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Council forwards Amendment No. 3 after Milton reports permit progress, land purchase and FDEP consent-order extension
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Summary
The Restore Council voted unanimously to forward Amendment No. 3 of the multiyear implementation plan to the Board of County Commissioners after the city of Milton reported a notice of intent to award permit from FDEP, imminent land-closing on 260 acres for spray-field disposal, and an amended consent order extending its effluent removal deadline to Dec. 31, 2032.
At its Dec. 2 meeting, the Santa Rosa County Restore Council reviewed public comments on Amendment No. 3 of the multiyear implementation plan and unanimously voted to forward the amendment to the Board of County Commissioners as drafted.
City of Milton update: The city manager for Milton briefed the council on major developments tied to Milton’s spray-field and new wastewater plant project. He said the city had received a notice of intent to award a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for both the spray-field and the new treatment plant and that he expected to sign closing paperwork the next day on roughly 260 acres needed for land-based disposal. "We have received an amended consent order from FDEP that extends our deadline to remove the effluent from 12/31/2025 to 12/31/2032," the city manager said, and staff said the change removes the immediate threat of daily fines tied to the earlier deadline.
Planned work and timeline: Milton staff said they will issue an RFP to clear and grub about 450 acres before Christmas, bid the work in spring and begin construction in summer, and have already issued a task order to extend spray-field design onto the newly acquired property. City staff stressed a three-step approach: get effluent out of the river, build the new reclamation plant, and then develop reuse systems.
Council deliberation and public comments: Several council members expressed concern about well-field proximity and wetland impacts near proposed spray-field sites; Milton staff and county staff said DEP evaluated the permit and deemed the selected property appropriate under current rules. One council member urged the city to pursue reuse customers to reduce reliance on land application; Milton staff said reuse is a stated priority after the immediate effluent removal step.
Formal action: Following discussion and confirmation that public comments had been considered, a council member moved and the council seconded forwarding Amendment No. 3 to the Board of County Commissioners as written; the motion passed unanimously with no recorded opposition.
