Commissioners approve rezoning for DW Site Work property after applicant confirms plan for sand pit

Walton County commissioners approved, by voice vote, a small-scale future land use amendment with rezoning for an 11.86-acre property on the south side of Highway 90 West, permitting industrial and extractive uses including a sand (bar) pit, county planners and the applicant said at the Jan. 28 meeting.

Ayanna Reed, senior planner with Walton County Planning and Development Services, presented the item as a first reading to approve by ordinance for project number FLU24-000020. The application, submitted by Jenkins Engineering on behalf of DW Site Work, LLC, requested changing the property’s future land use from Rural Residential to Industrial and Extractive Uses (or a lesser category) and rezoning from Rural Residential to Heavy Industrial (or a lesser district). Reed told commissioners the Planning Commission had unanimously recommended approval (6–0) and that the site is in FEMA flood zone X. Staff entered the packet and staff report into the record.

During the hearing a commissioner asked whether the request included a land-use agreement prohibiting mining. Scott Jenkins of Jenkins Engineering, appearing for the applicant, said the owners (Derek and Katie Watson, owners of DW Site Work) intend to operate a “bar pit” on the property; he described the owners as a small site-work company with roughly two trucks. Jenkins said the site is adjacent to an existing salvage yard and near other sand pits.

A commissioner said they were “real crazy about ROPs” but moved reluctantly to approve; another commissioner seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tally. Planning staff and the applicant noted no public comments had been received at the hearing.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve ordinance to adopt FLU24-000020 and rezoning for DW Site Work, LLC — passed (voice vote; no roll-call tally provided).