Planning board approves Windmark Beach West Unit 1 phase; county official urges attention to traffic and DRI accounting

The Planning and Development Review Board on July 14 approved a development order for the first phase of Windmark Beach West Unit 1, which the applicant said consists of 43 single-family lots in the west unit. The applicant’s representative presented the phase as a partial build-out of a larger development; staff confirmed the submission reduces the number of lots from earlier approvals and is limited to a phase rather than the full original entitlement. During public comment after the approval, Jeremy, speaking on behalf of Gulf County, said the county previously raised issues related to the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) for Windmark and asked that the 43-unit phase be counted in regional totals and traffic-impact discussions. He asked the PDRB to note county correspondence to the city and recommended highlighting traffic impacts on Back Beach Road. He said county leaders want the city and the planning board to work with the Florida Department of Transportation on traffic concerns. City staff confirmed the city had written to DOT in support of coordination. The board approved the phase on a motion; the transcript records a motion to approve and unanimous carry when called. The board did not record additional conditions on the transcript beyond the materials submitted. The county representative said the county will continue to monitor annexations and development approvals and that county commissioners may seek mediation or other actions if voluntary annexations proceed without county–city agreement. The approved phase is a partial entitlement of the overall Windmark project and, per the county representative, should be considered in ongoing DRI and traffic discussions between the city, county, and DOT. The planning board’s approval enables the applicant to continue the local permitting process for the approved lots.