By DOTTY NIST
County commissioners have opted to hold a workshop on Walton Dunes, a beach access that they had voted two weeks earlier to approve.
The decision to hold the workshop took place at the April 26 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) regular meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
The vote followed an update on public meetings and workshops at which a beach access and parking on the property had been discussed and considered over the past several years. There was additional BCC discussion and public comment, mostly from neighbors of the property with concerns about a public beach access being put in place on the property.
Located south of Beachfront Trail in the Lakewood subdivision, Walton Dunes is approximately 2.5 acres in size. Prior to 2013 the property had been leased to Walton County by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and in 2013 ownership was conveyed to the county through a patent issued by BLM. The site is undeveloped other than for being used for access to the beach by TDC beach cleaning trucks, and Walton County Code Enforcement Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and emergency vehicles.
On April 12, after a request for direction from Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) Beach Operations Director Brian Kellenberger, the officials had voted to approve what Kellenberger termed a “minimal” beach access on the property, one of three options that he had presented.
The minimal beach access plans had included parking on the south side of Beachfront Trail, a small restroom building, and dune walkover. Due to parking being provided, this would be considered a regional rather than a neighborhood beach access.
Another option discussed at the April 12 meeting had been that of a “maximum” regional beach access consisting of parking on both the north and south sides of the road, restroom and picnic pavilions, and two dune walkovers on the property. Presented, as well, had been the option of a neighborhood beach access with one dune walkover, a small restroom, and no parking.
At the April 26 BCC meeting, newly-hired TDC Executive Director Jay Tusa provided copies of the conveyance document for the Walton Dunes property to the commissioners. Tusa also recommended holding a public workshop about the property.
Kellenberger assured the commissioners that construction of the beach access would in no way compromise the primary dune on the site.
After some additional BCC and staff discussion, District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows moved to schedule the workshop for 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 8. The motion was seconded, and District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones directed staff to get in contact with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse habitat permitting requirements for the property.
Neighboring homeowner and resident Tommy Bowden called the plans for parking along Beachfront Trail a “disaster” with respect to safety. He also expressed concern about impacts to dunes on the property.
Another neighbor, Beverly Humphrey, asked for delaying the workshop at least an additional month in order to give neighbors time to review documents related to the property and plans for the beach access. She also requested written notification of the workshop to owners of property in the vicinity of the property.
County Commission Chair Sara Comander responded that the commissioners would not be voting at the workshop, and Walton County Attorney Mark Davis advised that sending out notification letters in connection with a legislative proposal such as the beach access would set a bad precedent. Davis assured attendees that a newspaper ad would be placed to provide notification of the workshop. Commissioner Jones interjected that her office would notify anyone who had contacted them on the matter about the workshop.
There was discussion on placing a “no outlet” sign at the beginning of a 90-degree bend on Beachfront Trail, which is a dead end road on its eastern end, and on providing a “turn around” on the east end of the road.
Kristen Nostrand, another neighborhood addressing the BCC, questioned information that had been provided to the officials about the property and objected to Walton Dunes being developed as a regional beach access. She called for environmental, traffic, and parking needs studies, along with a survey to determine property ownership.
“This is about disturbing our neighborhood…it affects the quality of our life,” Beachfront Trail resident Tina Baran told the commissioners.
She urged them to come and see the neighborhood for an understanding why residents are opposed to a regional beach access there. Baran urged for areas other than Beachfront Trail to be used for beach parking.
Another neighbor, Steve Johnson, thanked the commissioners for the motion to hold the workshop. He requested that an updated topographic map of the property be obtained and presented.
The motion to hold the workshop was approved unanimously, with the workshop to take place at the South Walton Annex.