Wakulla County staff present draft update to Adopted Infrastructure Plan; public comment period closes Oct. 17

Wakulla County staff on Tuesday presented draft updates to the county’s 2025 Adopted Infrastructure Plan and opened a public hearing to collect feedback, with the public comment period scheduled to close Oct. 17 and staff planning to present a final version to the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 17.

The plan, staff said, is the county’s long-range guide for prioritizing infrastructure investments and is used to support grant applications. County officials described the AIP as the primary document that helped the county secure large amounts of external funding for projects completed since 2021.

At the workshop, David (chairman) credited county staff with producing the update and said the plan has been in use since 2012. He told commissioners that, from Feb. 2021 through the plan’s cutoff date, the county completed about 160 critical infrastructure projects with a combined value of roughly $194 million. He said another $88,600,000 in projects are under construction and expected to be completed by mid next year, bringing the total since Feb. 2021 to about $282 million. He said roughly 98% of that funding came from grants and the remaining 2% from the county’s 1¢ sales tax.

Summer Pell, a county staff presenter, described the draft update and its public engagement process. She said the AIP update began in June 2024, included an infrastructure survey in October and November 2024, and added event/facilities surveys in July and August 2024. She said signs and QR codes were placed at parks and facilities to solicit input and that an initial survey received 382 responses.

Pell outlined accomplishments by category from the recent four-year period: public safety — just over $20 million spent on 15 projects; stormwater and sewer — nearly $85 million on 50 projects; sidewalks, trails and trailheads — nearly $24 million invested; intersections, roadways and bridges — just over $58 million across 26 projects; parks and recreation — 24 projects totaling about $2.3 million; community facilities — about $1.7 million on 15 projects; coastal resiliency (primarily elevating lift stations) — $1.5 million; and coastal and freshwater waterways infrastructure — $1.2 million across 11 projects.

On proposed projects, the draft AIP identifies goals and strategies across multiple categories. For public safety the plan lists expansion and modernization of fire-rescue and emergency operations facilities, strengthening emergency communications, increased storm-sheltering capacity, relocating some fire stations, building a new emergency operations center and developing a regional preparedness complex with a dual-purpose training facility. For sewer and stormwater, the plan prioritizes expanding sewer collection to reduce septic use, upgrading lift stations and force mains for flood resiliency and drainage improvements to reduce flooding.

Transportation-related proposals include continued support for FDOT’s State Road 319 improvements and local gateway enhancements: resurfacing and paving of local roads, improved street lighting, added turn lanes and signals, intersection improvements and elevation of flood-prone roads to improve flow, safety and evacuation capacity. Pell said the FDOT resurfacing contract on SR 319 will include fixes at the Songbird Road intersection and will help connect pedestrian and bicycle projects in the plan.

The draft also emphasizes trails, trailheads and nonmotorized connections. Pell listed planned trailheads and trail-network expansions that staff said are intended to link Crawfordville, Spring Creek Highway, Highway 98, MLK/ Shadeville and Waukelan areas and ultimately provide continuous bicycle connections between communities and coastal destinations.

Pell asked residents to review the draft via the county website and the portal accessed by the QR code shown at the workshop, and she said staff will incorporate public comments into a final AIP. Kenzie Miller, county staff, reported 14 comments had been submitted through the portal by the time of the workshop and said staff would continue to promote the portal through social media and the county website; Pell also said the portal will be live for additional posting beginning at 6 a.m. the following morning.

Commissioners and staff encouraged further public review and comment. No formal vote or adoption occurred at the workshop; staff will summarize changes made between the draft and the final AIP in the board agenda item when the plan returns on Nov. 17.

The AIP update workshop presentation and the draft plan are available on the Wakulla County website; Pell said the public hearing for the AIP update will remain open through Oct. 17.