By DOTTY NIST
Walton County, Fla. – The county commission has voted to acquire property for a new regional beach access in Dune Allen and other property on CR-283 in Grayton Beach that would provide for beachgoer parking.
The decisions took place at the Aug. 23 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting at the South Walton Annex.
The two properties had previously been discussed at the Aug. 9 BCC meeting.
Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) Executive Director Jay Tusa had been tasked by the BCC with bringing forward property available for county purchase for beach access, beachgoer parking, and possible related public-private partnerships, with TDC bed tax funds intended to fund these purchases.
Tusa brought before the BCC information on the available parcels and also presented proposed resolutions of legislative finding to authorize use of bed tax funds for the purchases in the interest of tourism promotion in Walton County.
New regional beach access in Dune Allen
First to be presented was a legislative finding and information on the property envisioned as a new regional beach access. The site offers approximately 220 feet of beachfront and is located southwest of Stinky’s Fish Camp restaurant in Dune Allen. It is 1.222 acres in size, according to Walton County Property Appraiser information. Approximately 50 parking spaces have been discussed for the proposed access.
Appraisals presented at the Aug. 23 meeting gave the values of $6.5 million and $4.8 million for the property, with the owner having agreed to lower his previous asking price of $7.5 million to $7.427 million.
Tusa said that although he had previously discussed the possibility of an events venue in connection with the location, he now would not support that. He said he believed that the best use for the property would be just as a beach access with parking and possibly a kiosk.
Walton County Commission Chair Sara Comander voiced support for a the possibility of a small kiosk that would provide information to the public on the beach safety flags, the Leave No Trace program, and preservation of endangered species.
District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones saw the access as a great place for teachers to bring their students. It could provide “so much education for the children,” she said.
Tusa displayed a conceptual plan for the beach access that had been provided by property owner’s representative Andy McAlexander showing parking, a boardwalk, restrooms, and a sidewalk. Tusa said the plan had not yet gone through an evaluation process by staff.
District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows suggested placing the restroom building in the center and adding lush landscaping to both sides of the property.
A number of citizens in attendance spoke in favor of purchase of the property for use as a beach access.
“We need as much public beach as possible,” said Kathy Potter, adding that a beach access at this location might take pressure off other accesses.
David Kramer voiced support and also spoke in favor of an extended feasibility period for the purchase to work out environmental concerns, with at least one additional public hearing on the matter, as some in the community had not been aware that the BCC was considering this action.
“I urge you to do it. I urge you to do it respectfully to the public,” he said.
Lisa Boushy spoke in favor of a look at using a permeable surface as an alternative to asphalt for the parking area.
Shawn Brown told the commissioners that he lives north of U.S. 98 in south Walton County, adding that he has three children that he takes to the beach.
“I would use this beach access…this is a wonderful opportunity,” he said, bringing up that his family has been “harrassed” at times when trying to enjoy the beach.
“I implore you guys, act quickly. Let’s not lose this opportunity,” Brown urged.
Dave Rauschkolb was in agreement, also speaking in favor of traffic calming in connection with the proposed access. He pointed out that there were a couple of properties where the BCC could have moved forward with beach accesses that they had not followed through with.
Jim Bagby, former TDC executive director, also went on record in support. He conveyed thanks to McAlexander for bringing the property forward for consideration.
Others spoke in opposition to the purchase.
Representing the homeowners’ association for the neighboring Dune I condominium, local attorney Will Dunaway voiced opposition, telling the commissioners that the purchase would not meet state statute requirements unless the county were going to use the property as a nature center. “Nature centers are not a park on the beach,” he said.
“The public ought to know more,” Dunaway told the commissioners.
Later he objected that the contract called for the county to pay over $1 million more than the highest appraisal.
Meadows responded that any time the county tries to obtain beach access property, “now you see what we’re up against.”
“Welcome to my world,” she said.
Chris Richardson, an owner at neighboring Whispering Sands condominium for eight years, said this was the first he had heard of the matter and also spoke in opposition. He was in agreement that more beach access was needed but spoke of a “huge parking problem on 30A.”
“Beach access is great, but not parking lots,” Richardson continued, warning of negative impacts to the area of the 50-plus parking spaces that would be associated with the access. “Dune Allen has a special flavor, and we’d like to keep it that way,” he concluded.
Urging for the purchase, Jacquee Markel said that she understands that people may not want a beach access next to them. “I get that,” she said.
There are not very many available parcels, and the BCC should take advantage of this opportunity “before the price goes up even more,” Markel argued.
“We need every beach access we can get,” she concluded.
The resolution for legislative finding for the parcel was approved unanimously. Also approved, on a motion by Jones was a contract for purchase of the property at the negotiated price of $7.427 million. Approved as part of the motion was a due diligence/feasibility period extending to Sept. 12 to allow for the use envisioned for the property to be evaluated and for the proposed funding source to be ensured, although Walton County Attorney Mark Davis said he was confident of the ability for bed tax funding to be used.
“Grayton Grand” parcel
Tusa next presented the legislative finding resolution and purchase contract for the vacant property know as the “Grayton Grand” parcel on the east side of CR-283 in Grayton Beach. This is the 7.35-acre site for which the Grayton Grand hotel and mixed use development was approved in 2003.
The property is about 7/10 mile from the beach and had been used for employee parking by Seaside at one time. As discussed at the Aug. 9 BCC meeting, uses envisioned by the county have been for beachgoer parking with a shuttle to the beach, along with other public uses in the future, including a possible amphitheater, shopping, and other retail as part of a public/private partnership.
Tusa noted that as currently situated 188 parking spaces were available on the property, with 309 permitted spaces and 783 spaces possible with a parking garage.
The negotiated price presented at the Aug. 23 meeting was $7.632 million, which was in between the two appraisals obtained.
Tusa saw the acquisition as part of “laying the foundation for what we’re going to be doing in the community for the next 50 years.”
“I see a lot of potential for this piece of property,” Comander commented.
District 3 Commissioner Bill Imfeld said he concurred that “we’ve got to be looking long range,” and moved for approval of the legislative finding resolution.
“I agree,” Meadows said.
The motion carried unanimously.
The purchase contract for the CR-283 parcel was presented with an understanding for a due diligence/feasibility period of up to 30 days and a Sept. 29 scheduled closing date.
Imfeld moved for approval of the contract with the conditions stated.
David Kramer told the commissioners that they would be able to find a “better deal” on other parcels for parking if they were considering shuttling people to the beach. He said he did not support the purchase due to the cost.
Kramer also asked the commissioners to disclose whether they had received campaign contributions from the owner of the parcel, Jay Odom.
Meadows responded that she did not think she had received any such contributions. Comander commented that the other commissioners could respond if they wished to— but that all campaign contributions for the past 10 years were public record and were available to the public. “I have not,” she said.
Like Kramer, Jim Bagby was of the opinion that the county would be overpaying for a parking lot in approving the contract. He was of the opinion that the reason the property had appraised at the level it had was due to the development order previously issued for the mixed-use project on the parcel.
Imfeld’s motion for approval of the purchase contract carried 4-1, with Jones voting no.
Property at another location, north of CR-30A and adjacent to the Old Florida Village subdivision, which was available to the county, had also been discussed at the Aug. 9 BCC meeting as a possible location for beachgoer parking, possibly combined with other public uses. However, the latter property was removed from the agenda and was not considered at the Aug. 23 meeting.