A yes vote was to approve the motion.
Request by Mac Carpenter, county planning and development services director, for approval of the resignation of James Jaquess from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and for an appointment to fill the vacated seat on the board through Jan. 31, 2026.
Approved 3-1 after BCC and staff discussion and public comment was a motion by Anderson to accept the resignation and to appoint one of the applicants for the seat, Christopher Gallagher, per a recommendation from Carpenter: Tony Anderson-yes; Danny Glidewell-yes; Donna Johns-yes; Boots McCormick-no.
Request by Anna Hudson of Walton County Public Works to approve and authorize the BCC chairman to sign a change order to the contract with C.W. Roberts for the Combined Signalization Projects, consisting of installation of new mast arm traffic signals, widening roadway approaches to the intersections, milling and resurfacing, modification of walkways, and construction of new signage/marking at three intersections, CR-395/U.S.98, CR83/CR-30A, and M.C. Davis Boulevard/U.S. 98. The change order would increase the contract amount by $89,879.60.
Hudson explained that the change order takes into account the realignment and addition of sidewalks at the CR-83/CR-30A intersection for some enhanced stormwater control within the roadway, reduced speed limits along U.S. 98 at the M.C. Davis/U.S. 98 intersection with coordination with the state Department of Transportation (DOT), and the addition of a new crosswalk with associated sidewalk signals and signage at the CR-395/U.S. 98 which has also been coordinated with DOT.
A motion by Johns for approval of the change order carried unanimously.
Request by Clay Adkinson, acting county attorney, to schedule and advertise a special meeting/closed executive session in connection with the Lydick v. Walton County lawsuit, case number 2022-CA-18, which alleges encroachment on the plaintiffs’ property located adjacent and to the east of the county-maintained Dogwood/Thyme Neighborhood Beach Access by a dune walkover completed by the county in 2020 at the beach access.
A motion by Johns to schedule and advertise the meeting/session carried unanimously.
Request by Adkinson for direction on bids received for professional real estate broker services. He reported that one of the two bids received had been disqualified for failure to provide a question and answer sheet that had been a requirement of the BCC.
Approved unanimously after BCC discussion was a motion by Johns to keep the bid that had not been disqualified for consideration and re-advertise the request for qualification (RFQ), providing for a resubmittal by the other bidder and submittals by other interested parties, with a closing date of Aug. 4 for the bids.
Discussion and request by Adkinson for authority for the Office of the County Attorney to pursue any and all legal remedies needed to attempt to protect public beach accesses and public use of the beach in and around Blue Mountain Beach and on similar parcels against parties seeking to establish private beach over areas not already so designated.
A motion for approval by Anderson carried unanimously after BCC discussion and public comment.
Request by Adkinson to approve and authorize the BCC chairman to sign an amendment to the contract with The Color Nine Group for federal lobbying services reinstating the contract, due to expire in July 2023, and extending the contract term for 60 days in order to avoid interruption of these services. As part of the consent agenda the BCC had approved rejecting all bids for these services due to technicalities related to the bid process and had approved re-advertising for the services.
A motion by Anderson for approval of the amendment carried unanimously.
Proposal by Glidewell to dedicate 146 acres of the old District 3 Office property on Hwy. 90 west of DeFuniak Springs as a match for any funds received from the state for building of an agricultural and events center on the property.
There was a motion by Anderson to give staff the authority to work with the committee that had been appointed several years ago to look into facilities for agricultural and equestrian activities and with Joe Profitt, agriculture and Future Farmers of America instructor at Walton Middle School, and bring back a plan to be presented to the BCC for the facility. After additional discussion the motion was amended to provide for a staff to research funding opportunities for the facility concurrently with the planning process.
The motion was approved unanimously after BCC and staff discussion and public comment.
Adoption hearing for Land Development Code Chapter 5 Text Amendments to Public Roadway Connections, establishing requirements for development projects within the incorporated city limits that impact county-maintained roads, clarifying criteria associated with vehicle access and circulation for new roads and driveways proposed to connect to a county-maintained roadway, providing guidance on driveway connection permits, traffic analysis, and operational improvements, plus allowing staff to elevate a permit authorization approval to the BCC.
The proposed amendment language came before the commissioners with the recommendation to strike the first word “not” in Section 5.04.04 subsection 1c,, which read: “Any other proposed use not proposing access to a County maintained facility not subject to a Development Order within either the unincorporated or incorporated areas of the County such as agricultural uses, silvicultural uses or recreational uses.”
There was a motion by Johns for approval of the amendments with the word “not” removed as recommended.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Adoption hearing for Land Development Code Chapter 5 Text Amendments related to classification of roads, installing a requirement for when roads must be dedicated to the public along with other traffic-related test changes. The amendments would add a maximum impervious surface ratio for single-family lots in antiquated subdivisions that are subject to the county stormwater ordinance.
A motion for approval by Anderson carried unanimously.
Request on behalf of Holiday Builders for approval of Windswept Estates Phase 6, consisting of the platting of 78 single-family lots and infrastructure on 62.3 acres west of J.W. Hollington Road and south of Tournament Lane, east of Freeport.
A motion for approval by Anderson carried unanimously.
Request on behalf of Hawks Landing Development, L.L.C., for approval of Hawks Landing Phase 1 Plat, consisting of the platting of 76 townhomes and four single-family lots on two parcels on Indian Woman Road, directly across from Ann Street in Santa Rosa Beach.
A motion for approval by Anderson carried unanimously.
Request on behalf of 30A Social, L.L.C., for approval of 30A Gym and Rehabilitation, consisting of a 38,000-square-foot rehabilitation and gym facility, a 26,000-square-foot “recreational flex venue,” a single-family home, and infrastructure, all on 5.96 acres on the east side of CR-30A, two-tenths mile south of the western intersection of CR-30A with U.S. 98.
Carrying unanimously after presentations, BCC and staff discussion and public comment was a motion for approval by Anderson.
Request on behalf of Wildwood Holdings Group, L.L.C. for approval of the Wildwood Village Plat, consisting of the platting of 45 lots on 8.038 acres on the north side of Wildwood Trail, approximately 800 feet east of North Orange Street in Inlet Beach.
A motion for approval by McCormick carried unanimously.
Approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda was a request to approve and authorize the BCC chairman to sign an agreement with the State of Florida to extend through Nov. 15, 2073, the lease on the property that houses the Walton County Beach Operations Maintenance Facility and District 5 Public Works storage area at 924 CR-83 South in Blue Mountain Beach, with a $300 annual administrative fee to be paid to the state by the county in connection with the lease.
Continued to the Aug. 8 BCC meeting were the following agenda items: Ridgeview Estates Large Scale Amendment (LSA) with Rezoning and Moll Townhomes.