TRAFFIC

Destin residents call for bigger police presence and enforcement on Holiday Isle

Residents voiced their opinions during the Destin City Council Meeting held on June 20, 2023, in response to growing traffic-related issues and crime concerns.

The increase in visitors, along with reported traffic-related incidents during the summer, has some locals questioning why the city doesn’t have a larger police presence to account for this, as well as whether a dedicated police department in Destin is needed. 

• In particular, the reported disregard for traffic laws specifically on Holiday Isle is an issue that locals are asking for more enforcement of. 

“I met with the Sheriff [deputy] that patrol’s our area last week, and our stop signs are not even a recommendation anymore. People round them at 30 miles per hour,” said one Holiday Isle resident during the meeting. “It’s getting out of hand. So we need to do something about the police department here.”

Another Holiday Isle resident agreed that the situation is spiraling out of control and wants to see something needs to be done about it. “I see the people that roll that stop sign. It’s not five miles an hour, it’s 30 miles an hour. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

• He went on to say that it isn’t just tourists, but local residents on Holiday Isle who are speeding and running stop signs.

Council-member Teresa Hebert followed up, saying the City has received the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s proposed new budget and that there is an increase compared to last year. “We’ll be talking to them about what we are getting for the increase that’s coming with the new budget for them,” she said. 

East District Captain Jason Fulghum, with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, explained that the City has five Deputies per shift that are assigned to the city of Destin (that the City pays for). 

“We break them down into each district based on the numbers of calls to service that we have there,” he said. “So you have the two that are in Zone 25, which is basically everything on the west side of the airport. You have two that are out on the east side and then one that rolls around in the city.”

As for traffic enforcement, there is a Community Resource Deputy that focuses on problem areas, not just traffic enforcement, but any other type of issues that come up like retail theft or “anything that’s spiking,” according to Fulghum.

Fulghum says that 66% of the traffic enforcement in Okaloosa County does occur within the Destin city limits. Approximately 65.5% of the traffic enforcement in the City of Destin takes place on roadways other than Highway 98.

• In a one-year span from April 2022 to 2023, 7,681 out of the 8,354 county traffic stops were conducted in the district that Destin belongs to, of which, 5,553 of those were within the city limits.

That said, the OCSO is searching for ways to have a bigger presence and tackle the traffic concerns. 

• “We’re applying for a grant for speed and aggressive driving…from the state to pay for additional enforcement,” he said. “It’ll be a $50,000 grant that’ll pay overtime for guys to come out and do absolutely nothing but work traffic within the city limits of Destin.”

In the meantime, the Community Resource Officer for Destin is working on having a larger presence in the area to address the concerns.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Coast Guard urges ‘vessel safety check’ program for 6-pack, bareboat charter operators in Destin

At Tuesday’s Destin City Council Meeting on June 20, 2023, representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard addressed the council regarding safety measures and partnerships with local charter operators. 

• Lieutenant Andres Nealis, the supervisor at Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Panama City, and Senior Chief Joshua Menges, the new officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Destin, shared valuable insights and proposed solutions to enhance safety on water.

Lieutenant Nealis emphasized the Coast Guard’s commitment to maintaining strong partnerships with various entities, including the City of Destin, state and local government agencies, and private organizations like the Okaloosa Water Sports Coalition. Notably, he acknowledged the recent concerns surrounding bareboat charters and expressed a desire to collaborate and combat the illegal charter problem.

The Passenger Vessel Safety Act defines three classes of vessels. 

• Small Passenger Vessels – which are inspected by the Coast Guard on an annual basis and can carry more than six. They carry a Certificate of Inspection and they carry a licensed crew. 
• Uninspected Passenger Vessel (6-packs) – the operator limits themselves to six passengers or less with at least one for hire. In doing so, the boat doesn’t have to be inspected by the Coast Guard, but the crew does have to be properly licensed so there is a little bit of oversight from the Coast Guard with regard to that. 
• Bareboat charters –  An agreement where the charterer has use of the vessel for a period of time and is considered the owner. A charterer takes on the legal obligations, is responsible for the crew, passengers carried, and others, and can have up to 12 onboard. 

One of the reasons that it is appealing to do bareboat charters is because an operator can have up to 12 passengers onboard and still not be inspected by the Coast Guard, as opposed to six-pack charters, which can only carry six, but have an assigned crew. 

“We have a lot of regulatory oversight with the small passenger vessels or SPVs,” said Lt. Nealis. “I really want to help grow and strengthen some of the partnerships as it pertains to the 6-pack operators and the bareboat charter operators because, unfortunately, we don’t get a lot of face-time with them prior to either a law enforcement boarding or a casualty.”

To address this issue, Lieutenant Nealis proposed the underutilized Vessel Safety Check program, mainly run by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, as a valuable resource for both operators and the Coast Guard. He highlighted the importance of this voluntary program, which certifies that a vessel complies with all federal safety laws and regulations. 

By participating in the program, operators not only demonstrate their commitment to safety but also provide the Coast Guard with an indication of their compliance efforts, according to Nealis.

• “It’s a great program. We’re very lucky in this region to have a very active and well-trained and motivated Coast Guard auxiliary workforce,” Lieutenant Nealis explained.

Senior Chief Joshua Menges, the new officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Destin, echoed the importance of partnerships in ensuring the safety of Destin’s waters. He emphasized that the Coast Guard alone cannot handle this responsibility and relies on collaboration with local, county, federal, and state partners.

“As you all know, and I quickly learned, it’s a job we cannot handle by ourselves. It is a job that can only be taken care of with the great partnerships we have with our local county, federal, and state partners who do this job with us and maintain safety on the waters here,” Senior Chief Menges emphasized.

For Lieutenant Nealis, he believes that having a more collaborative relationship with the operators from the beginning is what drives actual cultural change when it comes to safety.

• “I’m committed to trying to improve that,” he added. “We have to take a multi-pronged approach that includes education. It can’t just be enforcement. It’s outreach, it’s education, and it’s having these discussions on the front-end.”

NEWS

Destin City Council takes action to regulate commercial activity in Bayous

In a unanimous decision, the Destin City Council voted to move forward with drafting an ‘anchoring’ ordinance that will regulate commercial activity within the city’s bayous. Councilman Kevin Schmidt spearheaded the proposal during the city council meeting held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

• While the city has jurisdiction over Joe’s Bayou and Marler Bayou, they currently lack the necessary ordinance to enforce any restrictions on commercial activities in these waterways.

During the meeting, Councilman Schmidt explained that while the purpose of the proposed ordinance is to regulate commercial activity in these areas in general, the topic came up due to an inflatable bounce house operation setting up in the area. 

According to complaints and social media posts, an inflatable bounce house and water slide is reportedly being set up near the Joe’s Bayou Recreation Area. Witnesses claim that people are being shuttled over from Crab Island or parking at Joe’s Bayou Recreation Area to use the inflatables. Commercial activity is not allowed at Joe’s Bayou Recreation Area.

• Additionally, inflatables have been reported behind the Destin Army Recreation Area off of Calhoun Ave.

“If it’s not in Joe’s Bayou, it’s in Choctawhatchee Bay. If it’s not in Choctawhatchee Bay, it’s in the Harbor,” added Schmidt. “Right now off of Indian Trail, there’s a massive barge parked 100 yards off of somebody’s backyard. Can we do anything about it? [Okaloosa] Sheriff’s Department says not really.”

He emphasized that the intent was not to hinder fishermen or any charter boat captains seeking safety, as they would be protected under a safe harbor provision.

• Once the draft is completed, it will be presented to the council at a future meeting for discussion and approval.

Additionally, the council voted to direct staff to work with other jurisdictions to find a solution to overnight commercial anchoring in areas just outside of the Destin’s waterways.

REAL ESTATE

Destin City Council looking to buy the vacant lot next to the Marler Bridge, owner seeks $10 million

In a supermajority 5-2 vote on Tuesday, the Destin City Council made a significant move regarding the vacant property at 1 Harbor Boulevard next to the Destin (Marler) Bridge. The council approved a counter offer of up to $8.5 million, aiming to acquire the 2-acre property that was previously home to a tattoo shop.

• The property was purchased by BK of Destin Inc. for $5,500,000 on June 17, 2022. 

“The difference in price between what we’re offering and what they’re willing to accept is significant. Right now, we’re at $8 million and they are at $10 million,” explained Land Use Attorney Kim Kopp during the council meeting. 

Council-member Kevin Schmidt promptly made a motion for a final offer not exceeding $9.5 million. Council-member Johnny King seconded the motion. However, Council-member Dewey Destin proposed a substitute motion, suggesting the city not exceed $8.5 million. Council-member Teresa Hebert supported the substitute motion.

Destin confirmed the average of the city’s appraisals on the property was $7.9 million. “So we are at $8.5 million. We’re half a million dollars more than our appraisal,” pointed out Destin, backing his motion. He also highlighted that any amount above the appraisal would require a supermajority vote under state law.

Council-member Jim Bagby expressed his reservations about the property’s price. “I’ll be honest with you. They bought it for $5 million. They probably put a half a million dollars into it…I would’ve given them $6 million,” he said. He emphasized the significance of the property for the town’s future development, especially in regards to a possible town center.

• Bagby clarified that his vote was not in favor of buying the property at $8.5 million but rather authorizing a counter offer at that amount. He advocated for seeking public input and assessing the overall worth of the acquisition. However, Bagby firmly stated his opposition to the proposed $9.5 million counter offer.

“I saw what happened to the Emerald Grande property,” stated Schmidt. “I would think that citizens of Destin would probably shoot themselves in the foot 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years from now to say, ‘Man, one more million dollars and we could have not had that. One more million.'”

Ultimately, the council decided to move forward with a counter offer of not-to-exceed $8.5 million. The next step will involve waiting for the property owners’ response to the counter offer. The outcome of this negotiation will undoubtedly shape the future landscape of Destin as it pertains to the entrance of the city.