[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6290299,"mediaKeyId","2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535","parentId",2531088,"title","County staff to start internal master plan for East Milton after outside funding appears unlikely","audioSeconds",202,"startMs",3580000,"endMs",3782000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535&start=3580&end=3782","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535/thumbnail_3580000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6290299/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/County-staff-to-start-internal-master-plan-for-East-Milton-after-outside-funding-appears-unlikely","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290299-3150ba0beb551e0cbc9295b14283c1e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516562&Signature=mD2Sj6vBCzdcN4ckBaZXhPO0bdNHXPQY1ohi-jnR2M3JwAp9CcPND9kjeM1iP7NtXaVaNItqKwdqWe1Pdoi4ZusNUfqwRhBp95eqHfBSRnmn3Al6r7-M6nRgyKtwg0fIt0TBz7bE1Asi~B7nvnJ-9~F18AIzW9R4yP1xO-NaC6KEdXy5FcbT~MvFoQH1o1fanWwlr5bX~3q8VpPnWzcoJnJY1bRBEfVTa9GiqVorWwMmNeXQz-JhUZe41ZNT5livBqsFr7oN83nZhK0jZxf6k-r59HJ4wp0nO3GV1kkCESVAiVS28ACghutiGOsbw0IFBAKsc7iF9CzWVfHQqsKHdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Santa Rosa County, FL","date","2025-02-24T00:00:00Z","article","Santa Rosa County administration told commissioners it will proceed with an internal master plan for East Milton after outside funding for the study was unlikely to be awarded.

County staff said they had applied for external funding to develop a master plan covering the eastern part of District 2, but the application \"probably will not rank high enough to secure the funding.\" Planning staff prepared a scope of services and a list of topics for a master plan that would address architectural standards, densities, signage, parking, public uses, open space and gateway enhancements.

County administrators and commissioners discussed capacity and the option to use outside consultants to accelerate the work. \"I would just ask that ... if we're doing this internally, ... there is some way that this board can agree to allow for some outside input via consultant,\" one commissioner said, citing staff workload concerns. County administration said the planning and zoning team believed it could produce the plan but recommended keeping the option of consultants for public engagement or technical design tasks.

Why this matters: East Milton includes strategic properties and potential industrial or federal‑partner opportunities — including sites tied to a Navy outlying field and other large landowners — and the board has signaled interest in shaping growth for a major corridor (Highway 87) through an overlay district.

Next steps: staff will proceed with an internal master plan effort and return to the board with updates; if consultant support is required above the county's threshold, staff will notify the board and follow procurement rules. Commissioners asked staff to consider a six‑to‑twelve month timeline if external consultants are engaged to avoid an extended internal process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Santa Rosa Tiger Point - Commission Committee Meeting - February 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County administration said state funding for an East Milton master plan is unlikely to rank high enough; the planning and zoning department will prepare an internal master plan with optional consultant support and a proposed public engagement process.","taxTitle","Santa Rosa County, Florida","taxId",12792,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6290303,"Santa Rosa commissioners direct staff to study toll‑by‑plate system as part of long‑range plan for Navarre Beach bridge",5306,1903000,7209000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535&start=1903&end=7209","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535/thumbnail_1903000.jpg","/articles/6290303/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/Santa-Rosa-commissioners-direct-staff-to-study-tollbyplate-system-as-part-of-longrange-plan-for-Navarre-Beach-bridge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290303-4c21cfb82293711c92b5d50e9e4347be/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516562&Signature=DDy6fdNY22Yl4aQ0JqHaikmya3ayPhFGPB~ISkVDMKPZoztrMjvJdo1wNkdAyfKQP4PAgQFGouN~JJOqx5WAHlng2TYYubXcXfK8KanGMiP0cixArHAfg1khimL5yJx1uBHJNq8wA25x2-s743kCZYIe-k06sOwFCkeGGaMikzuE0L2NEIlaKHwUkyKWKoEcW~E3jCHkSn8r1vcQJWlZl~UtGyfMCE1q29GavkvEWNKFMDJckMdlrZmUdH~xjiUhumDxz8Vxju1bkiZj6MeaTDX-LdNy~fZ3N0VvYTMNOQN4PaE39a0n9U5k09E1i~yyEJ02dktY7y80vZ5scrAymQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Santa Rosa County commissioners directed staff to develop a design task order for a toll‑by‑plate system as part of long‑term planning for the Navarre Beach bridge and its replacement.

At public forum, multiple residents raised concerns about toll levels, pedestrian use and impacts on frequent local users and tourists. \"If 1 person goes across that bridge, you're gonna say it's $2.5 — what about our kids?\" Shannon O'Connor asked, and Carmen Reynolds urged the board to explore restricted Tourist Development Council (TDC) funds and other grant sources.

County staff summarized constraints and options. The county annually collects roughly $6.5 million in tourist development funds that are statutorily restricted; the staff said Florida law (cited in public comment as Florida Statute 125.0104) allows broader TDC use only when collections exceed a statutory threshold, so those funds are not currently available for bridge construction. Staff also said an initial PD&E (project development and environmental) planning appropriation of $1.5 million had been set aside in a prior budget year and that the total cost of a replacement bridge could range from $150 million to $300 million depending on design.

Staff described tolling options and next steps: an engineering firm would prepare a fee study and design a toll‑by‑plate system that could set distinct prices for county residents, homestead holders and visitors. Staff said a toll system could also be used to fund maintenance of the existing bridge while generating revenue for future construction. \"If we had a hundred and fifty [million dollars] for the Navarre Beach bridge today, you're still looking at seven years before somebody's driving over that bridge,\" a county staffer said, underscoring the long timeline for design and construction.

Commissioners sought safeguards and clear accounting: several said all toll revenue should be earmarked for the bridge and associated improvements and that the first year’s revenue should be directed to PD&E and planning to strengthen grant competitiveness. Commissioners noted federal and state grants are unlikely without a completed PD&E and that tolling alone would not fund a full replacement but would demonstrate local commitment when seeking matches.

Board direction: commissioners signaled consensus for staff to prepare a task order to design a toll‑by‑plate system and to bring the pricing and implementation plan back for consideration on a future agenda. County staff said it will return with a design task order and cost estimate; no change to tolling has been implemented yet.

Why this matters: the bridge is a critical connection for residents, tourists and emergency evacuation; commissioners and residents debated equity, visitor impacts and financing options for a project that would cost far more than local budgets can cover without outside funding and local revenue tools.

Next steps: staff will prepare a design task order for a toll‑by‑plate system and return to the board with the study and draft fee structures for public review and a future decision.","County staff reviewed constraints on using Tourist Development Council dollars and explained that a toll‑by‑plate system would be a revenue tool for bridge maintenance and future construction; commissioners asked staff to return with a task order to design the toll system and agreed initial toll revenue should support the bridge.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6290307,"Residents object to land‑development task force makeup; commissioners consider narrowing selection method",5930,1252000,7182000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535&start=1252&end=7182","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535/thumbnail_1252000.jpg","/articles/6290307/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/Residents-object-to-landdevelopment-task-force-makeup-commissioners-consider-narrowing-selection-method","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290307-30f775dff710179ee20d3b88879299f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516562&Signature=fA68ySz8FwpUY0MUe5K0-l4qMCopMxzpIjODn2sl3P-hDAARxPrekZXYLFm258rICUyLyhBe8BDJmJSDWUzTYiQIqLoELz5KW-BmC-zxQh4oZxSEbxUha-bZUyR~dZU9A9d9MmXeSxZ2Akro86jbPU93l6zEKOPoEHNknhSn~l3RvDAzfWbo2NFtMU888-UYHGFSCNrcqmsMrgolKfg6DrKUAMAwFjJJUVnzP89se-hgXM1RCkmUQMQFqEQ-b7ncl8rPZYs0CeuOJcEqI~WtQs7B9b4hP98F-1KPvOTotG4FBA1rUNacZ-xxfNX5Iz4AcJiMzLbRilrXNoyqx7IY8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and community groups urged Santa Rosa County commissioners to change the membership of a citizens' land development code task force they say is stacked toward building and developer interests.

Speakers at public forum described the task force as \"heavily weighted in favor of builders and real estate interests.\" Robert Smith, representing the North Santa Rosa County Utility Coalition, said his coalition \"represents over 100,000 residents in the North End of Santa Rosa County\" and asked the board to reconsider appointments and to include representation from the coalition. Enid Siskin of Gulf Breeze and Dara Hartigan of Save Our Soundside made similar requests, saying the task force should include citizens without financial ties to development.

Commissioners debated options for the panel’s size and selection method. Commissioners discussed reverting to a smaller body, with one proposal asking that each commissioner pick two people — one \"professional\" stakeholder and one \"lay\" citizen from Santa Rosa County — and to keep the group small (10 or 11 members) to avoid unwieldy meetings. Several commissioners emphasized the need for an odd number of members to avoid tied votes.

One commissioner proposed a 60‑day timeline with a tentative report at 60 days and the option for the administrator to grant a single 30‑day extension. County staff said a task force representative estimated 4–8 meetings would likely be needed to complete its limited scope.

The county clerk and staff will compile public comments and make them available to the task force, the zoning board and the board of commissioners, staff said. The board directed staff to place the LDC resolution (item 2) and the list of appointees (item 3) on the regular Thursday agenda for final action, and commissioners asked for a formal public comment capture process to ensure the task force receives community input.

Why this matters: commissioners said the task force is intended to focus on discrete chapters of the LDC — primarily stormwater/erosion controls, tree mitigation and enforcement \"teeth\"— rather than reopen the entire code. Residents and advocacy groups said past code rewrites favored development interests and urged an imbalance be corrected.

Public engagement and next steps: the board asked staff to include a commissioner response line on future agendas (three minutes per commissioner) to respond to public concerns publicly and to clarify the task force's membership and timeline at the Thursday meeting.","Public speakers said the newly proposed land development code (LDC) task force favors builders and developers; commissioners debated reducing the panel, allocating picks and setting a 60‑day reporting window and moved related agenda items to the regular Thursday meeting for final action.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6290312,"Santa Rosa outlines short‑term fixes, fines after sediment from Avalon Beach development chokes Mullet Bayou",509,444000,953000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535&start=444&end=953","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531088-61f09d1f68ad72ec6352e867cf11d535/thumbnail_444000.jpg","/articles/6290312/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/Santa-Rosa-outlines-shortterm-fixes-fines-after-sediment-from-Avalon-Beach-development-chokes-Mullet-Bayou","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290312-f52f81167385fca965feabe85d38f98b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770516562&Signature=EJ87rGdOlfLdF-xUUbph~pId19gLxJHR3GjPeNnSfjQCYybEO~7k6KIvigBN3VVlyQSIR1BesrHEJgltcAA~zpikbRo5yCCpz15KMll0YPTpmIF0QW5BYlI3BQpnHWVhR0FdqBqwFMiBaFr7GhJvovpLea8aKc~NSJALKLTywOWo9nh3FdcAUI6YpYy6N4ue876tap~s6SZrRm3cCd5r43XTVCveTshkuYI5I6Mw3hpKh2Cy9Yh6MfCk6y6HiYrD2rx3WyHlrNSQSjX0IpHd786jNZMJOjaLGAnTg3p5bL-WsOYGckN35zy3V8LFTmMKNTYoDAfWjhZrWrTs9V~0Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Santa Rosa County officials described steps to limit sediment flowing into Mullet Bayou from recent clearing and fill in the Avalon Beach area and said they will seek reimbursement from responsible parties.

County staff presented photographs and a schedule showing temporary erosion controls — riprap, check dams, hay bales and silt fencing — and said the county placed about 6 inches of rock base on Damon Drive in preparation for paving. \"We were planning to pave it tomorrow, but we got a nice soaking rain yesterday,\" a county staff member said, adding the work was rescheduled \"probably Wednesday or Thursday\" and that paving the dirt roads will be \"one of your ultimate solutions.\" The staff member said the county coordinated with the developer and instructed him to sod disturbed shoulders to limit washout.

Commissioners and several residents urged faster remediation and stronger enforcement. Robert Smith, speaking for the North Santa Rosa County Utility Coalition, said the coalition represents \"over 100,000 residents in the North End of Santa Rosa County\" and asked the board to reconsider several task force appointees while pressing for remediation. Arthur Houck and Jerry Cooley provided similar public comments calling for accountability and immediate remediation.

Why this matters: the county said red clay and other fill brought into wetlands and right‑of‑way is washing south into the conveyance that leads to Mullet Bayou. County staff and residents said that repeated rains carry that sediment into the bayou, harming water quality and fish habitat.

What the county has done and plans to do: staff said crews installed riprap in drain locations and temporary check dams and have restored a berm along the Santa Cruz right‑of‑way. The county does not intend to perform work inside jurisdictional wetlands, staff said; enforcement and wetland mitigation are matters for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which staff said has signaled it will require mitigation but did not give a timetable.

County staff quantified recent actions: county crews have performed about $23,000 in right‑of‑way improvements to control erosion and the county has levied about $45,000 in fines tied to the site, the staff member said. \"We are keeping an itemized tally,\" the staff member said, and the county will make documentation available if the board decides to seek reimbursement \"via lawsuit or otherwise.\" The staff member said the county had not worked on private property and would not do so.

Public comments pressed for stronger penalties and a remediation plan. Resident Jerry Cooley said the starting point for fines should be the estimated cost of remediation and asked for regular updates to the commission. Sherry Chapman and other speakers urged a balanced task force and said stronger LDC (land development code) enforcement is needed to prevent future problems.

Next steps and limits: county staff said the near‑term priority is paving Damon Drive and Furlong Drive and stabilizing Canopy Drive with vegetation to keep the red fill from washing south. DEP will handle wetland enforcement and potential mitigation requirements, the staff member said. The county will continue to tally labor, materials and fines and recommended the board direct staff on any pursuit of reimbursement.

Residents asked for recurring updates at commission meetings until remediation is complete and for the county to seek all available enforcement tools to restore the affected waterways.","County staff described temporary erosion controls and near‑term paving to reduce sediment runoff from recent unpermitted clearing in Avalon Beach, announced $45,000 in fines so far and said the county will seek reimbursement for $23,000 of right‑of‑way work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County staff to start internal master plan for East Milton after outside funding appears unlikely

Santa Rosa commissioners direct staff to study toll‑by‑plate system as part of long‑range plan for Navarre Beach bridge

Residents object to land‑development task force makeup; commissioners consider narrowing selection method

Santa Rosa outlines short‑term fixes, fines after sediment from Avalon Beach development chokes Mullet Bayou