The Okaloosa County School Board voted unanimously Monday to move forward on trying to acquire a 7.6-acre parcel of land adjacent to Destin Elementary School.
- The vacant property, located at 401 Beach Drive, recently went on the market – prompting interest from both the city of Destin and the school district.
“Any time land becomes available adjacent to one of our schools, I think it becomes worthy of our consideration for acquisition,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said at Monday’s workshop ahead of the board meeting.
Chambers said acquiring the additional acreage will allow for a more efficient car pickup and drop-off line at the school, help alleviate traffic congestion, and provide extra green space for students.
Controlling what is built next to the school is also a factor.
“This acquisition would allow for us, the school district, to control what is built directly next to the school,” Chambers said. “We all know that our schools, even with slowed growth, are overcapacity. So knowing that, it’s incumbent upon us to plan for future growth, as well as shorter term needs.”
- According to Chambers, the District has started the planning and design process of a K-8 school in Crestview, as well as the grades 3 through 5 school in Destin, which will be a 32 classroom addition.
“This will allow the 5th grade to come back to Destin Elementary, and this will also provide capacity at Destin Elementary, along with Destin Middle School,” added Chambers. “We’ve also been actively pursuing land in other parts of Crestview, and in the Niceville area, for potential future schools. Additionally, we have looked at the land we own for the potential use of future development, such as our land in Shalimar, as well as our land in Niceville.”
The City of Destin previously discussed partnering with the school district to jointly purchase the property. But Chambers said Monday the proposal is for the District to acquire the full 7.6-acre parcel itself.
School Board Attorney Jeff McInnis clarified in the meetings that a vote to move forward on purchasing the property would come in the form of submitting an “option-to-purchase agreement” to the seller this week. If accepted, the Board would then hold a public hearing in 30 days before taking a final vote to convert the option into a formal purchase contract.
The property is currently in Canadian bankruptcy court without an official listing price. But the seller has suggested $4 million based on previous interest, according to Destin City Attorney Kim Kopp.
- The school district has two independent appraisals and is reviewing them to determine a fair value offer.
Resident and former Destin City Council-member Parker Destin spoke at the workshop and said the move would relieve many families in the city who are excited at the prospect.
- “It’s clear that this board and the Superintendent understand that we govern from a place of what is good for everyone,” Destin told the board. “There are dozens and dozens of families that are very excited because they know how much this is needed.”
With that, School Board Member Marti Gardner made the motion to proceed with the option-to-purchase agreement with a second by Dr. Lamar White. The board voted unanimously.
“With the Okaloosa County School District purchasing this land, we can control what happens with the property,” said Gardner. “I truly believe in green space and we can ensure that the school and students have ample green space for future generations.”
The school board’s next step will be to finalize and submit the option-to-purchase agreement to the seller. If accepted, the board will then hold a 30-day public notice period before taking final action.
