Walton County planning staff presented a rezoning request (REZ25‑000006) from Emerald Coast Associates on behalf of property owner Glenn Burkett seeking to change about 10.74 acres from Small Neighborhood to Coastal Center Mixed Use (CCMU). Ayanna Reed, planning staff, told the commission the application contained several incomplete items and outstanding reviews, including a pending planning recommendation, outstanding review of a draft Land Use Restriction Agreement (LURA) and unresolved floodplain compatibility questions.

"The applicant's requesting to rezone this parcel to coastal center mixed use to allow for auto, RV, boat storage, parking facility, commercial road frontage, and 6 to 8 single family dwelling units," Reed said while reading staff concerns and explaining which elements of the LURA were incomplete.

Dean Burgess, agent for the applicant, said the primary purpose of the rezoning was to allow boat and RV storage and offered to revise the LURA to limit general commercial uses to boat and RV storage only. Burgess asked the commission for a continuance so staff could complete pending reviews and the applicant could file a revised LURA.

Neighbors and affected owners voiced opposition during public comment. Barbara Murano called the request "spot zoning" and urged denial, citing a county consultant report that warned against excessive rezonings. Talisha Padilla, an adjacent property owner, said the developer's environmental assessment identified jurisdictional wetlands and urged careful review of wetland and floodplain impacts. Millie Rhodes and other nearby residents raised concerns about access, prescriptive easements and potential impacts to existing private roads.

County counsel explained the legal standard for quasi‑judicial rezoning decisions, noting that resident testimony must provide competent, substantial evidence about neighborhood characteristics or impacts to carry weight before a special magistrate. Staff and counsel also advised that if the application lacks sufficient information, the board may continue the hearing or deny the application; denial typically triggers a waiting period for resubmittal.

After hearing the applicant and multiple public commenters, a motion to continue the Burkett rezoning to the February 12, 2026 planning commission meeting carried on a voice vote with one recorded no. The applicant said it would submit an amended LURA and the documents staff requested prior to the next hearing.