SWCC OPPOSES PROPOSED DRAPER LAKE SUBMITTED BY d r hORTON

D R Horton Project Description: 'Blue Water Landing'
Updated 10/10/20

D R Horton has applied for a Major Development Order (“MDO”) for a Planned Unit Development containing 70 single family homes on ten acres and a commercial tract. The site area is 35.19 acres.  It should be noted that total scrub area is 11.82 acres BUT only 3.13 acres will remain.  This is a scrub impact of 8.69 acres.  That means 73.52% of the scrub area on a rare coastal Dune Lake will be removed.  This cannot happen. The subject 36.6-acre tract is located south of 30A, west of The Retreat Drive and bordering the Draper Coastal Dune Lake. The Board of Commissioners will make the decision for the  “buy out” request.  This request must be denied.

Deviations from the Walton County Land Development Code are numerous, involving rear and side setbacks to the residential and commercial components. The Commercial development is not configured on the entire site yet the residential area is.  Parking for the Commercial area is reduced, adding congestion and possible parking problems on scenic highway 30A. This new development, named Blue Water Landing, will encourage 700-1,00 short renters access to Draper Lake over protected wetlands.

Per the proposed site plan in the Major Development application, the project appears to be virtually a compacted tract of 70 homes with very little landscaping, no green space, under capacity recreation area and possible stormwater issues. D R Horton is a large tract builder, and this project appears to be a standard “cookie cutter” development. This project will have a negative impact to 30A’s quality of life as it is inconsistent with the character of the local area and other developments in the area.

As stated in the application, the traffic study states this 30A corridor is already “Over Capacity”. The addition of 700- 1,000 people plus a Commercial tract will put undue pressure on 30A traffic.

The project is located on Draper Lake, a coastal dune lake, which has recently been tested to be one of, if not the, cleanest and least polluted of the treasured coastal dune lakes along 30A. This proposed development on a previously undisturbed tract of vacant land will place significant pressure on the fragile ecosystem of Draper Lake.

Walton County Planning Department Review of Application

The Walton County Planning Department is reviewing DR Horton’s Major Development application. 

South Walton Community Council opposes DR Horton’s application for the Draper Lake Development and strongly urges Walton County not to make any concessions or consider any variances to the applicable Development Code and/or Comp Plan in reviewing and/or considering this project.

Relevant Documents