The Destin City Council on April 7 approved a conceptual plan for the state-owned Holiday Isle park property near Norriego Point that includes new parking, passive recreational amenities and limited dock use, and agreed to offer free parking to all Okaloosa County residents at city parks.

• The council voted 4-1 to forward the plan (known as Concept 1) to County Commissioner Drew Palmer and the county attorney ahead of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners’ April 21 meeting. The plan proposes converting the existing roadway into a one-way road and adding 57 angled parking spaces, for a total of 115 spaces when combined with 58 existing spots.

In a separate 5-0 vote, the council approved designating the property’s docks for use as public transient slips and a fishing pier, with no overnight use permitted.

Both votes are part of a broader effort by the city to show its readiness to lease and manage the park property, which the state of Florida acquired in December 2025 for $83.3 million. The city previously passed a Resolution on March 16, requesting the state authorize Destin as the managing entity and committing up to $5 million in improvements.

Two concepts considered

City staff presented two parking concepts developed by the city engineer. Both included new concrete sidewalks, boardwalks along the seawall, two beach volleyball courts, a playground, two large pavilions, one smaller pavilion and benches throughout.

Concept 1 proposed one-way traffic flow with angled parking, adding 57 spaces. 

Concept 2 proposed 90-degree parking with two-way traffic, adding 81 spaces for 139 total. Both designs would occupy slightly more than half an acre of the property, according to City Manager Larry Jones.

The council initially considered Concept 2 at the recommendation of Councilman Dewey Destin, who said commissioners “seem to be most concerned about having enough parking, as are we.”

Councilman Jim Bagby pushed back on the 90-degree layout, citing safety concerns.

• “If you’ve ever seen one of those people try to pull into a 90-degree parking spot, they’re challenged,” Bagby said, referencing drivers of large trucks common in the beach area. “I kind of like the angled parking. I know it doesn’t get us as many spaces.”

Bagby noted that Okaloosa County had previously converted parking at the Crab Trap area to angled, one-way parking for similar reasons. Destin amended his motion to endorse Concept 1, and the council approved it.

Free parking for county residents

The motion also included a provision to allow all Okaloosa County residents to park for free at city parks.

Destin said the concession was important to securing county support.

• “That seemed pretty important to get the support of the county to go forward as a partner with us in this,” Destin said. “I don’t think it’s a big ask.”

Destin said the city does not charge parking at parks that received substantial state funding, citing Leonard Destin Park on Calhoun Avenue as an example.

Bagby sought clarification on the scope of the free parking offer, confirming that it applies only to parking within city parks — not paid street parking in areas such as Crystal Beach.

“I just want to get that on the record,” Bagby said.

City Attorney Kim Kopp clarified that the free parking offer approved by the council is contingent on the city obtaining management of the park.

However, Commissioner Palmer’s position extends beyond park parking. During the March 24 Board of County Commissioners meeting, Palmer said he was considering whether the city might “even be willing to open up all of city parking in Destin to all of the county residents for free.”

Dock use

On the docks, the council unanimously approved a motion by Destin to designate them for public transient slips and fishing pier use. No overnight docking would be permitted.

Destin said transient slip use could generate parking credits under city code, which would effectively increase the allowable public use of the property without requiring additional parking.

Councilwoman Sandy Trammell, who seconded the dock motion, said she believed water access would serve county residents more than additional vehicle parking.

• “The docks benefit the county more than the number of parking spaces we put in there,” Trammell said.

Kopp reminded the council that all decisions remain subject to required land use changes, including amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan, rezoning and an amendment to the existing development order. Those changes would require multiple public hearings.

Dissent and concerns

Councilman Kevin Schmidt cast the lone no vote on the concept plan, expressing concern that the city was taking on too much.

“I feel like we’re just taking it all on,” Schmidt said. “We have to build it now. We have to manage, support it.”

• Schmidt also raised concerns about the capacity of existing restroom facilities to handle additional visitors and questioned whether the city has the staffing to maintain the expanded park.

Mayor Bobby Wagner, while in favor of the plan, questioned whether county residents would realistically drive to the Holiday Isle property given traffic congestion and the fact that the site is on East Pass rather than the Gulf.

“Why would a local of Fort Walton Beach, of Miramar, of anywhere want to go to this beach?” Wagner said. “I don’t think this helps them get to the beach for free because it’s not the Gulf.”

Wagner said he would prefer to emphasize water access for county residents through the docks rather than vehicle parking.

Path forward

Kopp said the city plans to attend the April 21 Commissioners meeting in Shalimar, though she noted the county could change the date if it has not yet heard back from the state.

She said if the county supports the city’s plan, the two governments would jointly approach the state to request that Destin be authorized to lease and manage the property.

Kopp also disclosed that after a March 27 meeting between Palmer, Destin, the county attorney and herself, the county attorney reached back out to say the county “wants to be sure that they’re not stepping on anyone’s toes at the state or disappointing any expectations at the state.”

• “So they want to meet with the state and make sure it’s okay with the state for the city to manage it as well before they make that commitment,” Kopp said.

The agenda item noted the city engineer’s two design concepts are estimated to cost between $2 million and $3 million, within the $5 million the city committed in the Resolution.