There was a lot covered at the September 22nd Gulf County Commission meeting, but the biggest discussion was one that has been around for more than 20 years: Back Beach Road.

This time, though, commissioners had something new to work with.

Back Beach Road: The County Found the Original Agreement

If you have followed the Back Beach Road discussion, you know there have been a lot of questions about who was responsible for what and where the project stalled.

County staff recently located documents dating back to 2002 that spell out the original plan and commitments for what was formally called the Gulf to Bay Highway. The proposed road was intended to create an alternate corridor to Highway 98, improve hurricane evacuation, add traffic capacity and support future growth in the area.

The approximately 12 mile project was divided into three segments.

Segment 1 runs from the Highland View area toward St. Joe Beach. Segments 2 and 3 continue west toward County Road 386 and then through the Mexico Beach area to a point south of Tyndall Air Force Base.

One of the biggest clarifications from the documents involves the St. Joe Company's role.

Under the agreement, the St. Joe Company committed to fund and manage the planning, design and construction of Segment 1 and provide the necessary right of way. For Segments 2 and 3, the company agreed to contribute right of way where the selected route crossed land it owned.

The agreement also says the St. Joe Company would work with Gulf County, Opportunity Florida and the Northwest Florida legislative delegation to pursue state funding for Segments 2 and 3. It specifically calls for the company to retain professional lobbying organizations and include Gulf County in those efforts.

That distinction matters because commissioners emphasized that the remaining portions of the road are expected to require state funding through FDOT. The county's focus now is getting the project into FDOT's five year plan.

So what happens next?

The county plans to bring the different parties back together, including the St. Joe Company, Opportunity Florida, FDOT and the City of Port St. Joe. Commissioners also discussed reaching out to Franklin County, Bay County and Mexico Beach because of the regional impact of the proposed route.

Mexico Beach has already expressed support, according to the discussion, and commissioners noted that Segment 3 would be entirely within Bay County. They also want information showing potential emergency response benefits, including how much travel time the route could save ambulances heading toward Bay County.

Opportunity Florida is expected to be invited to an upcoming county meeting, and county representatives plan to take the newly located information to the Port St. Joe City Commission as well. The county also intends to contact the St. Joe Company about the lobbying commitment outlined in the original agreement.

The important takeaway is that this does not mean Back Beach Road is about to be built.

What changed is that the county now has the original documents, map and commitments in hand and a clearer roadmap for restarting the process. The immediate goal is getting the remaining project into FDOT's five year plan and securing a state commitment for future funding.

For a road that has been talked about for more than two decades, that is a big step forward.

Scallop Restoration Pilot Could Begin This Fall

There was also an interesting update on efforts to restore the bay scallop population following last year's prolonged red tide event.

A researcher at the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory currently has scallops in the hatchery that are ready to spawn. The proposed pilot project would release scallop larvae into targeted areas of St. Joseph Bay shortly before they settle.

Researchers believe a spawn could produce around 2.5 million larvae. The local estuary program would then monitor the area after the release and again before harvest season to determine whether the approach is working.

The county approved moving forward with negotiations for the pilot at a cost not to exceed $20,000, although officials said they hope the final cost will be lower. A local boat has also been offered for the release effort.

If the pilot works, the goal would be to pursue grant funding and potentially make scallop restoration an ongoing effort rather than a one time project.

Highland View Living Shoreline Moving Forward

The Highland View Living Shoreline project is moving forward on schedule, with the current phase expected to be completed by March 2027.

Right now, the project is still in the planning and feasibility stage. That includes studying shoreline changes, collecting data, coordinating with partners and identifying potential funding sources before moving into engineering, permitting and ultimately construction.

The area being studied is near Butler Bay Road, around the section commonly associated with the Highland View road washout.

The goal is to develop a nature based solution that can help protect the shoreline while creating a strong enough project to compete for future construction funding.

Changes Coming for Subdivision Stormwater Requirements

Development and stormwater were another major topic.

Commissioners discussed problems created by subdivisions that have been approved in the past without adequate stormwater infrastructure. County staff pointed out that those developments can eventually create drainage problems that fall back on county crews and taxpayers to address.

The commission voted to begin enforcing existing requirements that subdivision stormwater systems be designed by a licensed professional engineer. With very limited exceptions for small developments that qualify under state rules, future subdivisions will need an engineered stormwater plan.

The discussion came partly from concerns surrounding the proposed 22 lot Intercoastal Estates development on South Long Avenue. The Planning Development Review Board had recommended denial because of concerns involving flag lots, emergency vehicle access, fire hydrants, drainage and the proposed private access arrangement.

Rather than approving or denying the project as presented, commissioners discussed giving the applicant an opportunity to address those concerns before it returns.

The larger takeaway is that the county appears to be drawing a firmer line on stormwater and subdivision design going forward.

Building Permit Fees

The commission also reviewed Gulf County's building permit fees, which staff said remain lower than many surrounding communities.

Rather than increasing everything at once, commissioners approved changes to the base permit fees for pools and roofs.

Other proposed changes involving mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit fees will come back for additional discussion.

$2.2 Million Howard Creek Project Moving Forward

After more than six years, Gulf County finally received approval to move forward with a $2.2 million hazard mitigation project along Howard Creek Road.

The project covers five locations along roughly three and a half miles between Ross Stripling Road and Old Bay City Road. Plans include upsizing two pipes and installing three larger box culverts.

The goal is to allow more water to move beneath the roadway when the river rises so Howard Creek Road can remain open longer during flooding events.

The county said state funding has also been set aside for the required match, making the project essentially no cost to Gulf County. The county is now waiting for agreements from the state before moving forward.

South Gulf Fire Rescue Leadership

There is also a leadership change at South Gulf Fire Rescue.

After more than five years as chief, Mike Barrett is stepping away from that role. County Fire Coordinator Michael Hammond will serve as fire chief using the same structure currently in place at Beaches Fire Rescue.

Derek Burkhold has been named battalion chief and will oversee the department's day to day operations. Burkhold is also a full time firefighter with the City of Mexico Beach and lives in the Jones Homestead area.

Other Road and Infrastructure Updates

The commission approved additional work as part of the county's 2026 road paving program, including work on several roads and culverts.

The county is also beginning the process of abandoning portions of an alleyway in St. Joe Beach between Balboa and Coronado while retaining a drainage easement and protecting the area needed for the City of Port St. Joe lift station.

At Indian Pass, the county also discussed accepting another property donation for public beach access at South Higgins. The county already has an existing beach access crossing the property.

What I'm Watching

For me, Back Beach Road is the big one to watch from this meeting.

Finding the original agreement answers some long standing questions about the project and gives the county something concrete to take back to FDOT, the St. Joe Company, Port St. Joe, Mexico Beach and the other regional partners.

The next thing I'll be watching is whether those meetings happen and, most importantly, whether the remaining Back Beach Road segments make it into FDOT's five year plan.

I’ll keep following the Back Beach Road discussion and the other local issues that could impact our area and share updates as they happen.

And if you’re thinking about buying or selling anywhere around Port St. Joe, St. Joe Beach, Mexico Beach or Cape San Blas, I’m always happy to help or just answer questions about the area.

Linda Surles  
Selling the Coast  
850-329-5771 
linda@sellingthecoastfl.com