A bold proposal has been submitted to the BCC by newly elected District 5 Commissioner. He asked the county attorney to bring a Special Magistrate process to Walton County land development hearings. Evidently, jones, Chapman, and Anderson think this is a good idea because they agreed such an ordinance could be brought back for public hearing.
A group of developers and and attorneys have been pushing this for years. When we looked at this during the 2004-2008 term, the decision was made not to move forward with it for many reasons. First, the Special Magistrate (SM) would be selected by the BCC. This person would have a lot of power over the development process taking the Commissioners out of the "real"decision making for land development proposals. The BCC would have the final say but only after they read the "report" written by the SM within a certain number of days and bring up changes at a subsequent meeting. Do we really think they would read the whole report on multiple projects and suggest they be brought back up? If the intent is to "take the politics out" why would they bring it back up? The SM would cost the taxpayers more money when the taxpayers voted to elect decisonmakers especially on land use issues. Land use issues affect home values, quality of life, and enjoyment of home, and that's what the citizens who have spent large sums of money on homes and investment properties expect. The SM , I Believe needs to be a land use attorney. Go find a local unbiased land use attorney that no one knows and one that cannot be influenced by 3 commissioners. Public input can be taken but would not be deemed substantial competent evidence in the SM's report. it would be "window dressing" to make the public think they were still being heard. Last but not least, the SM would be judging projects by the Comp Plan. And and Development Code which is similar to an old house that has been added onto room by room over the years without a plan. Nothing works. There are inconsistencies, vague language, broad land use categories, interpretive phrases, and basically a mess that can be twisted and turned to approve anything and still declare "it meets code". if you believe the "we are fixing the plan" line , you would be foolish. The BCC has been kicking the can down the road so long that fixing the plan will now include a "developer's bonanza". Last time the BCC "fixed " the code in 2011 , the Bcc fired the Director and paid a developer's planner about $90,000 to work in planning to "fix" the code. That person left after the code was "fixed". Commercial uses of high intensity were added to South Walton's land use categories for one. Zoning could help but that was not to be. History repeats itself. Now the Director of Planning is leaving and the race is on to hire a new one. Watch this process and who is hired because it will probably mean the "developer's " person is there to "fix" the code. They have three votes "jones, Anderson and Chapman" Why not? More Snappy Turtles don't exactly create the kind of jobs they tout to create. if there is any wonder why South Walton wants "walExit" (like Brexit) , why they want independence, self rule, and government by the people who live in their communities, then this proposal is the poster child. The BCC voted 2-1 in favor of the big box retail building known as Snappy Turtles #3 located on 30A and Dalton Drive. Commissioner Comander voted no saying it was incompatible. Cecilia Jones and Bill Chapman voted for approval without much comment on why they were voting for it. Nipper and Anderson were not allowed to vote because the hearing had been continued so long that the two had not been at the first hearing in October.
I feel bad for the folks living (now trying to live on Dalton) on Dalton because the truck, garbage and tourist traffic will surely drive through their neighborhood to avoid 30A. Attend a public hearing on Tuesday, January 10th starting at 2:30 p.m. at the South Walton Annex where the Board of County Commissioners will hear the continuance of the Snappy Turtle/ 30A Trading Co. Development. You would think all five commissioners would be voting but No! The county attorney has ruled that since the first part of the hearing was before the election, only the three commissioners who heard the first part of the development proposal will be able to hear the second part.and vote on a development proposal that will add yet another Snappy Turtle to 30A.
The developer attorney continued the hearing until after the election for medical reasons. We wish the attorney well but we do not believe this is correct on the part of the county. All citizens interested in 30A should attend this hearing and provide their testimony. The proposed development is located on the south side of 30A just west of the Eastern Lake bridge. You may remember this area as the failed Hampton Inn hotel area of 30A. Citizens, it is now up to you to determine the destiny of our beloved scenic 30A. Coney Island or the unique Beaches of South Walton ? |
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January 2017
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