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Commission backs Bay Vita mixed‑use project that includes workforce housing and multiple commercial uses

Walton County Planning Commission/Board (public meeting) · January 9, 2026

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Summary

The planning commission voted to advance Bay Vita (MAJ24‑000030), a large mixed‑use project proposing hotels, restaurants, urgent care, a gas/convenience store, pickleball facility, large storage building and 24 workforce housing units; staff flagged ~4.4 acres of wetlands and traffic mitigation needs and said the workforce LURA will run with the land for 20 years.

Walton County planning staff summarized Bay Vita (MAJ24‑000030), a large mixed‑use development proposed for the intersection of State Road 331 and County Road 3280. The application, submitted by Jenkins Engineering for DGFO LLC / Agora Development Group / Bay Vita LLC, proposes multiple commercial uses, two hotels, an indoor pickleball facility, a large climate‑controlled storage building and 24 units of workforce housing.

Rosanna Edwards told the commission the site includes approximately 4.4 acres of wetlands that would be impacted under the current plan and that traffic analysis shows adverse AM peak impacts at the 331/3280 intersection that can be mitigated by signal timing adjustments and proposed off‑site roadway improvements. Staff also noted the applicant submitted a draft Land Use Restriction Agreement tied to workforce housing; staff said the LURA is intended to run with the land and remain in effect for about 20 years.

Developer representative Nick Vlahos (Jay Odum Group) described the project as a mixed‑use node to provide services north of the bay—convenience/gas, urgent care, daycare, restaurants and hospitality—along with workforce housing to serve employees of the development and nearby businesses. Vlahos said the 24 workforce units are modeled after a student housing design and that 20% of multifamily units would be reserved to meet the county's workforce/affordable housing requirements (with 5 units representing the 20% minimum of the 24 proposed units).

Commissioners asked about income bands and LURA language; staff said the county's code tracks categories from extremely low to moderate income and that the LURA language will be refined to align with the code's workforce/affordable definitions. Planning staff also recommended adding sidewalks along 3280 to connect to nearby developments.

After discussion and clarifications, a motion to approve and forward Bay Vita passed on a voice vote. Staff will finalize LURA language to ensure it fits the code's workforce/affordable categories and record the commitments that will run with the property.