By DOTTY NIST
Recommendations on public parking from Grayton Beach to Seagrove were provided at a July 8 special meeting of the Walton County Board of County Commissioners.
Tonia Nation of AVCON made the presentation at the meeting, which took place at the South Walton Annex. AVCON had been enlisted by the county for an assessment of public parking along Scenic Gulf Drive and CR-30A. For in-depth discussion of AVCON’s recommendations, the study area had been divided into three east-west segments, and the July 8 meeting was devoted to the second segment.
Beginning with the first focus area of the segment, Grayton Beach, Nation noted that there are 68 existing public parking spaces in the community. She suggested the addition of parking along the right-of-way, including parallel spaces on the CR-30A right-of-way in the area of Grayton Beach State Park and along the west side of CR-283. Further south, she observed, a number of businesses depend on right-of-way parking, although the practice of using shuttles to bring employees to and from work is growing, which has freed up some parking. She suggested that the county pursue leasing property at the corner of Hotz Avenue and Banfill Street to provide additional parking for beachgoers, utilizing a natural surface, which could add 27 potential spaces.
With the implementation of the recommendations, Nation envisioned the addition of 95 parking spaces in the Grayton Beach community within one to five years.
Another suggestion was that the county pursue an agreement with Grayton Beach State Park for free or reduced-rate parking in the park’s 200-space lot.
Turning to WaterColor, Nation reported limited parking spaces in the right-of-way, with most parking located within the community, much of that configured in parking lots. Right-of-way parking was counted as 18 spaces, with 102 public parking spaces existing at the Van Ness Butler, Jr., Regional Beach Access on the north side of CR-30A.
Nation observed that this regional access is never full and that enhanced signage is needed in order for it to be better utilized. There was no recommendation for an increase in parking spaces for the community.
At Seaside, Nation remarked, the 77 parking spaces in the right-of-way are filled to capacity most of the year. This public parking has already been formalized through an agreement between the county and Seaside, she reported. There was no recommendation for additional public parking, but Nation did recommend more east/west beach signage directing the public to the Butler regional beach access. She observed that Seaside uses a shuttle service for employees and guests that helps with the large parking demand that exists in the area.
Turning to the last area of study to be discussed at the meeting, Nation observed, “Seagrove is our largest focus area.” She commented that there are a number of neighborhood beach accesses in the community for which no parking is provided, with several of these accesses located within a short span. Nation recommended formalizing 35 parking spaces along CR-395 that are already in use by beachgoers and businesses. She did not recommend right-of-way parking along CR-30A for the neighborhood beach accesses near CR-395, as the right-of-way is very narrow along that section of CR-30A. What was recommended was the addition of bike racks for the neighborhood beach accesses and signage to direct more beachgoers to regional beach accesses.
County Commission Chairman Bill Chapman brought up the county’s plans to add a turn lane at the CR-395/CR-30A intersection and asked if that project would affect AVCON’s recommendations. Nation pledged to look at those plans and evaluate them for any potential impact.
In connection with the regional beach accesses at Santa Clara Street, San Juan Avenue, and Montigo Avenue, Nation recommended the addition of only four parking spaces, with those to be added along CR-30A for Montigo, bringing the number of parking spaces in the area to a total of 86. She added that a drainage study would be needed prior to a recommendation for more spaces in that area.
Further east along CR-30A, no additional parking was recommended until the Eastern Lake area, where five to 10 cars have been observed parking along the Eastern Lake Road right-of-way. Nation recommended formalization of this parking, along with adding bike racks at the two neighborhood beach accesses in the area and signage encouraging the use of regional beach accesses.
Bike racks were also the recommendation for the Port Property near San Roy Road and Beachside Drive, as those right-of-ways are narrow. Consideration might be given to the county acquiring land in that area, Nation suggested.
No additional parking was recommended for the Sugar Dunes area. However, Nation commented that Walton County would have the opportunity to “do a lot” in connection with county-owned property at Beachfront Trail, including 16 to 20 parking spaces and possibly a restroom.
Summarizing the situation for the Seagrove focus area, Nation counted 128 existing public parking spaces, envisioning the addition of 45 spaces over the next one to five years and 63 more within the next five to 15 years.
Information on the study is available on the Walton County web site, www.co.walton.fl.us, by selecting “Services,” “Document Center,” and “Public Information” for a listing including files on the study.
A presentation on the easternmost and final leg of the study, extending from Seacrest to the eastern end of the county, is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Aug. 12 at the South Walton Annex.
