WEST BAY — A major St. Joe Co. development plan for 110,000 acres in Bay and Walton counties is now one step closer to becoming reality.
At a meeting Thursday, the Bay County Planning Commission voted to move St. Joe’s application for the expanded Bay-Walton Sector Plan forward to the County Commission, with a recommendation the commission transmit the document to the state for review.
The Planning Commission commended both county staff and the St. Joe Co. at Thursday’s meeting for working together to vet the application.
“This was a big apple to bite into,” said commission member Darren Haiman. “The importance of it to this community and this county cannot be understated. This is a very big deal.”
The plan is an extension of the existing 75,000-acre West Bay Sector Plan, which was adopted in 2002, and would set forth conceptual land uses and infrastructure plans for the area. St. Joe’s 50-year vision centers on the development of pocketed residential communities anchored by commercial town centers, a majority of which would target “active adult” retirees, similar to The Villages in Central Florida.
Because the plan spans two counties, separate applications were submitted in April to both Bay and Walton counties. The Walton County Commission voted last week to transmit its application for review by the appropriate state agencies.
The Bay County application, which includes 97,000 acres of the overall development, will go before the County Commission for consideration Oct. 21. After the state reviews the plan, it will come back before the commission for a final public hearing and adoption.
BayCountycommunity development director Martin Jacobson said the plan could mean a significant increase in population for the area. Maximum growth impact projections for the entire development at build-out outline 170,000 units and a peak population of 409,000, including seasonal residents.
Before any construction begins, however, St. Joe still will need to submit detail-specific area plans (DSAP) to the county planning department for approval.
If the plan is approved, St. Joe also would be required to provide an annual status report on the project. County staff would conduct an evaluation and appraisal of the plan’s status every five years.
Overall, Jacobson said he has been surprised at how well-received the plan has been and how little public input the county has received.
St. Joe senior vice president Jorge Gonzalez echoed Jacobson’s comments.
“We’ve been pleased with the process so far,” said Gonzalez, adding that St. Joe has been focused on public outreach throughout the planning process. “I think it’s indicative of the types of hearings we’ve been having.”