/drainage, and stormwater systems. Construction is anticipated to begin in March and take approximately four months to complete.
Updates on Other Capital Improvement Projects:
- The Driftwood Road Municipal Parking project is on a 1.119-acre parcel located at 76 Driftwood Road in Miramar Beach. Design and permitting have been completed and on Dec. 20, 2023, the Technical Review Committee will review the development order application for approval to move forward. Plans include a parking lot containing 67 spaces with dedicated parking for ADA, LSV, bicycles, a public transit stop, and a restroom facility.
- Kellogg Park Project at 855 Nursery Road in Santa Rosa Beach, this proposed community/nature center will be a 1,800- square-foot assembly-style building for nature watching and community gatherings, with access to the kayak launch. Status: Design development with coastal cottage architecture is ongoing.
- Camp Creek Lake Canoe & Kayak Launch is located at 121 S. Camp Creek Road South just north of 30A. This coastal dune lake access park will include ADA and bicycle parking, landscape, an ADA-accessible pier with canoe/kayak launch, and stormwater systems. Plans have been submitted to the Technical Review Committee, with anticipation of receiving a Development Order by February.
- Headland Street Neighborhood Beach Access is located in the South Headland Avenue right-of-way and will provide improved pedestrian access with a new sidewalk, boardwalk, dune walkover, and connectivity to the multi-use path. Status: Design/permitting efforts continue. Construction is expected to begin in early Winter 2023.
- Miramar Beach Municipal Parking Project is a 4.5-acre parcel in Miramar Beach is to be used for a beach-related municipal parking project. Status: Task order for master planning has not been issued pending coordination with Public Works engineering efforts.
More detail about Beach Operations Capital Improvements, including beach access, existing beach/bay renovation projects and other projects, is available HERE.
Beach Access & Customary Use Reminder:
While there have been changes for customary use of private beachfront property, much is still evolving. If guests have concerns, we hope the below information will be helpful.
Things to keep in mind:
- Walton County Tourism currently maintains 58 public beach access points, including 10 Regional Public Beach Accesses complete with parking, restroom facilities, and lifeguards. South Walton also enjoys additional miles of public beach thanks to our State Parks. The customary use changes do not affect our public beaches, only privately-owned beachfront property.
- A user-friendly interactive map of public beach access points can be found HERE.
- Many beach neighborhoods and resorts already have dedicated beach areas available for guests staying with them.
- Customary use is a common-law term referring to the public access of the privately-owned beachfront property. Some Gulf-front properties in Florida have a property line that extends to the mean high-water line.
- Essentially, some beachfront homeowners are restricting access to the dry sandy areas behind their homes. All wet sand areas remain undisputed public property and beachgoers cannot be excluded from these areas. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office will be the governing force for any conflicts or complications that may arise on the space in front of properties now considered private property.
- No, you can absolutely still walk our beautiful beaches for as far as you wish. There will still be plenty of space in the wet sand area for beach-walkers to enjoy, and plenty of public beach where access is in no way under dispute.
