PARKS & REC

Fort Walton Beach bans smoking in public parks and beaches within the city

On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, the Fort Walton Beach City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits smoking within city-owned public parks and beaches.

• This comes after a 3-4 year battle with the state to allow local governments to regulate smoking within public parks and beaches. 
• In December 2021, former City Manager Michael Beedie lobbied to our Legislative Delegation Board of Directors to pass Senate Bill 224 and House Bill 105.

With the passing of the bills, local governments are now allowed to regulate smoking with the exception of unfiltered cigars. (That was specifically exempted by the legislature.)

• Back in October, former City Manager Michael Beedie said that litter was a huge issue when this bill was brought up and stated that cigarette filters are always on the ground. 
• This also bans the use of e-cigarette and vaping products as well. 

While this new ordinance for the city was written to totally prohibit smoking in parks and on public beaches, there was an option to create designated smoking areas. It was recommended in October that if council chose to create these areas that they be limited to the parking area. However, the council decided not to create smoking areas then, and on Tuesday night, they stuck to that decision to not provide designated smoking areas. 

• Last December, Beedie said that one of the biggest complaints the City of Fort Walton Beach receives is about smoking that happens near the bleachers during sporting events.

Council-member Nic Allegretto strongly opposed voting to prohibit smoking within the parks without carving out an area for smokers.

“For the record, I’m not going to support the motion,” he said to council. “I don’t care for smoking in the parks. I don’t like to be around it. I don’t want the kids to walk through it. To regulate something like this without providing some sort of small area for people who do want to enjoy a smoke in a park that they technically own, I just can’t support that.”

With new rules comes a new enforcement. Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Robert Bage told the council that his department could have signage up within 30 days of passing the ordinance, and would begin the education and awareness process to residents first. 

In October, he said this:

• “We would start with encouragement and we would tell them that the city council passed the ordinance, and now it’s prohibited to use smoking or electronic smoking devices within the park,” said Chief Bage. “From that point, if somebody didn’t want to comply, we’d issue a civil citation. We’d go down the civil citation route first and hopefully the citation would stop any further smoking in the parks.”

On Tuesday night, Chief Bage told the council that his department has been working on signage and was waiting to see what the final decision from council would be. Now that smoking is prohibited, he said they could start enforcement sometime in January 2023. 

• The new ordinance goes into effect immediately.

GIVING BACK

Step One Automotive Group recognized by the Department of Education for their support of schools

Step One Automotive Group has been named a recipient of the Florida Department of Education’s 2022 Commissioner’s Business Recognition Award. 

• The award recognizes Florida’s business leaders and partners that have shown the most commitment to bringing positive change and implementing bold, innovative approaches to improve the academic performance of students in Florida’s education system and communities.

• These educational connections help Florida school districts gain a competitive edge in providing enhanced services to the students they serve.

“It is such an honor for us to receive this recognition,” said Maureen Bierman, Step One Automotive Group Director of Marketing and Communications. “At Step One, giving back is in our DNA. Especially when it comes to children and education. Because the truth is one of those children could change the world one day. And if we can help them find that path even in the smallest way then that’s all that matters to us.”

Each school district is encouraged to nominate a worthy business that provides educational support in areas of civics, literacy, career & technical education, school safety, STEM/STEAM education, college readiness, and family involvement to students and educators within their community.

Step One Automotive Group is recognized along with Lakewood Ranch Rotary Books for Kids in Manatee County and Ocean Bank in Miami-Dade County. Step One Automotive Group is the only Okaloosa County recipient of the award this year. 

Step One Automotive Group recently celebrated its first five years in business and was named the 2022 “Business of the Year” by the Okaloosa County School District.

According to the company, prioritizing local community initiatives and fostering a service-oriented company culture in its dealerships remain at the forefront of the company’s mission.

• Step One partners with charitable organizations including the HSU Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, Saving with Soul Pet Rescue, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, local military groups, and many more. 

PUBLIC SAFETY

Fort Walton Beach Police Department earns State Accreditation

On December 13, 2022, the Fort Walton Beach Police Department was recognized by the City Council for becoming a Florida Accredited Law Enforcement agency.

In 2020, the Department started the process of bringing all of their policies and procedures into alignment with peer-reviewed best practices. In August of 2022, assessors from the Florida Commission for Accreditation (CFA) conducted an in-depth three-day review of the department.

• The department had zero compliance issues and was compliant in 165 mandatory standards and another 42 non-mandatory standards.

On December 6, 2022, the Police Department was reviewed by the Commission and was awarded its accreditation status becoming the only municipal law enforcement agency in Okaloosa County, and one of only a few agencies in the Panhandle, to be accredited, according to a press release.

According to the city, accreditation increases the law enforcement agency’s ability to prevent and control crime through more effective and efficient delivery of law enforcement services to the community it serves. Additionally, the city says:

• Accreditation enhances community understanding of the law enforcement agency and its role in the community as well as its goals and objectives.
• Citizen confidence in the policies and practices of the agency is increased. 

“This would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of every member of the Fort Walton Beach Police Department and the overwhelming support from the city as a whole and the community,” said Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Robert Bage. “This is not just an accomplishment for the Department but for the entire community.”

BUSINESS

Props Brewery & Grill in Downtown Fort Walton Beach will close January 4

On Wednesday, December 14, 2022, Props Brewery announced via social media that their Downtown Fort Walton Beach location will close on January 4, 2023.

• As part of FDOT’s Brooks Bridge Replacement project, numerous parcels, businesses and buildings were acquired by FDOT as part of the right-of-way acquisition phase of the bridge project.

As previously reported, Props Brewery has been affected by the upcoming Brooks Bridge project due to their location within the Paradise Pointe shopping center and proximity to the bridge. FDOT’s demolition contractor recently removed a front portion of the unit occupied by Props.

Props has been in that location for 11 years now and owner Nate Vannatter previously expressed that they had no desire to leave downtown Fort Walton Beach. After looking at various location and kicking around ideas, they approached the City of Fort Walton Beach about leasing the old Venture Hive location at The Landing. 

• However, after a lengthy discussion in September, the council voted no to leasing the parcel to Props. 

“We would like to thank everyone that has supported us over the years at this location,” wrote Vannatter on Facebook. “The restaurant business is not easy, especially for couple of guys that knew nothing about it. Please come see us once more before we shut the doors.”

In the announcement, Props also announced that they would be opening a new location but kept quiet on the details. The brewery will keep their regular hours and specials until they close on January 4th.

• December 16: 16th Anniversary Party with $2 beers all day, every style.
• January 3: Last Trivia Night. They will be giving away some memorabilia and big prizes.
• January 4: The Last Day. 

“We chose to close on a Wednesday to celebrate our Regulars from the “Regulars Club,” said Vannatter. “All day, everyone enjoys $1 beers and a bunch of different drink specials. The “Regulars” can take their mug with them, or the next day it will be transferred to the Lovejoy Brewery.”

“This journey over the last 11 years has been amazing, so thank you to all of our supporters, patrons, and even our critics,” he said.

COMING SOON

New 124-room hotel coming to the Santa Rosa Mall

On December 12, 2022, the Mary Esther City Council unanimously approved a new 124-room hotel located on the south side of the Santa Rosa Mall on Hollywood Boulevard.

• The Extended Stay America hotel will be built behind the existing Surge Trampoline Park, just west of the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel.

On November 7, 2022, the Local Planning Agency held a public hearing, reviewed the request and recommended approval of a preliminary development order. The property is 2.16 acres and will have 124 parking spaces along with 5 ADA spaces.

Now that the development order has been granted, the owners will still have to pull the permits and meet additional contingencies set by the council this week. 

• An agreement shall be reached between the City and developer for upgrading the lift station to serve the project. This hotel will use the same lift station as the existing and potential future apartments. That lift station would need to have some upgrades in order to increase capacity for storm events. 
• Ensure there is adequate water and sewer capacity for the project.

As of this writing, there is no official timeline on when the project will begin construction.