Destin officials and residents attended Tuesday’s Okaloosa County Commissioner meeting, urging the board for an interlocal agreement between the city and county regarding the proposed park at Holiday Isle.
The agreement was not on Tuesday’s agenda. Destin officials and residents spoke during the public forum, wearing shades of green in solidarity.
The City of Destin approved the language of the agreement on Feb. 2 to seek collaboration with the county about the state park. The Holiday Isle property, which sits adjacent to Norriego Point, was purchased by the state for $83 million last year to become a public park maintained by Okaloosa County. A park is required as part of the land deal.
The agreement seeks city and county collaboration.
“The County agrees that it will coordinate and collaborate with the City of Destin prior to the submission of any application to any governmental entity relating to the State Park,” it states.
There were hours of public comments from residents who expressed opposition to the current plans for the park, which include a commercial marina, pavilion rentals, and food truck infrastructure. Those plans are prohibited in the area of the park, which is zoned as residential, said City of Destin Attorney Kimberly Romano-Kopp.
“Any property use would need to be consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code and require an application before the city council,” she explained.
The interlocal agreement came after Destin officials shared concerns that they had been left out of the planning for the park. In December, hundreds of residents shared their opposition to proposed plans, saying the park should be kept as natural as possible.
District 5 Commissioner Drew Palmer, who is the liaison for the project, said he was “absolutely willing to entertain” an interlocal agreement, though not the one presented by the City of Destin. Okaloosa has drafted its own, he added.
“I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do in the interlocal agreement, as it stands, for us to subject ourselves to the city when the state has asked us to manage it,” he said. “All this interlocal agreement does is put the city in charge of us as we are responsible for managing the park.”
Bobby Wagner, the Mayor of Destin, said he sees the communities of Okaloosa County and the City of Destin as “a family.”
“Sometimes families have to have difficult conversations,” he said. “On Norriego Point park, we are clearly not in agreement on what should go there. Outside of my role as mayor, I think we should do the bare minimum. Let nature be and allow this park be what it was bought for — conservation.”
That sentiment was shared by dozens of other public comments from residents who expressed concern that any commercial activity would create traffic and public safety issues, and hurt property values.
“This is the most angry I’ve seen the residents of Destin,” said Destin Councilman Jim Bagby. “They have had enough.”
The interlocal agreement will be on the agenda for the next Okaloosa County Commissioners’ Board meeting, which is on March 3.
