Council debates purchase of Calhoun parcel for parking; directs engineering study for Calhoun and Hickory options

The Destin City Council spent extended time considering whether to acquire 446 Calhoun for additional parking serving the Dalton 3B0 Park and adjacent areas. The council declined to approve a direct purchase at the meeting but directed staff to pursue engineering studies for multiple options.

Councilman Kevin Schmidt moved to direct the city manager and city attorney to execute a purchase contract using the Florida Bar residential form for $400,000. The motion received a second and drew prolonged debate. City staff told council the owner’s final asking price was $400,000, below the appraisal, and that engineering estimates to convert the parcel to a paved parking lot would add roughly $500,000 to $600,000 for drainage and site work. Staff estimated roughly 70 parking spaces could fit on a fully paved lot depending on stormwater requirements.

Councilmembers raised several concerns: the site’s slope and drainage, uncertainty about wetlands and required stormwater work, the potential cost per parking space, impacts on adjacent neighbors, and whether alternative city-owned or right-of-way options north of Hickory could meet needs at lower cost. One council member recommended considering pervious pavement or permeable pavers to reduce retention-area needs; staff said permeability rules and local code applicability needed confirmation.

The purchase motion was called to a vote and failed (recorded in the meeting as 1–6). Rather than approve the acquisition, council later approved a substitute motion directing the city manager to ask a firm on the city’s continuing engineering contract to prepare an engineered plan to maximize parking at the Calhoun site and to evaluate the Hickory/Calhoun right-of-way option. That motion passed with a council vote recorded as 5–2. The direction included authority for the manager to proceed within administrative spending limits to obtain the design work.

Funding questions: staff said the city’s parking fund has approximately $2,000,000 in revenue and could be a source for acquisition and improvements, but council members requested more precise cost-per-space estimates and exploration of grants or partnerships (Little League, other donors) before approving large expenditures.

Next steps: staff will engage a continuing-contract engineer to deliver a site plan and cost estimate for Calhoun and to evaluate the Hickory right-of-way alternative. Council instructed staff to return findings to the council before any purchase or large construction commitment.

“I believe we should act on purchasing the property, and then we'll figure out the next steps afterwards because it's going to go into the marketplace,” Councilman Kevin Schmidt said at one point; other members emphasized caution and due diligence.