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Commissioners approve letter requesting alley abandonment and land-use change to support sheriff’s facility expansion; one commissioner abstains
Summary
The board approved sending a letter to the city asking for alley abandonment and a land-use designation change to support a secure facility and traffic reconfiguration for the sheriff’s office; the sheriff explained state appropriations and county funds would be used for the project and one commissioner abstained due to prior work on the project.
The Gulf County Board of County Commissioners voted May 20 to approve sending a letter to the City asking it to abandon an alley and to change a rear parcel’s land-use designation from residential back to commercial, a step county staff and the sheriff said is needed to support a secure facility and traffic flow changes behind the sheriff’s office.
Commissioner discussion and staff explanation said the alley currently runs through an area planned for sheriff operations; county leadership requested the alley be diverted south to connect with Sixth Street so equipment and traffic could access a rear yard and future support structures without routing through the center of the property. The sheriff briefed the board, saying he had worked to secure a state appropriation and planned to combine those funds with county funds to “harden up” utilities and secure the facility. He said the city’s prior change of the land-use designation from commercial to residential had created a new procedural hurdle that the county sought the city’s assistance to reverse.
A motion to approve the letter and to request the land-use change and alley abandonment passed (motion by Commissioner Bridgerton; second by Commissioner McCrone). One commissioner announced an abstention due to prior work on the project. The board recorded the motion as passed four in favor and one abstention.
The board directed staff to send the letter to the city and continue coordination with the sheriff’s office and other stakeholders; further land-use changes will require city action and any necessary permitting before construction can proceed.
