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Quick answers to all your questions on the Beaches Of South Walton Message Board.

- The State has issued a “blanket” wetlands permit to allow St. Joe to develop 18,000 acres in Bay County north of the East Bay and Panama City Beach. This area is west of Hwy 79, near the planned international airport.

- Walton County has approved “WaterSound North” - another St. Joe-Arvida project on the East end of the county North of Highway 98, along the Intracoastal Waterway. The first phase consists of 478 homes on 560 acres. The development will eventually cover over 1400 acres and have 1000 homes. Plans have already been approved for a 150-acre commerce park nearby.

- Davis Love III will design the new golf course at WaterSound, the St. Joe/Arvida development under construction between Seagrove Beach and Rosemary Beach which will eventually stretch from the Gulf to the Intracoastal Waterway on over 1500 acres.

New development on Hwy 395
County commissioners approved 401 residential units will be built on the East side of Hwy 395, bordering the new publix. “Nature Walk of Seagrove” encompasses 155 acres, 68 acres of which will be preserved wetalnds. An internal trail system for walking and biking, will wind through the property, which is bounded on 3 sides by Point Washington State Forest.

New community North of Freeport planned on 829 acres
Andres Duany of Duany, Plater-Zyberk is involved in planning a new community on the Owl’s Head Sod Farm property on Hwy 331, north of Freeport. Duany’s firm is at the forefront of the “New Urbanism” movement and was instrumental in planning Seaside, Rosemary Beach and other communities in SoWal. The development, just north of Freeport High School, is further evidence that development is surging North along the 331 corridor and is creating expansive growth in Freeport. Highway 331 is planned to be widened to four lanes with a new bridge section over the Bay. A new 331 connector will be constructed to eliminate the need to travel on Hwy 20 through Freeport. If you want to get a glimpse as to what development on Hwy 331 will be like in the future, take a look at Hwy 59, which runs North and South between I-10 and Gulf Shores, Alabama. That corridor has seen explosive growth over the past decade.

More "waterfront" property on Scenic 30-A to be developed
An 80-acre project near WaterSound (Arvida project on East end of 30-A) that runs north and south of 30-A will include a large retention pond that will create a "harbor". The new development, Prominence, is billed as a town where people can live, shop and work, and is planned by the same firm that planned Sandestin's Baytowne Wharf. The planner is copying elements from Nantucket, Mass., in an attempt to complement the New-England-themed WaterSound community. Prominence will include a theater with a balcony that will be used for live performances, and movies. There are plans for a soda fountain across the corner with a bank nearby.

New Town, Alys Beach (formerly Somerset), underway on East Scenic 30-A
EBSCO, one of the nation’s top 200 privately owned corporations, engaged Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company (DPZ) to create the town plan for the 160-acre Gulf-front development near Rosemary Beach, called Alys Beach. DPZ specializes in Traditional Neighborhood Developments (TND) and designed Seaside and Rosemary Beach as well as the Birmingham-based EBSCO’s first TND, Mount Laurel, in Birmingham. Jason Comer, Vice President and General Manager of EBSCO Gulf Coast Development Inc. conducted open workshops in which community members participated.
Alys Beach, as designed, will include 599 home sites, 90,000 square feet of commercial space and 7,000 square feet of civic space. The design features beach cottages, courtyards, villas and private gardens with open sight lines to the beach front.

County Commission Impose Beach Guidelines
Walton County Commissioners have passed a beach ordinance, which it has considered for more than two years. The county has held several crowded public meetings to discuss the ordinance. The Commission had balked at approving the ordinance, which determines what can and can’t be done on our beaches, because many citizens voiced concerns.
The ordinance requires that any gathering of more than 50 people on the beach must have a special $50 permit. Also, no fires are allowed on the beach without a permit. The fire permit guidelines were a concern of several beachfront property owners at the workshop. One person said he shouldn’t have to pay to build a fire on his own property. The commission decided to allow property owners to obtain fire permits without fees.
Some residents have complained that the ordinance won't do enough to protect sea turtles that nest on the beaches. A major change in the new ordinance is reduced penalties for violations. Under the new ordinance, offenders will receive fines and citations instead of jail time.