By DOTTY NIST
The Grayton Beach Neighborhood Plan Overlay, a multi-year effort of residents of the historic community, has been approved, minus one proposed section.
The decision took place at the Feb. 10 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) regular meeting at the South Walton Annex.
The plan applies to the area south of CR-30A between Grayton Beach State Park and Western Lake on the east and Grayton Dunes State Park to the west, excluding the Lake Place community.
The plan proposes to preserve the character of the community, which was founded in 1890, preserve past development patterns and land uses, and protect the community’s Residential Preservation Area (RPA) designation with single-family residences dominating the planning area.
Building heights for new construction in Grayton Beach have previously been limited to 40 feet above mean elevation, due to an ordinance approved in 2000 applying to the community. The neighborhood plan does not alter that height limitation—nor impact the terms of an ordinance approved in 1997 applying to sale and consumption of alcohol.
The plan provides for clustering on lots for tree preservation and for reduction of rear setbacks on residential lots abutting alleys from 15 feet to five feet, per a recommendation from the Walton County Zoning Board of Adjustment.
There is also a provision for nonconforming uses, structures and properties within the community to continue as long as otherwise lawful.
No architectural or landscaping controls are mandated with the plan, but lot owners are strongly encouraged to landscape right-of-ways adjacent to their property.
In the interest of keeping the community’s “Old Florida” character, outside of emergencies, the plan provides for the neighborhood to be notified of infrastructure development or changes such as paving, road resurfacing, tree trimming, alteration of alleys, or cutting of vegetation. Per request of the neighborhood, street widths and block sizes are not be modified, nor roadways widened, and drainage ditches, swales, or excessive removal of vegetation are discouraged along roads in the community. Alleys are to remain unpaved and used primarily for pedestrian access and/or access to corresponding residential properties. Use of alleys for new commercial parking or new commercial purposes is disallowed as of the adopted date of the ordinance.
The plan limits all rental signs to four square feet beginning 90 days from its effective date. It also requires rental signs to be mounted on rental houses or fences. The ordinance prohibits free-standing signs unless not visible from the road. Free-standing sign size is limited to four square feet.
The plan provides for emergency lanes to be designated as no parking areas in order for the South Walton Fire District to have unobstructed access to Grayton Beach.
At the Feb. 10 commission meeting, the residents were complimented on the job they had done on the plan as a whole.
Most discussion at the meeting involved Section 20 of the plan, which would have provided for one beach driving permit per lot to be made available to owners of residential lots in the plan area and their immediate family members. This was proposed to be in addition to permits already issued through the county’s beach driving program.
Grayton Beach resident and neighborhood representative Billy Buzzett had been asked to bring forward information on the number of beach driving permits that would be involved with Section 20 of the plan. From his research he had determined that there were around 70 lot owners who did not already have beach driving permits though the current county program.
Buzzett told the commissioners that the community request would be for 50 permits and “not more than that.” The 50 permits would be for people not already having one, and the neighborhood would work with the county on a plan for issuance of those permits, Buzzett pledged.
Walton County Administrator Larry Jones suggested that the proposed expansion of beach driving permits be dealt with through the Walton County Beach Driving Ordinance rather than as part of the neighborhood plan. “I think it would be better in the ordinance,” he said.
Walton County District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows disagreed, expressing reluctance to “open up” that ordinance for revision.
There was public comment by a number of citizens in opposition to the privilege of a beach driving permit being part of the neighborhood plan.
A motion by Meadows to approve the plan, with an addition to Section 20 specifying a maximum of 50 beach driving permits, failed in a 2-3 vote.
Approved 4-1 was a motion by District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander to approve the plan with Section 20 removed—and to direct staff to work on proposed language for the beach driving ordinance providing for the additional permits for the Grayton Beach community.
