By DOTTY NIST
The Walton County Technical Review Committee (TRC) has voted to move a large solar energy facility and a warehouse development forward to development order consideration. The TRC also advanced eight other agenda items in the county review and approval process.
The decisions took place at the TRC’s May 1 regular meeting at Freeport Commons.
Hardwood HammockSolar Energy Facility
The 869.65-acre Hardwood Hammock Solar Energy Facility (SEC) was the fifth and final portion of Florida Power and Light’s 4,500 master planned area for solar energy in Walton County.
A settlement agreement approved by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) in July 2021 with Gulf Power had provided for the TRC vote to be the final county board decision on solar energy projects by the company within the 4,500-acre master planned area located in northwestern Walton County. The area had been designated in the agreement as a development boundary for such projects by the company in Walton County over a 15-year period.
In January 2022, Gulf Power and Florida Power & Light Company had merged to do business as Florida Power & Light in Northwest Florida.
Within the 4,500-acre master planned area, Walton County’s first solar facility, the 867-acre Chautauqua Solar Energy Center, had been approved in October 2021, followed by the 762-acre Pecan Tree Solar Energy Center in April 2022, the 831-acre Wild Quail Solar Energy Center in October 2022, and the 892.28-acre Swallowtail Solar Energy Center in October 2023.
The location for the Hardwood Hammock Solar Energy Facility is to be 1265 E.M. White Road, at the end of that road located approximately 1.8 miles east of CR-0605. This is to be a 74.5-megawatt solar energy center.
Presenting the request at the May 1, 2024, TRC meeting, Kelly Schultz of Walton County Planning and Development Services said reviewer comments from county environmental staff were being awaited.
The committee members heard that the applicants had found “a path forward” to satisfy fire suppression requirements associated with the facility.
Speaking on behalf of Florida Power & Light, engineer Brandon Eckard was confident that environmental comments could be addressed successfully and told the committee members that the company takes a high standard of approach to environmental aspects of their projects.
A 304-acre portion of the site (35 percent) is considered wetlands, according to the project staff report, but the proposed wetland impact for the project has been reduced to 0.2 acres.
The facility is to include access paths and stormwater management facilities consisting of a dry retention pond located next to the energy storage pad, with runoff designed to meet 100-year storm standards.
No one in attendance responded to an invitation for public comment on the project.
The committee members approved the project to move forward to the planning director’s determination on development order issuance.
Lot 17 and 18 SWCP Phase II
The other project on the agenda approved to advance to development order consideration by the planning director was Lot 17 and 18 South Walton Commerce Park (SWCP) Phase II.
The was a request on behalf of Wil-Shar, Inc., for approval to develop 19,844 square feet of warehouse/office space on 2.38 acres at the southwest corner of Serenoa Road and Gordonia Way, north of U.S. 98 in the southeastern Walton County commerce park.
Introducing the project, Tim Brown of Walton County Planning and Development Services said plans were to develop both lots with similar buildings on each.
Chairing the meeting, Renee Bradley of Walton County Planning and Development Services asked about any environmental issues. Brown replied that there were none associated with the second phase of the development.
Brown also explained that all reviewer comments were minor and recommended moving the request forward to the director’s determination on the condition of the comments being addressed.
The committee members cast all aye votes to do so.
Rezoning requests
Of six agenda items approved to move forward to the next stage of the process, Walton County Planning Commission review, three were small scale amendments (SSAs).
These included: The Hunters Village SSA with Rezoning, providing for a future land use change from Conservation Residential to Residential, or a lesser category, and a zoning district change from Conservation Residential 1:2.5 (one unit per 2 1/2 acres) to Neighborhood Infill, or a lesser district, on 10 acres at 321 Nellie Drive in Santa Rosa Beach; the G & K East Hewett SSA with Rezoning, providing for a future land use change from Conservation Residential to Residential, or a lesser category, and a zoning district change from Conservation Residential 1:2.5 to Neighborhood Infill, or a lesser district, on 10 acres on the east side of East Hewett Road, directly across from Peachtree Circle in Miramar Beach; and the Bay Grove Village SSA with Rezoning, providing for a future land use change from Rural Residential to Commercial, or a lesser category, and a zoning district change from Rural Village to General Commercial, or a lesser district, on 3.03 acres at the northern end of Bay Grove Road, north of U.S. 331 and south of Freeport.
The votes were on the condition of any outstanding reviewer comments being satisfied.
Other major development projects advance to planning commission
The committee members voted to move several other major development projects forward to planning commission review, conditioned on any outstanding reviewer comments being addressed. These included: Twin Lakes Camp Resort Improvements, a request to expand the existing camp resort between Holly Lake and King Lake, east of DeFuniak Springs, with an additional 37 RV sites, three camp sites, and infrastructure on 11 acres; 393 Business Park Phase 2, a request to develop 25,500 square feet of industrial use and infrastructure on 3.98 acres immediately east of 790 CR-393 North in Santa Rosa Beach; and Black Creek RV Park Phase 2, a request to expand the existing 52-lot. 11.73-acre RV park on the east side of CR-3280, just south of Phillips Drive, south of Freeport, to include an additional 17 RV sites, four cabin sites, and four tent sites on 6.72 acres.
Plat requests advanced
In other action at the May 1 TRC meeting, the committee members voted to advance two plat requests to the next and final stage, consideration by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC).
These included: Longleaf Park Phase 2, a final plat consisting of 76 single-family lots on 15.78 acres on the western side of the roundabout located 0.3 mile west of North Watersound Parkway in the northeast Walton County Watersound Origins development; and Kaiya Beach Resort Phase 3 Plat, consisting of the platting of six single-family lots, nine townhome lots, and infrastructure on 2.47 acres at 25 Kaiya Avenue in the southeastern Walton County Kaiya development.
The votes were conditioned on any outstanding reviewer comments being satisfied.
Continued, removed and tabled agenda items
One agenda item, McDonald’s Topsail was continued by advance request to the May 15 TRC meeting. Lot 216 Subdivision and Wolf Creek Residential Phase I were also continued to the May 15 meeting after some discussion.
Continued to the June 5 TRC meeting by advance request were 30A Surf Club, The Preserve at Santa Rosa Beach, and the Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club Deck Expansion.
The Box SSA with Rezoning was removed from the agenda by advance request.
The Shorey SSA with Rezoning was tabled by advance request.
The Serendipity subdivision project was continued for 60 days on the recommendation of legal counsel due to a lawsuit having been filed that could impact the request. However, per discussion the project is to be advertised for the June 5 TRC meeting to provide for it to be heard at that time if the legal matter is resolved in advance of that meeting.