The Walton County Planning Commission on Aug. 7 voted to recommend a land‑use map amendment and rezoning to permit a residential subdivision, Banks Crossing, on a 121‑acre parcel off Roe Road near Highway 78.

Jessica Cantrell of Underwood Scoggins presented the case for JW Residential Group LLC and described two concurrent applications: a character‑area change from Employment Center to Suburban and a rezoning to A‑1 with a 2,400‑square‑foot minimum residential overlay (R‑1 2400 overlay). Cantrell said limited access to Highway 78, environmental constraints near the Alcovy River and wetlands and surrounding suburban development justified the change.

The nut graf: Commissioners supported the application with two proffered conditions — a buyer disclosure noting adjacency to a highway commercial corridor and enhanced, landscaped monumentation at the subdivision entrance to screen the development from Roe Road — with the applicant’s agreement. The commission’s recommendation proceeds to the Walton County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2.

Cantrell and the applicant, John and Emma Shadrach, said the plan would preserve substantial open space — roughly 40 acres of the site — and place about 54 single‑family home lots at minimum sizes consistent with the R‑1 2400 overlay. Renderings shown at the meeting indicated homes of higher quality with a homeowners association, covenants and a proffered set of conditions. Cantrell emphasized that the site’s distance from Highway 78 and environmental constraints made large commercial employment uses impractical, and that several nearby parcels already have suburban designations or residential subdivisions.

Several neighbors spoke in favor of engagement with the developer and expressed concerns about traffic and compatibility with nearby lot sizes and home prices. Danny Cook, representing Lake Mineral Landing HOA, asked for a community meeting with the developer; Jerry Rowe and other residents urged caution about added traffic onto Roe Road and state Highway 78, and recommended keeping the Roe Road frontage wooded. The lead developer agreed to retain standing timber along Roe Road outside the required opening for the subdivision entrance and to install landscaping and monument signage at the entry.

A planning commissioner moved to approve the applications “as submitted” with the two conditions (buyer disclosure and upgraded entrance landscaping). The motion passed by voice vote and will be considered by the county commissioners Sept. 2.