South Walton Community Council

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SWCC Welcomes a New Board Member

Renee Gable has been a property owner in the Santa Rosa Beach for almost 10 years, having chosen this beautiful area as her family's final home destination. Renee is a perfect addition to the SWCC team. She previously served as Vice-Chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission for the City of Woodstock, Georgia, reviewing development proposals requiring rezoning, variances, or conditional use permits prior to their advancement to City Council for final approval.

During her time in Woodstock, she was also deeply involved in the community through numerous volunteer roles, including the Greenprints Alliance Board of Directors, Georgia Trails Alliance Committee, Elm Street Cultural Arts Village Capital Campaign, Main Street Woodstock Design Committee, and as leader of Holiday Décor for Downtown Woodstock for several years.
Prior to her civic and community work, Renee spent 18 years in the trade show industry, working for AMC, Inc. and Nielsen Media Group in Atlanta, Georgia.

Renee's many interests include landscape design, interior design, travel, music, healthy lifestyles, and conservation.

Special Magistrate Recommends Denial of The Preserves at Santa Rosa Beach

South Walton Community Council applauds the Board of County Commissioners who on June 30, 2026, approved the Magistrate Judge’s decision to deny the development application for The Preserves at Santa Rosa Beach. The developer wanted to count stormwater ponds as open space to meet their conservation requirement for open space in Conservation Residential zoning.
This is an issue that South Walton Community Council along with groups like 1,000 Friends of Florida and Healthy Gulf have been following and advocating for what is best long term for Walton County.

This affirms a basic principle: conservation zoning must actually protect conservation. Mature forests, wetlands, and native vegetation are not interchangeable with engineered stormwater ponds. Natural systems absorb and filter rainfall, reduce flooding, improve water quality, and sustain biodiversity in ways man-made ponds simply cannot replicate. Clear-cutting these areas is the opposite of conservation, regardless of how it is labeled.

Judge Desai noted in recommended order dated May 19, 2026:
“A reading of the LDC taken as a whole indicates that the proposed stormwater ponds would not qualify as “open space” because the destruction of the natural area and then rebuilding of the man-made wet retention ponds is not “consistent with the conservation of natural areas, environmentally sensitive lands, [or] habitat. The finding that stormwater ponds are not considered “open space” is consistent with the County’s past actions.”

Additionally, the special magistrate memorandum stated:
“The Special Magistrate has not found, nor have the applicant or the county cited, any provision in the LDC or Comprehensive Plan stating that “maximum development potential” is a policy, goal, or consideration for interpreting the LDC or applying the standards of CR 2/1.”

In keeping with our mission, the South Walton Community Council hired an attorney and an environmental planning expert to help prepare this case for the magistrate. We would like to thank Terrell Arline and Craig Diamond for their vigorous defense.
South Walton Community Council would additionally like to thank the members of the Chat Holley Corridor Community for their support.

Please know, advocacy like this comes at a cost. You can help support efforts such as these by donating to SWCC. 99.5 % of every dollar donated goes directly towards advocacy and hiring attorneys and experts needed to make sure these issues are monitored and addressed.

If you would like to support SWCC. Our website is www.southwaltoncc.org. Please consider assisting the efforts of SWCC.

South Walton Community Council is proud to announce that long time board member Barbara Morano has been selected as a member of the Walton County Tourist Development Council’s Destination Improvement Committee. This Committee will support efforts and provide feedback in the areas of capital improvement projects, visitor center renovation, South Walton signage, public parks and paths. The goal of the committee is to ensure that Walton County beaches and beach associated amenities meet a uniform, high-quality standard. The committee will also provide input in selecting beach improvement projects. The Committee has broadened its scope to include North Walton and will encourage events that promote tourism.

We appreciate all the hard work and long hours Barbara Morano has put in promoting responsible policies in Walton county.

FYI:

Workshops start this coming Monday the 18th.

Planning & Development Community Workshop(s)
https://fl-waltoncounty3.civicplus.com/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3436

The Walton County Planning Department will be hosting several Community Development Workshops in various location within the county.

The First Workshop is this Monday May 18th.

Link to the county site where you can find this information:

Monday, May 18, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 1 Commissioner, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Monday, May 18, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 1 Commissioner, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 2 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 2 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 3 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 3 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 5 Commissioner, in the South Walton Annex BCC Boardroom, located at the South Walton Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 5 Commissioner, in the South Walton Annex BCC Boardroom, located at the South Walton Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.

Friday, May 22, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Industry Professionals Session, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Friday, May 22, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Industry Professionals Session, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 4 Commissioner, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, 570 Scenic Gulf Drive, Destin, FL 32550. (UPDATED LOCATION)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 4 Commissioner, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, 570 Scenic Gulf Drive, Destin, FL 32550. (UPDATED LOCATION)

Monday, May 18, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 1 Commissioner, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Monday, May 18, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 1 Commissioner, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 2 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 2 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 3 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 3 Commissioner, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 5 Commissioner, in the South Walton Annex BCC Boardroom, located at the South Walton Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.

Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 5 Commissioner, in the South Walton Annex BCC Boardroom, located at the South Walton Annex located at 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.

Friday, May 22, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Industry Professionals Session, in the Walton County Board of County Commissioners Board Room, located in the Walton County Courthouse at 571 US Highway 90, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433.

Friday, May 22, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Industry Professionals Session, in the BCC Boardroom located in the Walton County Freeport Complex, 842 State Highway 20 East, Suite 110, Freeport, FL 32439.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 8:30am – 10:30am, Hosted by the District 4 Commissioner, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, 570 Scenic Gulf Drive, Destin, FL 32550. (UPDATED LOCATION)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Hosted by the District 4 Commissioner, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, 570 Scenic Gulf Drive, Destin, FL 32550. (UPDATED LOCATION)

There is a Planning Strategic Staff Workshop on Monday the 27th of April at 5:00 PM in Freeport.

The Planning Commission Public Workshop is the next day, Tuesday the 28th of April at 4:00 PM.

fl-waltoncounty3.civicplus.com

Emergency Management Hurricane Preparedness Today - Thursday May 7th at 6:00 PM at the South Annex. (DMV building)

The Planning department has contracted with a company that is providing great reporting and mapping. I spoke with a representative yesterday and received a demonstration. This site can do a lot. You can also export data, save your searches as templates to rerun those searches. You can find a link on www.southwaltoncc.org under News and Resources. You can also go directly to all the County Meetings under the Meetings menu.

Create an account and try this out:
Here is a link to the site. https://map.gridics.com/us/fl/walton-county
Video with no sound. Quick over view:
https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/video/51981748?key=30009430bf419b9cb462783c3ad1f40e

Feel free to send an email to [email protected] if you have questions.

Walton County FL Zoning Map Search | Gridics