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Blackstone PUD amendment draws heavy public comment; board schedules second hearing Feb. 11
Summary
A contested first reading of a major PUD amendment for the Blackstone golf-course property in Mossyhead drew hours of public comment on traffic, septic vs. central sewer, lot size and community compatibility. The board set a second public hearing for Feb. 11 to continue consideration.
The Walton County Board of County Commissioners held the first of two public hearings Jan. 14 on a proposed amendment to the Blackstone planned unit development in Mossyhead. The application seeks to expand the PUD acreage and increase the maximum number of residential units from the PUD’s current allowance to 2,412 units, conditioned on hook‑up to central sewer and phased build‑out.
Why it matters: The amendment would substantially increase allowable housing on a long‑discussed tract north of U.S. 90; residents raised traffic, water, septic, environmental and compatibility concerns. The PUD is adjacent to county infrastructure and the Mossyhead area; the board set a second public hearing for Feb. 11 so staff, applicants and the public can follow up on requests for information.
What happened: Planning staff and the applicant presented the project and technical materials, including traffic, environmental and engineering reports. The project team described a phased plan with the first phase covering about 947 lots, a 25‑foot wooded buffer around adjacent residences, and a developer commitment to fund necessary sewer upgrades. The applicant also offered to donate 30 acres of newly acquired land to the Walton County School District and to reserve a front parcel for commercial use.
Public reaction: More than three dozen people spoke at the hearing. Many asked the board to deny the amendment or limit it to the previously‑approved density (745 units). Common themes included: - Traffic and safety: Residents and local business owners said U.S. 90, County Road 285 and local connectors (High Note/Laird/Coyote roads) already face congestion and safety risks; speakers warned that the scale of the project would make conditions worse and challenged state and regional agencies’ timing for road improvements. - Compatibility and lot size: Several speakers urged preserving larger lots and existing rural character rather than the narrow‑lot, “cracker‑box” concept some said the applicant described; they argued clustered small lots would be incompatible with the area. - Utilities and environment: Commentators questioned whether sewage and stormwater systems could safely support extensive development, and they disputed comparisons in a low appraisal cited elsewhere in the meeting.
Next steps: Because the application is a conceptual PUD amendment, commissioners did not adopt a final decision on Jan. 14. The board set the second required public hearing for Feb. 11 and asked the applicant and county staff to use the interval to supply additional, written technical detail and to work with neighborhoods on specific items that will be reviewed at the detailed development order stage, should the amendment advance.
Ending: The PUD amendment remains under active consideration; commissioners emphasized that each project phase would return to the county through major development orders for full technical review, public notice and hearings before any site construction begins.
