Bay County commissioners on Oct. 21 adopted an ordinance enabling the county — and, in limited circumstances, the county manager — to declare "high impact periods" when an expected influx of visitors places an unusual strain on public resources. During such periods, a set of additional restrictions and enforcement tools can be activated, some automatically and others at the manager's request in consultation with the sheriff's office.

Major Baldwin, representing Bay County law enforcement, told the board the tools are intended to give police more options during disruptive events. "The sheriff and I really think this is gonna give us more tools to help us enforce that juvenile, that unaccompanied juvenile issue that we've had," Baldwin said, citing large unsupervised gatherings, weapons, and crowd‑control challenges the county experienced this year.

The ordinance is modeled on recent action by the city of Panama City Beach; county staff told commissioners the county commonly seeks alignment with Panama City Beach rules because visitors do not distinguish jurisdictional boundaries and crowd problems cross lines. The ordinance would allow measures such as curfews, restrictions on access to specific areas, and targeted enforcement in response to predicted visitor surges.

Supporters — including the Panama City Beach mayor, the county sheriff's office, and several residents who spoke during the public hearing — said the ordinance responds to recurring problems they described from spring‑break periods: widespread drinking, violent confrontations and firearms incidents, and crowds of unaccompanied minors. "We have to do something," the mayor said in remarks to the board, urging the county to act in concert with the city.

At the podium, residents described neighborhood impacts and safety concerns. Gail Dean of Laguna Beach told commissioners, "They want law enforcement to do everything they can to make it safe." Business and tourism representatives said the community needs a safe reputation to retain family visitors.

Some public commenters and one attorney urged caution on provisions that could affect private property or short‑term rentals, and suggested the board separate private‑sector regulatory elements from the public‑safety tools so enforcement focuses on criminal and public‑safety problems rather than civil or zoning disputes.

The ordinance passed on a roll call vote; commissioners recorded unanimous support in the official vote. County leaders said this action complements other steps — including special‑event permitting and tourism‑safety funding — aimed at preventing recurrence of the large, sometimes violent, gatherings that disrupted the community earlier this year. Law enforcement said they will use the tools in coordination with city police and other local partners.

Next steps: The county will operate the ordinance framework during future declared high impact periods and coordinate with Panama City Beach on timing and specific measures; staff and law enforcement will report back on operational details and enforcement outcomes.