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Board of County Commissioners · Tuesday, January 14, 2025 · 1:00 PM · DeFuniak Springs BCC Boardroom, 571 US Highway 90 East, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433

County Commission

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Summary

The Walton County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on January 14, 2025, where they approved the and took action on several items. The board approved multiple contract amendments, for grant funding to two parks, and awarded a beach vendor concession contract worth $1.53 million annually to Coastal Parasail. They also approved the purchase of property at 515 U.S. Highway 90 East (Thriftway) for $650,000, reappointed members to advisory boards, and scheduled a public meeting for January 30, 2025, to hear results on a watershed assessment. A hearing was held for the of the Blackstone Amendment, a major development application proposing to add 1,667 residential units to an existing planned unit development totaling 2,412 units on approximately 1,365 acres in the Mossy Head Community.

Why it matters

The county is investing in infrastructure and parks through grant funding, authorizing significant contracts for beach management services, and purchasing property that may be used for future county purposes. The Blackstone development amendment, if approved on , would substantially expand residential capacity in Walton County, affecting growth patterns and traffic in the Mossy Head area.

What happened

Development & zoning1 item

  • Blackstone Amendment

    held for to amend the Blackstone (DO# 13-001000012) requesting a substantial deviation to increase site acreage by 62.67 acres and add 1,667 additional residential units for a total of 2,412 units on approximately 1,365.11 acres in the Mossy Head Community. Project includes deviations from sections. was held with multiple speakers both in support and opposition.

    Where: 22-3N-21-37000-001-0011; 21-3N-21-37000-001-0050; 21-3N-21-37000-001-0052; 21-3N-21-37000-001-0020; 21-3N-21-37000-001-0030; 16-3N-21-37010-000-0010; 17-3N-21-37000-001-0010; 08-3N-21-37000-004-0000; 08-3N-21-37000-005-0000; 08-3N-21-37000-005-0022; 09-3N-21-37000-007-0010; 15-3N-21-37000-002-0000; 15-3N-21-37000-001-0181; 21-3N-21-37010-000-0200; 22-3N-21-37000-001-001A; 09-3N-21-37000-001-0110; 09-3N-21-37000-007-0000; 22-3N-21-37000-001-0013

Budget & taxes3 items

  • Beaver Dam Park FRDAP Grant Project

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    2025-01 approved on the to amend the 2025 General Fund budget for unanticipated grant revenue.

    • $200,000 · unanticipated grant revenue for Beaver Dam Park FRDAP Grant Project

  • Ghentsville Park Phase II FRDAP Grant Project

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    2025-02 approved on the to amend the 2025 General Fund budget for unanticipated grant revenue.

    • $200,000 · unanticipated grant revenue for Ghentsville Park Phase II FRDAP Grant Project

  • District 4 Staffing Authorization

    Passed 4–1 · split

    Approved one full-time equivalent and two part-time equivalents (not to exceed 29 hours per week with no benefits) for District 4 during the current Chair's term.

Other7 items

  • Managed Beach Vendor Program Concession Award

    Passed 4–1 · split

    RFP 25-01 awarded to Coastal Parasail for management of all county beach accesses for an annual concession fee of $1,530,000 for a period of two years.

    • $1,530,000 · annual concession fee to Coastal Parasail for two-year period managing all county beach accesses

  • Thriftway Property Purchase

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    Approved purchase of property located at 515 U.S. Highway 90 East for $650,000 with a closing date of January 31, 2025.

    • $650,000 · purchase price for Thriftway property at 515 U.S. Highway 90 East

    Where: 515 U.S. Highway 90 East

  • Contractor's Competency Board Appointments

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    Reappointed Robert Agerton to the building contractor seat and Bob Hoke and George Hogans to layperson seats. Changed term expiration dates from January 31 to December 31 of alternating years.

  • Coastal Dune Lakes Advisory Board Appointments

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    Reappointed Cole Taylor as the Coastal Dune Lakes On the Lake appointee and appointed Thomas Dingledy as the At Large appointee. Changed term expiration dates from January 31 to December 31 of alternating years.

  • Bicentennial Celebration Recognition

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    2025-03 adopted to acknowledge the staff and volunteers' hard work on the Bicentennial Celebration.

  • Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed Assessment Public Meeting

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    Approved scheduling and advertising a special public meeting for Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 1 p.m., to present the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed Assessment and Master Plan results.

  • Routine Items

    Passed 5–0 · unanimous

    Approved on : Expenditure Approval List totaling $5,706,706.72; prior meeting minutes; 2025 travel authorizations for Commissioners and Commissioner Glidewell's travel to Florida Model Jail Standards Committee Meeting; professional auditing services amendment with Carr, Riggs & Ingram; SHIP Mortgage satisfactions for Ruby Ellis, James J. and Tamarra D. Eichberger, Thomas R. Douglass, and Amy W. Crowley; engineering services agreement amendment with Taylor Engineering; scheduling January 28, 2025 on low speed vehicle ; No. 1 for Lord & Son Construction building facility contract; Stripe account authorization for Eagle Springs Golf and Recreation Center; acceptance of Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Annual Report; Quit Claim Deed for in Section 12, Township 1 South, Range 20 West (0.016 acres, parcel 12-1S-20-32000-007-0000); and award of RFP 25-02 for tourism five-year strategic plan to Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.

    • $5,706,706.72 · Expenditure Approval List total

    Where: 12-1S-20-32000-007-0000

Coming up

  • to consider establishing standards for the operation of low speed vehicles and amending Chapter 20 of Walton County Code · January 28, 2025
  • Special public meeting to hear results of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed Assessment and Master Plan · January 30, 2025
  • Special meeting for Executive Session regarding Florida Teepee, LLC, et al. vs. Walton County, 2022-CA-511

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