Walton County Updates Development Code From Community Input

Walton County officials wrapped up a series of roundtable meetings June 4 in which residents and Planning and Development staff discussed changes to the Land Development Code and the county's permitting process.

The county held separate sessions in each commission district, drawing more than 106 attendees. Sabrina Dugan of SwiftGov moderated the meetings.

Residents raised concerns about property compatibility, sidewalk standards, and wetland mitigation. Many attendees sought clarity on which forms and procedures applied to their projects, noting that regulations differ between the north and south ends of the county.

"Complexity of our process and confusion over what forms apply to them" prompted many to attend, Deputy Planning Director Kelly Schultz said. "We have every intention of trying to address those to make the process better."

District 1 Commissioner Dan Curry said residents identified "common denominators" the county should address. He wants to reduce ambiguities in the code and make processes available online rather than requiring in-person visits.

District 2 Commissioner Danny Glidewell noted that the north end of the county has distinct needs, particularly regarding agricultural land regulations.

Building Plan Review Manager Donnese Way said the feedback will inform revisions to outdated code language and eliminate conflicts between regulations. The county will present the changes for adoption after reviewing current code provisions against the collected input.