THE DEFUNIAK HERALD - BREEZE

March 16, 2006



HERALD-BREEZE HEADLINES...



Walton County Commissioners and Staff Travel to Washington D.C.

Flu Pandemic Tabletop Exercise held at EOC

Lifeguard Program Gets Its Feet Wet

Selling Seaside by the Seashore

By LEAH STRATMANN

   Unless it's a small town in Georgia and Kim Basinger wants to buy it, towns are not generally for sale, yet rumors about the sale of the "town" of Seaside swirled around south Walton County like a windstorm last week.

   "That's a rumor I want to squash right now," said Rick Severance, CEO of Seaside. "Intrawest is only purchasing the operations of the cottage rental space. We are retaining the development owned assets of Seaside," he said.

   Severance indicated the reason for the sale was the desire of Daryl and Robert Davis, the founders of Seaside, to focus on the completion of the town center, which Severance estimates will take five years to finish. "We are still here and we are still very vibrant," Severance declared.

   "There are approximately 250 rentals managed and operated by the Seaside Cottage Rental Agency," Severance noted. "Seaside Community Development Corporation will continue to run the retail division in downtown."

   "Being invited to the table is a natural fit for Intrawest, which is striving to grow and diversify its business by acquiring new assets that fit the Intrawest model," said Mike Stange, vice president, southeast region of Intrawest Corporation. "Seaside is a perfect match for Intrawest. It has the same mix of stakeholders such as employees, homeowners, commercial merchants, visitors, business travelers and local customers. Like Seaside, Intrawest believes in creating a complete community experience. Like Seaside, Intrawest believes in the value of preserving a community's sense of place. But beyond philosophy, Intrawest has solid processes, resources and experience at the ready for a successful rental management program. We believe our business approach will provide Seaside even more success and stability."

   According to a press release issued by Intrawest's the sale will be completed on March 17, 2006.  Although neither Severance nor Intrawest would disclose the selling price of the rental piece of the business, he did say, "We are very fortunate to be partnered with Intrawest. We believe they will enhance the operations and take it to the next level."

   Severance noted the rental side of Seaside's business employs about 150 people full time, most of whom he expects to be retained by Intrawest. He declared the rental market at Seaside to "stable and very strong" despite storms last year which affected the rental market all along the Panhandle.

   Intrawest Corporation has interests in 10 resorts at North America's mountain destinations, including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Intrawest owns Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world, and an interest in Abercrombie & Kent, a leader in luxury adventure travel. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

County Agrees to Aid Seawall Owners


By DOTTY NISTbr>
       Walton County is "testing the waters" for interest in a county-facilitated habitat protection agreement aimed at addressing issues related to the alleged "taking" of federally protected endangered species habitat.

       Under the proposal, Walton County would conduct the application procedure for the agreement, with individual property owners who constructed temporary post-Hurricane Dennis beach armoring serving as applicants. According to Gary Demers of the Walton County Building Department, 241 county property owners applied for temporary armoring structures such as sea walls and geotubes.

       On Monday, Walton County Attorney David Hallman addressed a standing-room-only gathering at the South Walton Courthouse Annex regarding the proposal.

       Hallman noted that after the Walton County Board of County Commissioners' (BCC) July 2005 decision to approve and permit temporary armoring on the beach as an emergency measure, the county had encountered some "threatening letters and press" about the need for an incidental take permit or permits to mitigate for impacts on endangered species habitat on the beach.

       In Jan. 2006, Janet Mizzi, deputy field supervisor for the USDA Fish and Wildlife Service, had written to the BCC to state that any of the temporary armoring permits issued by Walton County between the passage of Hurricane Dennis in July through Oct. 27, 2005 (the emergency order period) could potentially result in incidental take of federally protected species, including sea turtles, beach mice, and piping plovers.

       "The County and the individual property owners are subject to law enforcement prosecution under the Endangered Species Act if take of a federally protected species is documented from the armoring while not covered under an incidental take permit," Mizzi wrote.

       Mizzi recommended that Walton County, as an entity, apply for an incidental take permit to mitigate its action in permitting the coastal armoring. If that were to happen, Mizzi stated, Fish and Wildlife "would not anticipate seeking prosecution" in connection with incidental take issues.

       The plan the county is proposing calls for any costs associated with a mitigation agreement, a habitat conservation plan, to be borne by the property owners who constructed seawalls to protect their beachfront structures from further post-Hurricane Dennis erosion damage.

       The cost for the conservation plan is estimated conservatively at $250,000, a cost that would be divided on a "fair-share" basis among property owners who had constructed armoring structures and who voluntarily agreed to participate.

       The agreement, which is yet to be developed, could include such elements as beach or dune restoration, a sea turtle lighting ordinance, a feral cat control program, or the setting aside of beachfront property for conservation. It would require the approval of the county, Fish and Wildlife, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Wildlife Commission.

       Hallman said that a grant is available that may pay some or all of the cost associated with the conservation agreement. The deadline for the grant application is March 20, so the county is working quickly to gauge interest and meet that deadline if there is sufficient response.

       Attendees interested in participating were asked to sign a sheet of paper. While signing up is not binding at this point, Hallman urged property owners to get involved early, since any costs could be greater for those getting involved at a later date. Those failing toparticipate could be faced with setting up their own habitat conservation agreement with the agencies for their property, he noted.


       The property owners who constructed temporary armoring under the county emergency permits were required to either remove their armoring within 60 days of completion or apply for a state permit to leave the structure in place permanently. Many of the attendees had submitted state applications.

       In response to a question, Hallman clarified that the purpose of the county's habitat conservation agreement proposal is to address the impacts of the temporary armoring as opposed to that of structures being left in place on a permanent basis. The agreement should have no affect on the applications under review by the state, he commented.

       "Does this protect us from prosecution?" beachfront property owner Linda Hildreth asked regarding the proposed agreement.

       Hallman did not guarantee that it would do so. He recommended that anyone who had constructed armoring and who had not consulted with a attorney regarding liability in connection with endangered species protection should do so as soon as possible.

       He told the gathering that there would be additional meetings on the subject of the agreement in the event of sufficient interest by property owners.

Beach project continues at Four Mile Village

       The western Walton County/Destin beach restoration project is proceeding through Four Mile Village this week, Brad Pickel reported.

       Pickel, beach management director for the South Walton Tourist Development Council, said some delay with the large-scale beach nourishment project was experienced last week due to large waves. The waves forced the project to be shut down beginning on Thursday until the gulf became calmer on Saturday, he reported.

       Pickel said 3,600 feet of beach, or 9.7 percent of the project, has now been completed.

       He anticipates that the restoration of the Four Mile Village beachfront will be completed by the end of the week. This will put the project at its easternmost point next to Topsail Hill State Preserve.

       Pickel expects restoration work move to the Sandestin area near Southwinds Condominiums and be underway at that location by the weekend. From that point, plans are for the restoration project to progress westward.

       Construction is expected to continue through the Sandestin area and Gulf Pines during the week of March 20, approaching Hidden Dunes.

       Continually updated information on the restoration is available on the project web site www.protectwalton beaches.com.  

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