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Commission denies rezoning request for 7.6-acre parcel west of Avalon Boulevard after neighbors cite wetlands, flooding and traffic concerns
Summary
The commission voted 4–1 to deny a rezoning request (2025-23-RSS) for a 7.6-acre parcel represented by Becky Cato for owner Jessica Reeser following extensive public comment about wetlands, stormwater and road impacts.
The Santa Rosa County Commission on July 24 denied a rezoning request (2025-23-RSS) for a 7.6-acre parcel west of Avalon Boulevard that the owner, Jessica Reeser, had asked be reclassified to R-1 to permit smaller residential lots.
Becky Cato, representing the property owner, told commissioners the site sits between existing R-1 and PUD development, is served by the Pace water system, and that the county staff found no wetlands on the property in the National Wetlands Inventory mapping. She said the applicant proposes a platted subdivision with sanitary sewer rather than septic systems and supplied a conceptual plan showing maximum potential density, arguing that a planned development would reduce the piecemeal grading that has caused erosion elsewhere in the county.
More than a dozen neighbors and residents spoke in opposition, citing repeated flooding and wet conditions, the area’s sensitive wetlands, recent erosion and fines on nearby developments, road deterioration and increased traffic. Diane Dwiggins said the land “is definitely wetlands” and warned that clearing would “be an ecological nightmare.” Logan Cates and other residents described standing water and drainage that persists days after rain; Chris Kerr of Flood Defenders said county design standards using older rainfall data understate cumulative downstream impacts.
Commissioner Burkett, whose district includes the parcel, said he had concerns after personally observing water standing for several days after rain and that he had received no constituent emails in favor. After extended discussion — including commissioners weighing whether rezoning to R-1 would require sewer (and thus engineered stormwater controls) versus remaining RR-1 with septic — a motion to deny the rezoning passed 4–1.
The zoning board had recommended denial on a 7–1 vote. Commissioners cited neighborhood flood and road impacts, the recent history of erosion enforcement in the area and uncertainty about on-site drainage as primary reasons for denial. The denial preserves the parcel’s existing zoning and means development at higher densities will not proceed without a future successful application.
