Destin council delays annexation decision, orders cost estimate for professional survey and schedules CRA follow‑up

City staff presented a proposed annexation timeline and a plan to survey property owners in several unincorporated eastern neighborhoods (Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay and similar communities) to measure interest in annexation. The proposed outreach would use a fact sheet with a QR code to allow residents to register a ‘yes/no’ response and capture neighborhood‑level interest.

Council members debated whether to conduct the survey in‑house or hire a professional vendor. Supporters of a professional survey warned that the annexation question is likely a one‑shot measure — if mishandled, the city may have to wait years before trying again. Opponents argued staff can produce an adequate instrument quickly and that holiday timing would harm response rates.

Key outcomes: - Council directed the city manager (Speaker 11) to return at the first meeting in January (January 5) with a not‑to‑exceed cost estimate for retaining a professional survey firm to design and administer the annexation survey. The direction passed unanimously. - The council discussed using HOA distribution channels for follow‑up outreach but emphasized that initial contact ideally be controlled by city staff to avoid perceived bias or “push polling.”

Council members also requested additional data points for future analysis, including estimated state shared revenue impacts (bed tax, gas tax and sales tax), the number of registered voters in affected areas (cited as roughly 1,100 voters in Kelly Plantation from the last election), and a clearer breakdown of assessed values and stormwater liabilities that could offset annexation benefits.

Next steps: staff will provide a professional survey cost estimate, outline an outreach plan that minimizes holiday sampling bias and include a timeline so council can vote on whether to proceed with door‑to‑door, professional, or internal survey methods at the January meeting.