Walton County to improve Tri Village Park; TRC conditionally approves park upgrades

Staff reviewed a minor development order (MIN26-00051) submitted by Walton County Engineering on behalf of the Walton County Board of County Commissioners to improve Tri Village Park at 13837 State Highway 20. Staff said engineering and environmental comments remain outstanding but none appeared insurmountable.

Applicant Eric Felins (Walton County Engineering) corrected an erroneous acreage listed on the agenda and said the parcel is approximately 0.795 acres (the county surveyor later noted the parcel as roughly 1.046 acres and will revise the survey). Felins described the scope: formalized paved driveway and parking, sidewalks, swings and benches, limited demolition of the old fire department vehicle bay, use of existing trees to meet landscaping requirements where possible and providing access to a separately permitted fishing pier (about 80–90 feet) for which an exemption from permitting had already been obtained.

Felins said he and staff had met with the Florida Department of Transportation and that some landscape shown on the plan would be removed where it would lie in DOT right of way. He also said they expect to respond to all departmental comments in a resubmittal.

Staff moved for conditional approval pending successful resubmittal and the director’s issuance of the development order once outstanding comments are addressed; the committee voted in favor.

Next steps: applicant will revise plans to address environmental and engineering comments, update parcel documentation and coordinate landscaping plans with DOT before the development order advances.