The TDC is asking for Public Input on these two projects.:clap: [url]http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/13681[/url] [QUOTE]SANTA ROSA BEACH — The brown waters of Choctawhatchee Bay lapped against a wooden sea wall at Patricia Kellogg’s old home on Nellie Drive, while pine trees swayed Tuesday morning in the stiff breeze rushing over the water. Kellogg’s property — about 12 acres — was donated to Walton County. The county is looking for the community’s help to decide what should be done with Kellogg’s acreage, along with another parcel of more than three acres on Hogtown Bayou. Tiffany McCaskill, manager of new product development for the Tourist Development Council, said there is a basic outline in place for the two properties, but the community is needed to iron out the final wrinkles. The property on Hogtown Bayou is next door to Cessna Park and used to be an art and antique store, McCaskill said. The county bought the land from Chick Huettel for about $1.3 million in 2007. The TDC will hold two “visioning” meetings at the Huettel property: one on May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. for the neighbors near both parcels, and another on May 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for county officials and various cultural and civic groups. “We want to use these (parcels) to attract our visitors as well as our residents,” McCaskill said. The plan for the Huettel property is to have an arts and cultural center there. Several buildings occupying the property will be used for different arts and cultural events and meetings, McCaskill said. At the back of the property, porches offer unobstructed views of the marsh that stretches to Hogtown Bayou and Choctawhatchee Bay beyond. TDC member Maurice Gilbert said he’s been coming to the Huettel property for years. “This place has so much potential,” he said. “It’s amazing. I’m very interested in how it develops.” About a mile and a half east, the Kellogg property sits on prime waterfront real estate. McCaskill said that Kellogg’s deed stipulates the property has to be used for nature and wildlife education. Chainsaws could be heard from the woods Tuesday as trails were cut through the 12 acres. The first phase of development includes nature trails, parking and stormwater management. There are two homes on the property. One will be torn down because it will cost too much to bring up to code, McCaskill said. The other, which Kellogg lived in on the bay, is in limbo, and its fate will be decided through the visioning meetings. Gilbert said that ecology-based tourism is something the TDC is looking into, and the Kellogg property is perfect for it. “These off-the-beach attractions are more and more” important, he said. “We are so blessed in this area to have so many places like this.” [/QUOTE]
