The Bay County Planning Commission on Oct. 21, 2025, voted to forward a staff proposal to amend Chapters 2 (economic development element) and 3 (future land use element) of the county comprehensive plan to allow residential uses on properties with a commercial future land use designation within the Fountain Rural Community Special Treatment Zone.

Wayne Porter, planning staff, said current comprehensive-plan language prohibits residential uses in commercial future land-use categories except inside the Beaches Special Treatment Zone; the proposed language would add the Fountain Rural Community Special Treatment Zone as an exception. Staff recommended the commission find the amendments consistent with the comprehensive plan and forward them to the Board of County Commissioners for action.

The commission had no public comment on the item. Commissioners voted in favor of forwarding the proposed plan amendments (PLLPTA 20250207) to the county commission.