Florida Panhandle
Initiative - Planning
and Technical Assistance Partnership Program
- 1000
Friends of Florida's Executive Director, Charles Pattison handing
over the first installment of
the Panhandle Initiative Partnership grant to Nancy James and Beverly
Kraska of the SWCC. Funds
were provided via a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
South Walton Community
Council
Headquartered
in Santa Rosa Beach, the South Walton Community Council (SWCC) was
founded in 1995. This active coalition of residents, property owners,
neighborhood associations and business owners is committed to preserving
the area's quality of life and natural environment. According to its
President, Nancy Ann James, "We are convinced that protecting
Walton County's distinctive coastal environment is key to ensuring
a healthy economy and enhanced quality of life for area residents."
The SWCC
is working to develop a cooperative partnership among government officials,
business leaders and environmentalists to revise the local comprehensive
plan and land development regulations to better protect sensitive
coastal natural resources. Walton County has attracted international
acclaim for its pristine crystalline beaches and dramatic powdery
dunes. "It is a wise investment in the future," Pattison
notes, "to protect these and other valuable community assets."
SWCC's
web site at www.SouthWaltonCC.org
includes additional information on this organization.
South Walton Community Council Partnership
Activities
Walton
County continues to move ahead to develop county wetland protection
comprehensive plan goals, objectives and policies and corresponding
land development code (ordinance) language. For this process the county
has sought participation from citizens, land owners, local community
and environmental groups such as the South Walton Community Council
and other organizations such as the Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department
of Community Affairs. Assisting the County in this project are the
Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium (Tom Taylor) and an independent
environmental Consultant, Mr. Jeremy Craft who has significant experience
in wetland regulation and private development planning.
The goal
of this project is to update and clarify wetland preservation and
protection in the local comprehensive plan and the implementing land
development code in Walton County. As a part of this effort the first
Community Wetlands Workshop was held on June 24th at the Walton County
Coastal Branch Library.
Participants
at the first County Wetlands meeting and the initial list of important
issue areas.
On
June 24, 2002,
more than a hundred people participated in a Community Workshop on
Wetlands that sought to: 1) build a shared understanding of wetland
regulation issues in Walton County; 2) identify issues and options
to be considered by the Walton Wetlands Work Group; and 3) identify
possible work group representatives. A 16-member workgroup was created
by the Walton County Commission.
On
October 31, 2002 the first of several workgroup meeting was held.
The group considered the following draft vision statement and offered
the comments that follow.
First
workgroup meeting of the Walton County comprehensive plan and land
development code wetlands policy updates.
Draft
Vision Statement
To
achieve a sustainable ecosystem, economy and quality of life in Walton
County.
Walton
County Wetlands Regulations will:
