The Walton County Design Review Board on Jan. 7 approved a minor development application for a mixed-use project called Cottages at North Blue Mountain Beach, which the staff described as proposing 28 townhomes, a small commercial component and associated infrastructure on 9.22 acres north of the Highway 98 and Old Blue Mountain Road intersection in District 5.

Tim Brown, Planning and Development, entered the staff report and said the item had been continued from prior meetings. Applicant representatives said they had revised plans to show unit footprints, added pavers and additional landscaping, and provided screening wall details for HVAC units. Stephen Taylor, attorney for the applicant, said the FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) permit for wetlands was uploaded as part of the development order application package and added that "by state statute you can't hold up issuing a local government permit for state or federal permits." David Forsstrom, project engineer, explained that waste from the compact commercial kiosks and residences would be handled with rollout trash cans moved to the curb on pickup days.

Board members expressed substantial design concerns about massing, facade undulation, and the overall compact character of the proposal, but several said the submission met minimum code requirements after the recent revisions. The board discussed emergency access, private road maintenance, stormwater (a dry retention approach with percolation within 72 hours was described), and the need for homeowners association or condominium documents at platting. After discussion, a board member moved to approve the application; the motion passed.

The approval finds the application meets minimum standards but does not preclude future field changes, permits, platting review and requirements for HOA/condominium documents and ongoing stormwater maintenance.