Okaloosa County commissioners approve land-use change, tourist tax update, sidewalk and stormwater grants and a county-assets resolution

Okaloosa County commissioners on Feb. 18 recorded multiple unanimous votes on planning, tourism and infrastructure items.

The board approved a small-scale future land use map amendment and companion rezoning for a 0.42-acre property at 702 Bayou View Drive in Fort Walton Beach. Growth-management staff said the parcel abuts existing commercial zoning and that the change continues development along the commercial corridor. The planning commission had unanimously recommended approval at its Dec. 12, 2024 hearing. "This is a small scale land use map amendment and rezoning ... property contains about 0.42 acres," staff said during the hearing. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve both the future land use map amendment and the rezoning.

Commissioners also adopted an ordinance amending the county's Tourist Development Plan to reflect collection of six pennies of tourist development tax countywide, including an updated two-year budget as required by state statute. Charlotte Dunwood of the tourism department told the board the update is needed because the county will have six pennies countywide effective March 1; the ordinance was adopted unanimously.

Public Works presented two grant awards. The board accepted a $951,952 grant to construct nearly a mile of sidewalks on the north side of South Avenue and Pocahontas Avenue from James Lee Road to Eglin Parkway; staff said no county match is required and construction must be complete by the end of the calendar year. The board also accepted a $1,500,000 grant for stormwater improvements in the Lloyd Street/Mayflower area to improve drainage and water quality; the project includes a hydrodynamic separator and carries a $1,600,000 match to be funded with surtax dollars. Both grants were approved and the county administrator was designated as authorizing official to sign associated documents.

Separately, the board approved a resolution introduced by Commissioner Goodwin that, according to his remarks, formally recognizes major county assets (airports, fairgrounds, parks and similar countywide facilities) as belonging to county residents at large and states that major decisions regarding listed assets above the county administrator level should be made by a majority vote of the board. After discussion about districts and constituent access, the board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

Votes at a glance - Future land use map amendment (Step 1 Investments, LLC; 702 Bayou View Drive, Fort Walton Beach): approved unanimously; property ~0.42 acres; planning commission recommended approval (12/12/2024). - Rezoning (companion to above; suburban residential to general commercial C-3): approved unanimously. - Tourist Development Plan amendment (reflect countywide 6 pennies and 24-month budget update): ordinance adopted unanimously. - South Avenue / Pocahontas Avenue sidewalk grant: $951,952 award; no county match; construction completion required by end of calendar year; approved unanimously. - Lloyd Street / Mayflower stormwater grant: $1,500,000 award; $1,600,000 county match from surtax; construction deadline mid-2026; approved unanimously. - Resolution on county assets (board majority decision on listed countywide assets): adopted unanimously.

Why it matters: The land-use approval enables a continuation of an existing commercial corridor in Fort Walton Beach; the tourist development plan amendment aligns county ordinance with tax collection changes effective March 1; the infrastructure grants bring nearly $2.45 million in outside funds for sidewalks and drainage, with the stormwater project requiring a local match from surtax funds; and the resolution clarifies the board's intent that major county assets be treated as countywide resources and that decisions above the administrator level be made by a majority vote of the board.

What to watch next: staff will finalize agreements and project schedules for the sidewalk and stormwater grants, and the county administrator will be authorized to sign grant documents; the resolution may affect how future asset-related decisions are routed to the full board.