Residents urge limits on clearing and worry about traffic; others oppose taxpayer-funded land purchases

Several residents addressed the commission during the public forum on Dec. 8 about growth, wildlife habitat and stormwater concerns.

Pauline Grimes of Avalon Beach said local clearing is removing wildlife habitat and reported bear sightings in neighborhoods; she asked builders to be more responsible and to preserve half-acre buffers or other habitat where possible.

Chris Curb, representing Flood Defenders Panhandle, urged the commission to consider design standards for closed-basin drainage and to reconcile county land-development code requirements with FDOT drainage-permit standards to protect infrastructure from increased stormwater volumes.

Ryan Fowler of the Wallace Community District 3 opposed the idea of using taxpayer dollars to buy and manage more public land. Fowler said his conservative view favors private land ownership and warned that county purchases could reduce private supply and increase property prices; he also warned of low local tolerance for tax increases and urged nonpurchase conservation strategies such as stronger development buffers or rezoning protections.

Vernon Compton of Milton expressed support for the county’s work with the Trust for Public Land, called for options that include fee-simple purchases for critical corridors and voluntary conservation easements for willing landowners, and said protecting working farms and forests is important for the local economy.

The commission heard the range of views and did not take action during the committee meeting; staff said they will capture these comments as the Trust for Public Land and county staff refine program priorities and polling questions.