After more than three hours of testimony, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners voted Nov. 24 to approve a targeted text amendment to the Inlet Beach neighborhood plan intended to resolve conflicting wording over what kinds of limited lodging are allowed in Village Mixed Use (VMU) and Neighborhood Commercial zones.

The change (described as option 5 by staff) removes an internal inconsistency that had, as written, appeared to permit bed‑and‑breakfast‑style lodging in VMU while leaving Neighborhood Commercial without its customary limited‑lodging language. County legal staff said the wording created an ‘‘absurd result’’ under the county’s code and recommended the amendment to harmonize the neighborhood plan with the Land Development Code.

“I cannot find anything that suggests the county intended Village Mixed Use to allow bed‑and‑breakfasts only while Neighborhood Commercial remained unrestricted,” County Attorney told the board during the hearing. Planning staff agreed the 2018 update introduced unintended conflicts and recommended the text change to place the bed‑and‑breakfast limitation where it matches the LDC.

The hearing was packed with neighbors, many of whom said they had assumed the neighborhood plan would limit lodging to small bed‑and‑breakfast operations, not larger hotels. Developers and the owner of 30 Avenue — the parcel at the center of the dispute — argued the text, as interpreted by staff and county counsel, must be clarified so property owners understand allowable uses and to avoid future unlawful takings claims.

Commissioners weighed the competing values: residents’ expectations and investments tied to the 2018 plan; the county’s obligation to write internally consistent regulations; and the risk of costly legal claims if the county enforces a plan that courts later find inconsistent with the code. After discussion the board adopted the staff‑recommended fix by recorded voice vote.

What changed: the approved amendment reassigns the bed‑and‑breakfast limitation to the Neighborhood Commercial section and clarifies that Village Mixed Use conforms with the limited‑lodging provisions of the Land Development Code, removing an instance of transposed language staff described as a likely cut‑and‑paste error in the 2018 update. Planning staff told commissioners they will return with any additional clean‑up items during a broader housekeeping update.

Next steps: staff will prepare the ordinance language for first reading and public notice; the change is a text amendment to the neighborhood plan and will be processed consistent with statutory notice requirements. The decision may prompt follow‑up appeals or litigation by parties who disagree with the interpretation.