Walton County commissioners will be asked Tuesday morning to provide guidance to the county's Tourist Development Council (TDC) on the potential acquisition of up to eight properties along or near the Gulf of Mexico, at Choctawhatchee Bay, and at the site of a proposed amphitheater and passive recreational area off Chat Holley Road.
As set to be presented to the commission, the tracts total slightly less than 51 acres, with a total asking price of a little more than $16.6 million for seven of the eight parcels.
The asking price total does not include a 0.46-acre Gulf-front tract on Blue Mountain Road, for which no asking price was listed on the commission's agenda. That tract, which currently includes more than 6,000 square feet of residential and associated structures, was sold last month for $5.75 million by a Pensacola-based property firm to a Destin-based corporation, according to county property records.
Purchases of any of the tracts would be made with TDC funds, which come from the 5% tourist development tax, or "bed tax," charged to visitors staying in local accommodations
No purchases can be made without the approval of the County Commission.
In addition to the Blue Mountain Road tract, the properties being brought forward to commissioners comprise almost 5 acres on the south side of U.S. Highway 98 in Miramar Beach at Professional Place; slightly less than 0.7 acres on Walton County Road 30A at North Spooky Lane near Blue Mountain Beach; two tracts totaling 20 acres at Lullaby Loop north of U.S. 98 in Santa Rosa Beach; a 20-acre tract off Chat Holley Road north of Indian Woman Road; a 3.8-acre bay-front tract off Dick Saltsman Road; and a 1.12-acre bay-front tract off Eden Park Drive in Santa Rosa Beach.
Pedestrians make their way down Professional Place and along U.S. Highway 98 on Monday afternoon. Walton County commissioners on Tuesday will consider whether the county's Tourist Development Council should proceed toward a potential purchase of almost 5 acres at the intersection. The area has been discussed previously as a potential parking spot for people headed to the nearby Miramar Regional Beach Access.
The Blue Mountain Road, Dick Saltsman Road and Eden Park Drive tracts weren't necessarily being actively sought by the county, but have been offered to the county for sale, according to information from Tuesday's meeting agenda.
The TDC routinely is on the lookout for properties that could provide access to the county's beaches, parking for visitors to the beaches or other attractions, or as green space for the enjoyment of visitors and residents.
While it was not clear Monday exactly why the TDC is interested in the eight tracts, at least one of them — the U.S. 98 tract in Miramar Beach — has been tentatively discussed previously by the commission as a potential location for a parking area from which visitors could walk or potentially take a shuttle to the Miramar Regional Beach Access on Scenic Gulf Drive about one-third of a mile away. During tourist season, Scenic Gulf Drive routinely becomes choked with traffic, particularly near the beach access.
Similarly, while no plans have been announced for the North Spooky Lane tract, which currently houses a building containing a yoga studio and medical offices, its location near the Ed Walline Regional Beach Access could make it attractive to the TDC, as would the Gulf access afforded by the Blue Mountain Road tract.
The two bay-front tracts could present opportunities for recreation, and the Lullaby Lane and Chat Holley tracts would be at or near a 220-acre property recently acquired by the county, with $2 million in county reserve funds and $6.9 million in TDC funds, for a planned passive recreational area and amphitheater.
Also recently, the county approved a TDC expenditure of $2.3 million for a 0.16-acre tract in Grayton Beach for construction of public restrooms and transit stop.
In other business set for Tuesday, Commissioner Danny Glidewell has asked for some discussion of the so-called "monster house" issue that has become a problem in the south end of the county. Briefly, "monster houses" are vacation rental homes that have replaced more traditional and much smaller vacation cottages that can sleep as many as two dozen or more people, creating problems and frustrations for nearby residents.
According to Glidewell, commissioners have fielded a lot of complaints about monster houses, and while the rental homes may be operating within the guidelines of the county's zoning and land use regulations, other jurisdictions have found ways to get some control over them.
Also Tuesday, Glidewell will ask for discussion about more aggressive parking enforcement. Glidewell would like the commission to consider augmenting the county's code compliance staff to crack down on illegal parking, particularly along CR 30A and other routes in the south end.
As set to be presented to the commission, the tracts total slightly less than 51 acres, with a total asking price of a little more than $16.6 million for seven of the eight parcels.
The asking price total does not include a 0.46-acre Gulf-front tract on Blue Mountain Road, for which no asking price was listed on the commission's agenda. That tract, which currently includes more than 6,000 square feet of residential and associated structures, was sold last month for $5.75 million by a Pensacola-based property firm to a Destin-based corporation, according to county property records.
Purchases of any of the tracts would be made with TDC funds, which come from the 5% tourist development tax, or "bed tax," charged to visitors staying in local accommodations
No purchases can be made without the approval of the County Commission.
In addition to the Blue Mountain Road tract, the properties being brought forward to commissioners comprise almost 5 acres on the south side of U.S. Highway 98 in Miramar Beach at Professional Place; slightly less than 0.7 acres on Walton County Road 30A at North Spooky Lane near Blue Mountain Beach; two tracts totaling 20 acres at Lullaby Loop north of U.S. 98 in Santa Rosa Beach; a 20-acre tract off Chat Holley Road north of Indian Woman Road; a 3.8-acre bay-front tract off Dick Saltsman Road; and a 1.12-acre bay-front tract off Eden Park Drive in Santa Rosa Beach.
Pedestrians make their way down Professional Place and along U.S. Highway 98 on Monday afternoon. Walton County commissioners on Tuesday will consider whether the county's Tourist Development Council should proceed toward a potential purchase of almost 5 acres at the intersection. The area has been discussed previously as a potential parking spot for people headed to the nearby Miramar Regional Beach Access.
The Blue Mountain Road, Dick Saltsman Road and Eden Park Drive tracts weren't necessarily being actively sought by the county, but have been offered to the county for sale, according to information from Tuesday's meeting agenda.
The TDC routinely is on the lookout for properties that could provide access to the county's beaches, parking for visitors to the beaches or other attractions, or as green space for the enjoyment of visitors and residents.
While it was not clear Monday exactly why the TDC is interested in the eight tracts, at least one of them — the U.S. 98 tract in Miramar Beach — has been tentatively discussed previously by the commission as a potential location for a parking area from which visitors could walk or potentially take a shuttle to the Miramar Regional Beach Access on Scenic Gulf Drive about one-third of a mile away. During tourist season, Scenic Gulf Drive routinely becomes choked with traffic, particularly near the beach access.
Similarly, while no plans have been announced for the North Spooky Lane tract, which currently houses a building containing a yoga studio and medical offices, its location near the Ed Walline Regional Beach Access could make it attractive to the TDC, as would the Gulf access afforded by the Blue Mountain Road tract.
The two bay-front tracts could present opportunities for recreation, and the Lullaby Lane and Chat Holley tracts would be at or near a 220-acre property recently acquired by the county, with $2 million in county reserve funds and $6.9 million in TDC funds, for a planned passive recreational area and amphitheater.
Also recently, the county approved a TDC expenditure of $2.3 million for a 0.16-acre tract in Grayton Beach for construction of public restrooms and transit stop.
In other business set for Tuesday, Commissioner Danny Glidewell has asked for some discussion of the so-called "monster house" issue that has become a problem in the south end of the county. Briefly, "monster houses" are vacation rental homes that have replaced more traditional and much smaller vacation cottages that can sleep as many as two dozen or more people, creating problems and frustrations for nearby residents.
According to Glidewell, commissioners have fielded a lot of complaints about monster houses, and while the rental homes may be operating within the guidelines of the county's zoning and land use regulations, other jurisdictions have found ways to get some control over them.
Also Tuesday, Glidewell will ask for discussion about more aggressive parking enforcement. Glidewell would like the commission to consider augmenting the county's code compliance staff to crack down on illegal parking, particularly along CR 30A and other routes in the south end.
A $16.6 million ask: TDC seeks guidance from Walton County on potential property acquisitions
The Walton County Tourist Development Council is seeking guidance from the county on potential property acquisitions that could enhance visitor experiences.
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