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TRC conditionally approves Sawmill Phase 2 after residents raise gopher tortoise concerns
Summary
The TRC granted conditional approval for Sawmill Phase 2 (MIN26000020), which would create 19 single-family lots on about 20.29 acres, while residents and staff flagged environmental concerns — including potential impacts to gopher tortoise burrows — and asked that the environmental assessment be attached to the project record.
The Walton County Technical Review Committee gave conditional approval August 5 to Sawmill Phase 2, a minor development order proposing 19 single-family parcels on roughly 20.29 acres, subject to clearing outstanding environmental and other comments. Jenkins Engineering said it resubmitted revised materials on July 15 and has addressed many items, but environmental review remained outstanding at the hearing.
Resident Audrey Denny told the committee she has documented more than 20 gopher tortoise burrows in the neighborhood and urged the county to avoid disturbing the habitat. “I have documented on fish and wildlife over 20 protected gopher tortoise burrows in the neighborhood on those lots,” Denny said, adding she has observed recent clearing and expressed concern over relocation impacts. Planning staff and the applicant responded that an environmental assessment had been completed and that state permitting would be required if burrows were encountered during construction.
Christy Jones of Jenkins Engineering told the committee the project has been revised to add a secondary access that Fire has approved and that the team intends to resubmit outstanding details once environmental comments are returned. The applicant and staff agreed to place the environmental assessment in the project attachments for public access and to meet state permitting requirements for gopher tortoise relocation or avoidance.
Why it matters: the species and permitting for protected wildlife are state-regulated; staff emphasized the county is not the permitting agency for gopher tortoise relocation but will ensure the environmental documentation is available in the public record. The committee’s approval was conditional: the project will move toward a development order only after all outstanding comments are satisfactorily addressed.
