Other 30A Trading Company: 7,000 sf Retail in Seagrove Beach

[Neill O'Connell]

Village Mixed Use is suppose to be a mix of residential and commercial. They are getting around that by being slightly smaller than the threshold for that to apply. In other words, a loophole.

The Walton Countly Land Develoment Code, Chapter 2, Page 22, Section 3(b) states, "For parcels less than three acres... this mixed use requirement does not apply."
The parcel in question is 0.6 acres.
0.6 acres / 3.0 acres = 0.2
The parcel is 80% smaller than the threshold requirement for mixed use.

We are sensitive to each of your concerns related to the design of this project and are available to discuss them with you at your convenience.

Please feel free to contact me at our Grayton Beach office at (850) 403-4555 and I'll be happy to arrange a time for us to meet.

Thanks, Neill

 

[Jdarg]

I would rather the owner discuss why it took a lawsuit to get the stores to stop selling counterfeit 30A.com merchandise, and why they sells live turtles as souvenirs. There is nothing "upscale" about any of the businesses.

 

[Lake View Too]

I'm no authority on the land use code, but common sense would indicate that if a parcel was VMU, but too small to reach threshold, and contiguous with residential parcels, then it should revert to residential. This is truly a residential neighborhood, complete with dirt roads and mobile homes and should remain residential.

 

[Dawn]

I would rather the owner discuss why it took a lawsuit to get the stores to stop selling counterfeit 30A.com merchandise, and why they sells live turtles as souvenirs. There is nothing "upscale" about any of the businesses.

The engineer is not responsible for that and is only concerned with complying with laws and regulations.

However the issue is about compatibility with neighborhood which it is not. According to nearby residents.

 

[Marmot]

If the one in Seacrest is any indication and the old "snappy turtle", compatibility with the neighborhood is going to be a major issue. Feel sorry for neighborhood residents.

 

[Jdarg]

The engineer is not responsible for that and is only concerned with complying with laws and regulations.

However the issue is about compatibility with neighborhood which it is not. According to nearby residents.

Never asked the engineer to address the issue of a quality business or neighborhood compatibility.

 

[Neill O'Connell]

Never asked the engineer to address the issue of a quality business or neighborhood compatibility.

Although the Walton County Land Development Code does not require a compatibility analysis for projects located in the Village Mixed Use land use category, one was requested by the Planning Department and subsequently provided by Sacs and LaSeur, P.A.

The full report is available for review on our website at www.oconnellengineers.com/30atradingcompany

You are welcome to contact me at (850) 403-4555 or Lois LaSeur at (850) 231-0300 if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Neill

 

[Lake View Too]

My question is, if a parcel labeled VMU is not large enough for the "mixed use" provisions to apply, why would it be eligible for commercial use, rather than reverting to residential use, especially if all contiguous property is residential. Can someone please explain this to me. It just seems like common sense.

 

[BeachArkie]

My question is, if a parcel labeled VMU is not large enough for the "mixed use" provisions to apply, why would it be eligible for commercial use, rather than reverting to residential use, especially if all contiguous property is residential. Can someone please explain this to me. It just seems like common sense.

I agree. Sadly, common sense has very little to do with Walton County Planning and rules.

 

[Dreamer]

It's beginning to look a lot like Destin!