Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Developer Agreements Sweetbay topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission OKs Sweetbay addendum opening $3.1M impact fee spending beyond three named roads, but prioritizes Frankfort Avenue
Summary
The commission approved addendum 2 to the Saint Andrew Bay Land Company (Sweetbay) developer agreement, expanding where a $3.1 million transportation impact fee can be used within an airport perimeter while adding language that keeps Frankfort Avenue work as the first priority.
Panama City commissioners approved an amended addendum to a 2013 developers’ agreement with Saint Andrew Bay Land Company (Sweetbay) that recognizes the $3.1 million transportation impact fee originally promised by the developer and broadens the set of eligible streets the funds can support — but with an added commission commitment to prioritize Frankfort Avenue.
The item before the commission was Addendum 2 to the Sweetbay developers agreement. Historically, the 2013 agreement anticipated impact‑fee funds would be spent on Highway 390 and Baldwin Road, but those projects were completed by Florida Department of Transportation and Bay County. December 2023 amendments had redirected that money toward a set of City‑identified priorities (Frankfort Avenue, Airport Road, Lisenby Avenue).
Staff and the city manager presented a further amendment that would allow the remainder of the funds to be spent at any point within the airport plan perimeter identified in the Forest Park Mobility Plan. The amendment prompted questions about whether that change would undermine the city’s earlier commitment to improving Frankfort Avenue, and about the structural condition of a nearby bridge.
City engineers told the commission that the bridge likely needs replacement and that a full replacement could consume much or all of the $3.1 million. Sweetbay and its engineer (Dewberry) told the commission they can design and build improvements and were prepared to meet a February interlocal deadline for work up to the bridge. Commissioners pushed for language to preserve the commission’s longstanding commitment to Frankfort Avenue as the first use of the funds.
Commissioner Street and others asked for explicit prioritization. Staff proposed amending the addendum text so the expenditure clause would read that up to $3,050,000 would be spent “for Frankfort Avenue right‑of‑way and improvements” first, then for additional right‑of‑way/roadway improvements located within the plan perimeter shown on Exhibit A. The commission voted 5-0 to adopt Addendum 2 with that modification.
Commissioners and staff also discussed whether to have Sweetbay perform the work under city oversight or to run it through the city’s procurement processes. City staff said Sweetbay already has some designs and geotechnical information and could proceed faster; staff suggested the option of city oversight of Sweetbay’s work to keep the developer on schedule. The commission left procurement approach flexible but emphasized cost controls and engineering oversight.
The vote authorizes the broader use of the developer’s $3.1 million transportation impact fee inside the airport plan perimeter but keeps Frankfort Avenue as the first spending priority and preserves city oversight of design and costs.
The addendum and the amendment language will be incorporated into the developer agreement and recorded in the city’s files; the city manager and development staff will coordinate next steps with the developer and county and will update the commission as projects are advanced and bids are awarded.
