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SoWal Staff

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Apr 14, 2006
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South Walon, FL
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Walton County

WALTON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MOVES FORWARD WITH CHANGES TO STRENGTHEN PLANNING DEPARTMENT

As the local economy continues to grow, so do the requests and submittals to the Walton County Planning Department. Over the past several years, the Walton County Planning Department has seen an increase in the number of planning related submittals and permits that come through their offices, and it appears this trend will continue.

In an effort to ensure that projects are reviewed thoroughly and in a timely manner, staff presented to the Commissioners a plan to increase both personnel and space to a level to accommodate the increase in demand.

“We continue to see an increase in the number of projects that are being submitted and we are diligently working on each submittal. Final project approval requires a process that consists of serval steps and the approvals of several additional boards include the Design Review Board, Planning Commission and the BCC,” said Walton County Planning Director Wayne Dyess. “We want to expedite the process as much as possible, but most importantly, we must be as diligent and accurate as a possible when making recommendations to the BCC. In addition to traditional development projects, due to a number of unique requirements in our code, planning staff is often involved in the building permit process”

In order to address the steady incline in the requests for Planning Department services, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners approved several items during their May 24th 2016 Board Meeting aimed at assisting the department and to better serve the public.

To assist the Planning Department in their process of project approval and permitting, the Board voted unanimously to add an additional five employees to the Planning Department’s staff. The additional positions approved are two Professional Engineers, one Development Order Inspector, one Senior Planner and one Planner. Part of the funding for these positions will come from the savings that will be garnered by not outsourcing much of the work that will now be brought in house.

Currently, the County contracts out much of the engineering services and has routinely requested assistance from the Public Works Department to use the services of their Development Order Inspector. By bringing these services in-house, the department will be able to streamline many approval processes, especially as they relate to stormwater requirements.

The addition of the two planner positons will increase the department’s capacity, allowing a greater distribution of projects among the staff. Spreading submitted projects over a larger number of planners allows for the opening of the pipeline and facilitates the movement of more projects through the process.

“These additions will facilitate a timelier processing of these projects. The addition of the engineers will expedite the approvals on stormwater issues and the adding of additional planners will give greater flexibility to addressing all of the issues that might arise as projects come to fruition,” said District 3 Commissioner Bill Imfeld. “Overall, this will serve to benefit all of Walton County as we move forward with sensible growth.”

“Walton County has a complex code that includes a lot of items that are built-in for protection and to enhance the character of the County,” said Dyess. “Our employees do a fantastic job, but due to the nuances of our codes, it does take a little longer than our neighboring counties. I believe that the benefits of our tailored codes are evident when you look around the County and see the quality of development and the elevated property values that are created.”

In addition to the Board’s approval of additional employees, the Board was briefed of the Department’s needs for additional facilities and space. In order to meet the growing needs of the department, the board voted to have several mobile office buildings placed at the County’s South Walton Annex. These additional buildings allow the department to expand their staff and increase the level of service that they provide to the public.

During the discussion, the Board noted the fact that while there is a need to address space in the short term, the County has to continue looking at long term solutions for the Planning department as the County continues to grow. As part of the approval, the Board directed staff to continue to look at long-term solution options and to present their findings to the Board at a later date.

“We are extremely proud of our planning staff and the yeoman's job they do every day. They need every tool available to be able to serve our citizen’s needs,” said Chairman and District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander. “In many cases expediting the planning process greatly enhances the economic development of our County.”

“I am grateful that Walton County has the leadership of Mr. Dyess in the Planning Department,” said District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones. “In addition to his fantastic staff, I believe that the implementation of these recommendations will greatly benefit the County and the people that we serve.”

Due to the number of planning projects currently in the pipeline through the Walton County Planning Department, the board will hold a special BCC Planning Meeting on Tuesday, June 21st at 5:00pm at the South Walton Annex. In addition, they have scheduled a tentative meeting on Tuesday, July 19th at 5:00pm at the South Walton Annex in the event that an additional meeting is needed.
 
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