Freeport, FL

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69 meetings

Jul 31, 2025Council
Budget Workshop
The Freeport City Council held a budget workshop on July 31, 2025, to discuss the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget priorities. Finance Director Bowers presented highlights including proposals for additional staff in planning, utility billing, streets, parks, water, and wastewater departments. Key discussion points included whether to fund two extra sheriff's deputies at $220,000 per year (some council members raised concerns about already paying the county for coverage), funding for street lighting improvements, pay structure changes to address low-end wages, and insurance benefits increases. The council directed staff to work on a revised pay proposal that would raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour across all city departments, apply a 4% cost-of-living adjustment, and explore increasing the city's contribution to employee health insurance to help with recruitment and retention. A final budget was to be brought back Monday for approval.
Jul 24, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council held a regular meeting on July 24, 2025, swearing in newly elected officials and conducting routine business. The council approved purchases including a new server, AED devices, and a voltage regulator for sewer operations. They awarded a contract for the Bay Area Sewer Expansion project to the low bidder pending funding solutions, set the tentative property tax millage rate, and authorized the city manager to execute a utility service agreement with a developer that includes water capacity fee payments and cost-sharing for water line extensions. The council also adopted zoning amendments for the Sparkleberry project and received an update on the Ronnie Brannon Memorial Park phasing plan.
Jul 10, 2025Council
Post Election Audit
The Freeport City Council met as a Canvassing Board on July 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM to conduct a post-election audit. The board, composed of Mayor Russ Barley, Councilwoman Heather Hurst, and Councilman Eddie Farris, reviewed and confirmed the election results with Supervisor of Elections Ryan Messer and City Clerk Rebecca King. The audit confirmed that Heather Hurst received 226 total votes (156 on election day and 70 by mail), Terry "TJ" Kemp received 124 total votes (78 on election day and 46 by mail), with 1 over vote recorded. The audit was completed in 20 minutes at 5:20 PM.
Jul 9, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on July 9, 2025, and approved multiple infrastructure and operational initiatives. The council voted unanimously to fund additional mosquito control operations through October, purchase chemicals and equipment for mosquito control, approve an engineering proposal for lift station replacement, award a contract for water tank painting, establish an in-house building permit department, and grant a special event permit for a firefighter challenge. The mayor also received approval to attend conferences and recognized outstanding employees.
Jul 9, 2025Planning BoardMinutes not posted yetCancelled
CANCELLED - Planning and Development Review Board Regular Meeting
The Planning and Development Review Board's regular meeting scheduled for July 9th, 2025 at 6:00 pm was cancelled. The agenda included approval of previous meeting minutes from June 4th, 2025, consideration of a small-scale zoning amendment and rezoning request for HBTC Grow With Us, and a Sunshine Law discussion, but none of these items were addressed because the meeting did not occur.
Jul 8, 2025Council
Special Meeting Following Poll Closing
The Freeport City Council met as a canvassing board on July 8, 2025, to certify the results of a city election held that day. The board counted 234 in-person votes cast on election day and 116 vote-by-mail ballots. One vote-by-mail envelope containing two ballots was rejected per Florida law. The final election results were Heather Hurst 226 votes, Terry "TJ" Kemp 124 votes, and 1 over-vote. The meeting lasted 30 minutes.
Jun 26, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on June 26, 2025, and approved several items including consent agenda matters, a utility rate study presentation for informational purposes, denial of Walton County's request to take over Freeport Marina Boulevard maintenance, emergency status for a water tower project on Wagon Wheel Road, permission to bid two wastewater facility expansion projects, budget workshop dates, removal of the city from the North Walton Mosquito Control taxing district, a sports complex sign, approval of land development code revisions, and a residential development plan. The council also heard public comment opposing a zoning change at Sparkleberry and 331, which would allow mixed-use development on a small parcel, but approved the rezoning for first reading. Additionally, the council approved a pool fill policy clarification and funding for a sidewalk extension at city hall to improve park access.
Jun 10, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on June 10, 2025, and approved several municipal purchases and budget amendments. The council moved the July regular meeting to July 9 at 9 a.m., approved a replacement air conditioning unit for City Hall, and authorized a new mosquito control program with initial startup funding and equipment purchases. The council also approved capital improvements for the community center and sewer system, as well as staff conference attendance. Planning Director Hughes-Neel provided a detailed explanation of the King's Crossing development, a Live Local Act project that spans city and county jurisdictions and includes affordable housing requirements; the city is still coordinating with the county and developers on technical reviews and infrastructure requirements.
Jun 4, 2025Planning Board
Planning and Development Review Board Regular Meeting
The Freeport Planning and Development Review Board held a regular meeting on June 4, 2025, to review two development proposals. The board approved a Small Scale Amendment and rezoning for Sparkleberry Lane, changing two small parcels totaling 0.63 acres from low-density residential to general commercial zoning to align with nearby commercial uses along Highway 331. The board also recommended approval of the Hammock Lakes residential planned development project, a 40.8-parcel development on West Bay Loop between Piney Point Road and Bay Harbor Drive that would create 158 single-family home lots with various zoning variances to allow smaller lot sizes and adjusted setbacks. The board also rescheduled its July meeting from July 2 to July 9 to avoid a holiday conflict.
May 22, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on May 22, 2025, and approved three major items: the consent agenda (bills, minutes, and financial reports), a financial audit showing the city in strong financial condition with no compliance issues, and authorization to close on the purchase of the Lucky Star Property. The council also approved the Carr Mixed Use Planned Development Project, a large 3,319.7-acre development with single-family and multifamily housing, commercial and industrial space. The project includes requests for variances including 4-story heights for residential buildings, 5-foot setbacks, and no minimum lot sizes; the council approved these with conditions requiring that higher buildings be clustered together in similar phases for consistency and privacy protection.
May 21, 2025Planning Board
Planning and Development Review Board Special Meeting
The Freeport Planning & Development Review Board met on May 21, 2025, to review the Carr Multi-Use Planned Development Project, a large mixed-use development spanning 3,319 acres with residential, commercial, and industrial elements. The applicant requested multiple design variances to allow flexibility in site planning, including adjusted setbacks, floor area ratios, parking standards, and building heights up to 4 stories for non-residential uses. Residents raised concerns about environmental impacts near Black Creek, water quality, density, and coastal hazards. The board approved a motion recommending the project with conditions limiting single-family home minimum lot sizes, setting maximum heights at 2.5 stories for single-family and 3 stories for multi-family residential, and 4 stories for non-residential uses, while requiring the developer to dedicate a sports park to the city.
May 13, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council held a regular meeting on May 13, 2025, where they approved several consent agenda items including budget amendments and resolutions. Key decisions included supporting rural area of opportunity redesignation, discontinuing county mosquito control service and hiring an in-house director, approving a skate park conceptual plan study, accepting a resolution for wastewater revenue bonds, denying an annexation request for the Oaks at Black Creek, approving air conditioning repair at the sports complex, allowing the Rotary Club to install rescue tube stations at parks, establishing a city code enforcement framework, approving community center change orders, funding lift station communications equipment, and establishing a sewer-only customer policy. The council also approved sponsorship of the Walton County Fair and directed staff to explore signage options for the Regional Sports Complex.
Apr 24, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on April 24, 2025, to approve various city business including contracts, development projects, and infrastructure improvements. The council approved a postage meter contract with Quadient, authorized design work for a sidewalk project on 331 Business with a $168,000 grant award, set pricing for the new Community Center, adopted zoning and future land use changes for the Carr property (a major 3,500-acre long-range development), approved two large residential development projects (Crews Holdings and Hidden Bayou), and authorized purchases for recreational safety improvements at the Sports Complex. The council tabled two annexation proposals (Hidden Cove and The Oaks at Black Creek) due to concerns about creating legal enclaves and planning complications. Other approvals included a waste management contract (tabled pending county negotiations), water well upgrades, a monument for a fallen deputy, and updated land development code language.
Apr 8, 2025Council
Regular Council Meeting
The Freeport City Council met on April 8, 2025, to approve routine administrative items and discuss several property and service matters. The council approved a contract to purchase a commercial property for $1.15 million, contingent on council ratification of closing documents and appraisals showing values of $750,000 and $815,000. They also authorized an irrigation well purchase for the community center, approved the final plat for Magnolia at The Bluffs Phase 3 development (129 single-family lots), and allowed use of the pickleball courts for a Fire and Rescue Cadet Classic fundraiser. The council decided to withdraw from the North Walton Mosquito Control contract effective September 30, 2025, and directed staff to prepare an ordinance confirming this decision. Additionally, they directed staff to coordinate with the Sheriff's office regarding traffic management for summer season starting Memorial Day weekend, and discussed safety improvements needed at the Sports Complex parking area.
Apr 7, 2025Council
Workshop - Interlocal Agreements
The Freeport City Council held a workshop on April 7, 2025, to discuss interlocal agreements with Walton County. Planning Director Latilda Hughes-Neel explained that the city has two types of agreements with the county: coordination agreements (which formalize participation in regional processes or grant opportunities) and service agreements (which define specific services and responsibilities). The council focused on three contentious areas: code enforcement, road maintenance, and mosquito control. The county has asked the city to take over code enforcement, citing costs of about $110 per inspection. For road maintenance, the city contributes gas tax revenue (about $700–$800 monthly) while the county receives $3.8 million and maintains only roads accepted before 2011; roads accepted after 2011 are maintained by the city. On mosquito control, the city noted it has not received adequate information about program costs and effectiveness and indicated it may not consent to continued county operation of the tax. The council requested that staff bring back proposals on code enforcement (including a magistrate process) and the capital improvements plan before the budget season.
May be incomplete — see original

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