Quail Run Conceptual Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a request on behalf of Hathaway Real Estate Investments, L.L.C., for approval of a PUD conceptual master plan and PUD overlay district consisting of 408 single-family lots, two 40,000-square-foot commercial buildings, and infrastructure on 222 acres on the north side of SR-20, approximately 6.45 miles east of U.S. 331.
The property is in a Rural Residential future land use area and a Rural Village zoning district.
Introducing the project, Stephen Schoen of Walton County Planning and Development Services noted that the plans include a public life safety outparcel and multiple trail systems on the property.
Tina Ekblad, director of planning with Stearns Weaver Miller, P.A., spoke on behalf of the applicants. She confirmed that they did have an agreement in place with the city of Freeport to extend water and sewer utilities six miles to the property in conjunction with the development. She explained that, per the agreement, the applicants would be providing the funding mechanism for the utility extension and that the city would be undertaking the construction.
“So,” Ekblad said, “as a result, if this project were to be approved, all units would be on central water and sewer, which we believe is a benefit not only to the project but also to the other properties in this area along Hwy. 20.”
Ekblad noted that the applicants were not asking for a sidewalk buy-out and indicated that sidewalks would be shown on the detailed plans to be submitted within the next 30 to 45 days.
The project staff report lists four deviations requested with the PUD, including reduced rear and side yard setbacks for single-family detached lots, increased in allowable commercial building size, reduced rear yard setbacks for the commercial uses, and reduced review for detailed PUD approval—to include TRC approval only.
Walton County Public Works has requested that the applicants provide a turn-lane warrant analysis for intersections along SR-20 in the project area.
Engineering reviewer comments in the staff report indicated that a state Department of Transportation (DOT) connection permit to SR-20 would be required for the project.
Ekblad noted that representatives of the applicants had met with DOT the previous day and pledged that minutes from that meeting would be provided to planning staff as soon as possible.
The staff report indicated that planning staff believe that consistency with the Walton County Land Development Code (LDC) and Comprehensive Plan (CP) will be accomplished with the proposal.
The committee members voted to move this major proposal forward to the next step in the major development review process, a hearing before the Walton County Planning Commission. The vote was conditioned on any outstanding reviewer comments being addressed.