Okaloosa commission denies vacation of Nottingham Way right‑of‑way after heated neighborhood hearing

After more than two hours of public testimony, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners on May 19 unanimously denied a petition to vacate part of Nottingham Way — an unopened 75‑ft right‑of‑way in the Woodland Shores subdivision — rejecting a request by three adjacent homesteaded owners who sought title to portions of the land.

Public Works staff described the request as a standard right‑of‑way vacation petition: if approved, the south 37.5 ft of the right‑of‑way would be conveyed to two properties, and the north half to a third, with recorded easements retained for utilities and drainage and a prohibition on structures. Staff also said three letters of support were received and nine property owners had contacted the office to oppose the request.

During the public hearing, supporters (including applicants Jeremy and Angela Keeney and Mitchell Bevens) said an unpermitted trail was recently cut through the parcel, trespassers and dirt bikes have become a nuisance, privacy was lost, and returning the land to adjacent homesteaders would allow owners to maintain the property. The applicants presented photos and said they had cleared debris and maintained the area for safety.

Neighbors and longtime residents strongly opposed the vacation. Testimony from numerous residents — including Mark Signer, Catherine Garvey and Gerald Hill — emphasized daily use of the wooded path for walking, a natural canopy that supports stormwater drainage and habitat, and concerns that sale of small public parcels would set a precedent for piecemeal privatization of green spaces. Several speakers said the trail had been used by elderly and disabled residents for safe, off‑road pedestrian access and warned of increased erosion and flooding if the land were conveyed.

Commission discussion focused on precedent, policy and immediate neighborhood tensions. Commissioners noted the county policy discourages vacations that would preclude foreseeable future bicycle and pedestrian use; several said the alleys were originally platted as potential roads or alleys but have often remained as green corridors. The board directed Parks staff to place minimum signage at the site (hours, leash laws, no motorized vehicles) and instructed the county attorney to examine whether the board’s vacation policy should stop exempting homestead applicants from paying fair market value for vacated land. Commissioners also asked staff to explore options for an MSBU (municipal service benefit unit) if the neighborhood wants to invest in trail improvements and enforcement.

In the end, the motion to deny the vacation passed unanimously.

The county will not transfer the property; staff was directed to post rules signage and to review policy language about homestead exemptions and the vacation application process. Commission and staff comments emphasized mediation, neighborhood cooperation, and potential park improvements as alternatives to private conveyance.

The board’s decision preserves the right‑of‑way as public land and starts a process to add signage and evaluate policy and potential improvements that would protect pedestrian access while addressing neighbors’ privacy and enforcement concerns.