Walton County approves 99‑lot Bison Landing subdivision, limits commercial parcel to neighborhood uses

The Walton County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the land‑use change and rezoning request for Bison Landing, a proposed 99‑home conservation subdivision totaling 118.27 acres with an adjacent 12.23‑acre commercial parcel, after attaching conditions recommended by the planning commission and modifying the commercial parcel's zoning from B2 to B1 to restrict uses.

Andrea Gray, the applicant's representative, told the board the proposal includes more than 28 percent open space, sidewalks, underground utilities, a dog park and pickleball courts, and homes with a minimum of about 2,000 square feet. Gray said the development's residential portion meets R1 OSC standards and that the applicant would comply with planning conditions including professional landscaping, downward‑facing lighting, a prohibition on outdoor storage and agricultural disclosures in sales contracts.

The planning commission had recommended approval with those conditions. During public comment, multiple neighbors and local realtors urged changes: speakers asked that the subdivision's vehicular access be routed to Highway 11 rather than George Williams Road, requested a buffer between new lots and existing horse farms, and objected to the applicant's initial request for B2 (highway business) zoning for the commercial parcel. June Gosling, a resident, argued B2 encourages automotive/highway uses such as gas stations or repair shops and asked the board instead to require B1 neighborhood business zoning that would better support daycare or small office uses. Several other commenters pressed traffic and safety concerns linked to the proposed entrance location.

After closing the public hearing, a commissioner moved to approve the planning commission recommendation but to change the commercial parcel zoning to B1 and limit permitted commercial uses to professional office, daycare and medical office functions (explicitly excluding convenience stores, vape shops and tattoo parlors). The chair had recused himself earlier from this item and the record shows he abstained; the remaining commissioners voted to approve the motion.

Under the board's action the applicant must meet the planning commission conditions and the revised commercial use limitations remain part of the approval. The applicant indicated no end user has been identified for the commercial parcel; the board's action narrows permitted future uses to those consistent with neighborhood‑serving businesses.

The approval resolves the land‑use and rezoning steps necessary for the development; further site‑level permits and inspections will be required before construction.

Provenance: Transcript passages beginning at 00:19:46 (item introduction) through public comment and the motion at 01:07:44 document the presentation, neighbor testimony and the board vote.