I'll be on Real News with Rick Outzen This Morning Discussing the Multiple Offers for OLF 8

I'll be on at 7:00 with Rick Outzen and Sena Madison on the station with the BEST up and down News Talk line up---AM 1370 WCOA

I've been asked once again to appear as the lead off guest on the area's best, most trusted, accurate, and widely listened-to morning drive news talk program---"Real News with Rick Outzen" on AM1370 WCOA.

I'll be on this morning at 7:00AM discussing the latest offer sent to the BCC---a $36 Million Dollar offer for the whole field.

Should be an interesting discussion.  Tune in live at 7:00 or catch the podcast here once Rick publishes it.

Beulah Master Plan/Frank Reeder Road Widening Joint Public Meeting Tomorrow Night at Beulah Middle School

County Staff and the team from Sigma Consulting will be in Beulah at Beulah Middle School tomorrow night at 6:00 PM to host a meeting on two big District 1 projects:  

1.  The Beulah Master Plan

2.  Frank Reeder Road Upgrade from Triumph Gulf Coast

Citizens are encouraged to attend this informative session where the first draft of the long awaited Beulah Master Plan will be presented.

We will take questions from citizens on both projects and will take feedback into account as staff works to complete the Master plan over the next several months.

County and Sigma Complete 1st Two Master Plan Charettes in Beulah

The County is moving forward with the effort to master plan the Beulah community in District 1.

It is an effort that was years in the making but finally coming to fruition.

The county hired Sigma Consulting, who in turn compiled a team of design, traffic, and economic specialists to complete the master plan team for the greater Beulah area.

After a kickoff meeting in October, the first two design charettes were scheduled for The 5th and 6th of this month and last night we completed the first two of these meetings.

The team solicited input from the community members present, gave instructions on various exercises that would happen during the charettes, and then compiled all of the input from the citizens into a first rough outline of the plan.

The next steps will include another 2 day charette in Beulah in late January or Early February.

Citizens are encouraged to attend and provide input going forward.

Check out the meeting pictures , below.

Beulah Master Plan Charettes are Coming Up!

 And every resident in the Beulah area is encouraged to participate!

86th Coffee with the Commissioner this Wednesday Morning: Talking Master Plans, OLF-8, and Beulah

Please join us for our 86th Coffee with the Commissioner event-This month's Coffee will feature County Administrator Wes Moreno and Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. Moreno will provide an update on county business and Gilmore will discuss public safety matters. Horace Jones, Development Services Director, and Andrew Holmer, Development Services Deputy Director, will join as this month's special guests along with Marina Khoury from DPZ Co Design -- who has agreed to join the event from Paris, France, for a discussion on the Beulah Master Plan, OLF 8's Master Plan, and challenges with implementing a Master Plan that is both publicly acceptable and financially viable in this market. Residents are encouraged to send virtual questions and comments they would like to discuss during the event through Facebook or in advance of the coffee to District1@myescambia.com.

 

Beulah Town Hall this Monday Evening, June 5th, 6:00-8:00 PM

 

Several Citizens Have Expressed Concern about a Potential Upzoning on Tower Ridge Road

Multiple residents have expressed concern to me over an upzoning application that's been filed on a four acre parcel of land off of Tower Ridge Road in Beulah.

I was contacted by a Beulah resident about an "upzoning" on Tower Ridge Road.

Another on social media worried apartments were going in along this narrow road of primarily single family homes.

So I checked with staff and the answer is there is an application from a property owner on Tower Ridge road, via their attorney, to "upzone" this particular 4 acre parcel from LDR (Low Density Residential) which allows for up to four homes per acre---to MDR, (which allows for up to 10 homes per acre.)

Many feel this area of Beulah should not be upzoned---as there has been a significant amount of growth and Tower Ridge Road is a very narrow road that many feel is overly taxed already.

So here is the story:  This is not before the BCC for action yet, it hasn't even gone before the planning board yet.  I believe it will come to the planning board at their first meeting in July.

Folks that live in this area should make their feelings known on this upzoning request by attending the meeting and speaking on the topic.

For my part--I do not favor nor am I inclined to support any upzonings in this area unless and until after we complete the overall Beulah Master Plan and we see what suggestions are offered by the professional planner who will complete this plan based upon the citizen input provided in 2019-2021.

The entire Beulah area was massively upzoned in 2015 before I joined the board when at that time the zoning designations were condensed to a manageable number for uniformity.

But in the meantime, nothing is set in stone, no final decision is made. We will see what the planning board says at their meeting in July.