To Concerned Citizens of Historic Point Washington

[Sally]

Residents of Point Washington are concerned about the proposed Oaks at Eden which that they see as incompatible with their community.
The height of the homes in the proposed subdivision is the major sticking point between residents and the developer. The area surrounding the Oaks contains buildings that are one to one and a half stories tall. The homes proposed for the Oaks will be three stories. Originally the homes were 50, feet then lowered to 40 feet. Then at the Walton Board of County Commissioners meeting on Nov. 8, the developer agreed to lower them to 38 feet.
Residents in Point Washington are asking for a maximum height of 32 feet. They say they are willing to work with the developer to come up with a plan more suitable to the area.
?We?re asking for (the developer) to work with us,? Ed Berry, a seven year resident of Point Washington, said. ?We?re not asking for total denial. We are asking for proper development.?
Compatibility is at the center of the debate. With one side saying the development is compatible and the other saying it isn?t.
?Compatibility in Walton County is elusive,? Randy Gardner, speaking in favor of the development, said to the BCC. ?It can always be interpreted. There will always be a group that will be against something. This project meets the (Land Development Code) and we would like you to approve.?
Gardner added that he would be wiling to work with the residents of Point Washington to address their concerns, but doesn?t want their recommendations to be contingent on approval.
Discussions with the board got spirited at times and on many occasions audience members sympathetic to the Point Washington residents vocally called out their opinions and clapped in support of speakers asking for a redesign of the Oaks.
Commissioner Cindy Meadows call the Oaks a ?cookie cutter? community referring to how many planned communities all look the same. She wants it to be redesigned to be more compatible with Point Washington.
Gardner responded saying that ?cookie cutter? is a subjective term and that someone will always disprove of a development?s design.
Commissioners Larry Jones, Scott Brannon and Meadows all voiced support for the developer and Point Washington residents to meet and work something out.
?I don?t think they are very far apart,? Jones said. ?I encourage the applicant to get with the folks and talk about it. It might be in the applicant?s best interest to take a couple of weeks and see if these issues can get ironed out.?
Commissioner Ro Cuchens supported approval of the Oaks.
?The historical area (of Point Washington) needs to evolve,? Cuchens said, which got a negative response from many of those in attendance.
Cuchens made a motion to approve the development, but the motion failed when no one seconded it.
Brannon moved to table the development until the Nov. 22 BCC meeting so the two sides could come to an agreement. The motion passed 4-1 with Cuchens voting nay.
The BCC instructed Pat Blackshear, director of Planning and Development, and her staff to meet with the developer and residents of Point Washington to try and work out some of the issues.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Ro can be a real good 'ole boy (jack@ss) sometimes.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Ro can be a real good 'ole boy (jack@ss) sometimes.

When is he up for re-election...when hopefully someone will run against him!!! That is as nice as I can be without losing it!!

 

[DBOldford]

Hooray! This is a really good opportunity for the people to have direct input into that development. If you have a list of constructive suggestions and back them up with County General Plan goals and policies, you will have a powerful argument. It's always a good idea to try and work with the developer, but also good to continue lobbying your Commissioners in a reasonable and well argued manner. Not a bad idea to retain an attorney, either, even if you don't actually use their services (or need to). Sometimes you just have to get their attention. Letters to the editor of the local newspaper also help. If there is a local planner who will review the project and give you something in writing (as to compatibility of the project with codes and environmental sensitivity), often better than at attorney but doesn't give you the same "snap" with the development interest. Finally, keep in touch with the Planning Director and her staff, because they are in the driver's seat. Good luck. The first cut is the deepest!

 

[Santiago]

I hear you. Remember that most of the things for, or against, which he votes, has more to do with his good 'ole boy network rather than listening to the people. This action sometimes makes him to appear even more idiotic than he may be.

I am sure you're right but it gets tiresome seeing his name surface time and again. People need to vote.

 

[aquaticbiology]

Cmon you guys - thats what county commissioners DO. Ive dealt with them long enough in my former career that I know if you want something done, like a seawall removed, you simply go to the appropriate commissioner, gain a private meeting, contribute whatever it takes to their re-election campaign to get the job done and ride his hide until he completes it. Thats the way it works and its time for everyone to realise there is no such thing as a honest politician, at least not after their first term. I will give some few of them some minor credit with the disclaimer "Unless they have no nose and cannot smell the way the wind is blowing."

Politicians stink.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Cmon you guys - thats what county commissioners DO. Ive dealt with them long enough in my former career that I know if you want something done, like a seawall removed, you simply go to the appropriate commissioner, gain a private meeting, contribute whatever it takes to their re-election campaign to get the job done and ride his hide until he completes it. Thats the way it works and its time for everyone to realise there is no such thing as a honest politician, at least not after their first term. I will give some few of them some minor credit with the disclaimer "Unless they have no nose and cannot smell the way the wind is blowing."

Politicians stink.

I would mostly agree with you on that one. Around here, the CC's do it for their friends. Money is not always necessary.

Fortunately, we in Walton County have one CC who is a good guy (gal). ;-) Commissioner Cindy Meadows always seems to be thinking of doing the right thing, listening to the public, and responding with action when she can. She may be the only exception to your rule. :clap_1:

 

[Kurt]

SAVE HISTORIC POINT WASHINGTON

Please come to the first meeting of the Historic Point Washington Association

Today, 13 November, 3:00pm,
at Randy Horton?s old general store
(1920s Bullard Butler Cash Store)
Gilmore Road across from the Post Office

Meeting organized and led by James Foley, Randy Harelson, Randy Horton, & Grace Marse

Point Washington, a bustling lumbertown in the 1880s, is threatened today by Walton County?s Comprehensive Plan which allows development up to 50-feet-tall and 10-units-per-acre even immediately in the street grid of Old Point Washington. The Oaks at Eden is a proposed development of 29 three-or-four-story houses wedged into a small piece of land on County Road 395 one lot away from the Community Cemetery (c.1880) and immediately next door to four existing one-story homes.

At a County Commissioners meeting last Tuesday, 8 November 2005, the developers (Hendco from Destin) were given two weeks to meet with neighbors and Point Washington residents to find compromise on the clear incompatibility of their development with the existing place.

A meeting of the Historic Point Washington Association today, Sunday 13 November, will discuss preserving and protecting the historic town from overly-dense and overly-tall development. Committees will also be formed to establish an historic district, collect and edit historical information, and look ahead to a vision of Point Washington 20 years from today.

Please come if you have an interest in saving the charm and history of this delightful little town.

Please write to or call your county commissioners to let them know of your concern about the Oaks at Eden, and this sort of incompatible development:
Walton County Commissioners:
District One, Scott Brannon, 850-622-3081, brascott@co.walton.fl.us
District Two, Kenneth Pridgen, 850-834-6328, prikenneth@co.walton.fl.us
District Three, Larry Jones, 850-892-8474, jonlarry@co.walton.fl.us
District Four, Ro Cuchens, 850-835-4834, cucro@co.walton.fl.us
District Five, Cindy Meadows, 850-622-3059, meacindy@co.walton.fl.us

Please write and call our commissioners as soon as possible this week.

Thank you for helping to save historic Point Washington.

Randy Harelson

 

[For The Health Of It]

Tonight is the very important BCC meeting on the Oaks at Eden project. We need to fill the room with concerned citizens. This project in it's current form is simply not compatable.

Please attend the BCC meeting tonight at the South Walton Annex on 331.

 

[For The Health Of It]

Walton County Commissioners and Planning Staff November 20, 2005

Upon review of documents dated February 2005 by and between Walton County and the Oversight Review Committee of the DCA, we, the Historic Point Washington Association have concerns and objections over any further development in the ?hub? of Historic Point Washington. While we are in discussions over the, ?Oaks at Eden? project, we feel our concerns about to be stated appeal to an even bigger picture.

In the document, on page 31, Historic Preservation Issues are addressed. Under the heading number 7, several points of interests are documented.

CZCE Objection C-3.3 which states the County shall protect, preserve or sensitively reuse historical and archaeological resources within the County, by regulating development which may impact such resources.

CZCE Policy C-3.3.2 which states all development shall maintain a minimum 50 foot buffer from known archaeological resources.

And most importantly CZCE Policy C-3.3.3 which states the County shall coordinate with the Division of Historical Resources to establish historic preserves or parks at sites known historical or archaeological significance.

When discussing this issue with Walton County Planners and the Planning Department in general, it is a fact that Walton County Staff has yet to act upon this policy.

It is also determined that according to page 32 of this same document, ?The Walton County Board of County Commissioners, in accordance to Walton County Comprehensive Plan Policy L-1.3.7 and Policy R-1.1.7 has appointed a Committee of Citizens to develop a ?Walton County Cultural Plan,? which addresses all aspects of Policy L-1.3.7 and R-1.1.7. The Committee will make their presentation to the Board in December 2005 with the goal of adopting the plan into the Comprehensive Plan.

If in fact, a presentation is set to be made by a committee set up by THIS BOARD of County Commissioners in December of this year with aspects of the presentation addressing the very issues of our concerns over this development, then, are we not jumping the gun here? Should we be looking to approve any developments that may be non -compliant to these issues less than a month before the presentation is to be made????

It has been said that this project is not in a historical area, however according to Walton County?s own Tourist Development Council the term ?HISTORIC? is used to address this area of Point Washington in every piece of information found. In Fact just up the Road from this site, a Walton County TDC sign welcomes travelers of CR 395 to ?Historic Point Washington? the sign informs of the historic areas such as the Post Office, Eden State Gardens, Bay School, the Methodist Church, The Assembly of God Church, and the Cemetery which is even misspelled. The point being, a Walton County Department has identified this area as Historic.

In information located on the Walton County TDC website, as well as in brochures, the TDC again addresses Historic Point Washington with advertising such as, (taken verbatim from the website)

Eden State Gardens
Point Washington
Tucked away in historic Point Washington on the shore of Tucker Bayou is a beautiful turn?of-the-century mansion surrounded by azaleas, camellias and towering Spanish moss-draped live oaks, some dating back more than 600 years. Guided mansion tours re offered Thursday through Monday. Look for Eden State Gardens, tucked back one mile north of US 98 on County Rd. 395. 850-231-4214



Wesley Mansion
The Wesley Mansion, located in the Historic Eden State Gardens, was built in the 1890?s and houses the largest collection of original Louis XVI antiques. The Wesley family owned and operated the Point Washington Lumber Mill during Walton County?s thriving lumber period during the turn-of-the-century. The mansion was dedicated to the state for preservation. 850-231-4214

Again, these are examples of the fact that this Governmental Board knows of the fact that this area is of Historical importance and if approval of this development is made, it will be in conflict with its own policies and the State of Florida?s Policies for protection.

Also on page 32 of the before mentioned document, Policy L-1.3.5 states, Significant Historical and Archaeological sites, including but not limited to sites on the Florida Master Site File shall be protected by implementing the following:

1. After the identification and evaluation of the County?s historic resources following the grant surveys, the County shall determine which structures or archeological sites are deemed significant as judged in part by the criteria used during surveys and adopt by resolution a local historic register and a map of designated sites.

2. As part of all site plan evaluations, County Staff shall identify whether or not the proposed construction activity and/or final development would disturb the site listed on the Florida Master Site File and/or the County register. If so, the developer shall be notified and shall, in turn, notify the Florida Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Historic Preservation, compliance review section and shall enter a binding agreement with the County in which the developer agrees to comply with the recommended course of action or mitigation requested by the division prior to the development order being issued.

In closing, approval of this project will be in direct conflict with the policies set forth by and between the County and the State. We ask that you table this issue until the proper steps have been taken as they have been laid out under this document. Your failure to do so will have significant impacts with a HISTORIC AREA and the STATE OF FLORIDA.

Sincerely

The members of the Historic Point Washington Association