By DOTTY NIST
A land use change required in connection with a robotics lab warehouse proposed for the Villa Tasso community was turned down on Feb. 9, with the result that the actual proposal for the project was not heard as scheduled by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC).
The proposal was on the agenda as Niceville High School Robotics Lab at the Feb. 9 regular meeting of the BCC at the South Walton Annex.
A group of robotics team members from the high school and team instructors were present for the BCC meeting. Also present were some neighbors of the project who were opposed to the lab warehouse locating in their vicinity.
Applicant Chris Neiger, a mentor for the robotics team at Niceville High School, told the commissioners that this was his fourth year with the team. He said the participants needed a place to practice and that after unsuccessfully searching for rental space he had purchased the Villa Tasso property for the purpose.
Neiger said his intent was to build a full-size arena for robotics practice, a wide-open warehouse with men’s and women’s restrooms. A 6,000-square-foot building was proposed.
The 1.59-acre property is located at 203 Joseph Avenue within an area currently classified as Rural Village, a predominantly-residential classification. Existing uses surrounding the property include SR-20 to the north, vacant property to the east, multi-family residential to the south, and single-family residential to the west, according to a staff report for the proposed land use change. Land use classifications surrounding the property are Rural Village on the east, south and west and Eglin Air Force Base and Industrial on the north, according to the report.
A land use change from Rural Village was a requirement for the request. County planning staff presenting information on the proposal indicated that a change to an Institutional land use category would have been the most appropriate for the robotics lab use—and would have been proposed if not disallowed due to the property being privately owned. Vivian Shamel of Walton County Planning said there had been agreement that Light Industrial would be the appropriate land use category to request.
Jamie Eubanks, an engineer representing the applicant, noted that the building would also be used by other robotics teams in the area, including the South Walton High School robotics team. He said all vehicles on the property would be residential vehicles.
Al Laroe, a teacher at Niceville High School who lives in Walton County, said that Neiger was solving a problem for the robotics team by getting the property for team practice. Laroe said the Niceville team was helping the Walton County robotics team “get things going.”
The county commissioners were complimentary about the project, with District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman calling it “admirable” for Neiger to try to help the robotics teams in this way. District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows also referred to the project as “a great cause” at one point during the meeting.
However, there was commissioner comment about other less harmonious uses that could be made of the property in the future if a change to Light Industrial were approved. Chapman brought up the possibility of the property being sold to another person within a few years.
Speaking for himself and other neighboring residents and property owners, 35-year Villa Tasso resident Richard Sisk complained that the project could result in a reduction of their property values. He also warned that approval of the land use change would encourage the encroachment of Industrial south of SR-20. Existing nonconforming uses in the area are smaller than the proposed lab warehouse, Sisk added.
Alice Monroe, whose home is to the west across the street from the project location, said she did not think anyone would like to see a 6,000-foot warehouse go in next to their home.
Meadows moved to deny the land use change, with Chapman seconding for discussion. County Commissioner Chair Sara Comander commented that the property was in her district and that she did very much favor the project itself but did not feel comfortable with the land use change. Chapman continued to speak of his concern about impacts on residential neighbors—and that with the Industrial classification there could be other future uses with greater negative impact on the particular area.
District 3 Commissioner Bill Imfeld observed that the decision was a tough one but that he did want to “support our youth.”
“I think they’re our future,” he said.
“While I like Niceville people, I think that we have to look after our residents,” Meadows countered.
District 2 Cecilia Jones observed that the applicant had gone out of his way to find a place elsewhere for the team practice before acquiring the Villa Tasso property.
“This project would be used by our Walton County youth as well as Okaloosa, so I would support it,” she said.
A vote was taken, with the land use change denied in a 3-2 vote. Due to the failure of the land use change the accompanying robotics lab warehouse proposal could not be considered.