The Walton County Planning Commission on May 1 recommended rezoning 1 acre at 5495 Highway 20 from A-1 to B-2 to permit minor auto repair and outside vehicle storage, approved a conditional-use request for outside storage, and recommended a variance reducing the transitional buffer on the east side from 50 feet to 25 feet. The commission forwarded the package to the Board of Commissioners with conditions addressing fencing, screening and lighting.

Engineer Michael Greenlee, representing the owner, described the property near Lance Court as a commercial node where neighboring lots have similar outdoor vehicle parking uses. "We'd be doing something very similar to that to start with, the conditional use," Greenlee said, describing phased development that would initially use the lot for vehicle storage and later add a small repair facility when funding allows.

Owner Jim Sheehy (recorded as "Jim Sheedy") said the site would store operational, high-end vehicles and perform minor maintenance such as oil changes and brake pads to prepare cars for resale. He told the commission the vehicles are roadworthy and not salvage units, and described security measures: 32 HD cameras, PTZ coverage, an alarm and high-output LED lighting directed onto the lot. "We have 32 HD cameras. We have, laser surveillance. If you walk into the lot after 7PM, the alarm goes off," Sheehy said.

Commissioners placed three conditions on approval: install perimeter fencing and evergreen plantings within the buffer that extend above the fence to screen parked vehicles; ensure lighting is focused on the lot and shielded to avoid off-site illumination; and maintain screening landscaping (replace dead screening trees in a timely fashion). One commissioner also urged the applicant to address maintenance of an existing off-site property that contains deteriorated screening, noting the commission lacks enforcement authority over unrelated parcels but asked that screening be cared for on the subject site.

Because the Planning Commission’s action is advisory, the recommendation and conditions will appear in the Board of Commissioners packet next month for final action.