By DOTTY NIST
Inn at the Gulf, a hotel and restaurant development proposed for the southwest side of the CR-30A/U.S. 98 intersection adjacent to Rosemary Beach, has garnered final approval.
The decision took place at the March 26 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the Walton County Courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.
The project is to consist of a total of 14,338 square feet on the 5.74-acre project site, and there are to be 125 rooms in the hotel.
Part of the project site is classified Neighborhood Infill and part is Village Mixed use,
Concerns aired regarding the project at the planning commission level regarding lock-out doors were satisfied by the elimination of 25 doors from the proposal.
During citizen comments at the March 26 meeting, Mary Nielson expressed concern that renters staying in the hotel’s two-bedroom suites would be bringing more than one vehicle, possibly overloading the parking area.
Proponents of the project responded that 50 parking spaces above those required by code were being provided.
In response to a question, they also said that buffering was being provided per code—and that a photometric study had been done regarding a fence that would accompany the buffering in order to make sure that lighting would not cause disturbance to adjoining property.
The proposal was approved in a 4-0 vote following a motion by District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman.