By DOTTY NIST
On the Walton County Planning Commission agenda for Aug. 14 is a long-term master plan proposal by the St. Joe Company that includes 13,284 acres in Walton County.
The majority of St. Joe’s 46,192-acre Bay-Walton Sector Plan is located in Bay County. The Bay-Walton Sector Plan is an expansion of the development company’s previously-approved West Bay Sector Plan.
The sector planning process is set forth in Florida Statutes. The first step in the process is adoption of the long-term master plan. The second step is to be the adoption of a series of Detailed Specific Area Plans (DSAPs) for smaller areas in the planning sector.
Future land uses of property within the Walton County portion of the Bay-Walton Sector Plan include Coastal Center, Coastal Village One, Conservation, General Agriculture, and Traditional Neighborhood Development. The 13,284 acres are located generally west of the Bay County line, east of Point Washington State Forest, south of SR-20 and Black Creek Road, and north of U.S. 98, with the exception of the WaterSound North Development of Regional Impact (DRI). The Walton County portion of the plan does encompass this previously-approved 2,245-acre DRI, which is situated both north and south of US. 98 in southeastern Walton County.
The St. Joe Company has indicated that build-out for the sector plan could take as long as 50 years, depending on area growth and market conditions.
Once clearing the planning commission, the proposed master plan will proceed to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for a determination.
In addition to review by Bay and Walton counties, the plan will undergo review by state and regional agencies.
The Aug. 14 Walton County Planning Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and take place at the South Walton Annex.
Information on the Bay-Walton Sector Plan is available on the web site www.Bay-WaltonSectorPlan.com.
