Destin City Council directs Phase 4 of Parks Master Plan, awards multiple public-works contracts, and authorizes new parking management agreement

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Since April 2025 the City of Destin Parks and Recreation staff, in conjunction with other city staff, have been working on a Parks and Recreation Master Plan with Perez Planning and Design, LLC. The purpose of the project is to establish a roadmap for the City's Parks and Recreation system aligned with the Comprehensive Plan. | attachments=3 | reports=1

(Note: Individual speakers will be limited to 3 minutes. At the discretion of the mayor, this 3 minute allowance may be adjusted depending on the level of business coming before the City Council)

RESOLUTION NO. 25-25 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DESTIN, FLORIDA SUPPORTING THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH’S ADOPTION OF ALTERNATIVE 1B AS THE PREFERRED DESIGN OF THE AROUND THE MOUND PROJECT TO REROUTE HIGHWAY 98/STATE ROAD 30 AROUND THE INDIAN TEMPLE MOUND IN THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL OF RESOLUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. | attachments=2 | reports=1

The Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program is a funding opportunity through the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and FDOT. The program is designed to fund small-scale transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The TPO is limited to three applications per jurisdiction. The funding for this project, if approved, would be added to the work development cycle for the periods 2027–2032. Funding is anticipated to be at least five years out, at the earliest. | attachments=1 | reports=1

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Announcements

On November 3, 2025 the Council approved the advertisement of RFB 25-17-CM Crosstown Connector Phase 2 Construction. | attachments=6 | reports=1

Councilmember Trammell asked the Public Works & Safety Committee to look at the speed limit on Kelly St with concerns about the 30 mph speed limit near the elementary school and suggested reducing it to at least 25 mph. The MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) requires speed limits to be set based on an engineering study that considers factors like road characteristics, crash data, and traffic volume. The long-standing "85th percentile" method (based on the speed of the majority of drivers) is a common component of these studies but is no longer the sole factor, especially in urban and pedestrian-heavy areas, due to its updated emphasis on a wider range of safety considerations. What the MUTCD manual says about speed studies: Engineering study is required: Speed limits must be established following an engineering study, not just based on driver behavior. 85th percentile method: The 85th percentile speed has historically been a key guideline but is now considered only one of several factors in the study, not the sole determinant. Multiple factors to consider: The updated manual emphasizes a more holistic approach, weighing six factors: roadway environment, roadway characteristics, geographic context, crash experience, speed distribution, and speed trends. Examples of other factors: The study should also consider other factors like roadside development, pedestrian activity, and the specific characteristics of the road. Speed as a design element: Speed is a fundamental element in the design and placement of all traffic control devices, including signs, lane markings, and other road features. | attachments=1 | reports=1

The City of Destin has continued to experience increasing demand for parking management and enforcement in both on-street and off-street public parking facilities, particularly in high-use areas and peak tourism months. To improve operational efficiency, compliance, and customer service, staff evaluated professional parking management services that incorporate modern enforcement technology and scalable staffing. LAZ Florida Parking, LLC (“LAZ”) is a nationally recognized parking management firm with experience providing municipal parking enforcement, operations, and technology-assisted compliance programs. The proposed Agreement for Professional Services establishes a five-year contract term for LAZ to provide comprehensive parking management and enforcement services for designated City parking facilities. The Agreement includes management of a camera-based License Plate Recognition (LPR) enforcement system to be purchased by the City, along with staffing, customer service, reporting, and program support. The contract allows the City Manager or designee to oversee and direct services and provides termination rights for convenience or cause. | attachments=3 | reports=1

The harbor channel requires regular dredging to maintain the ability of larger vessels to navigate safely in the harbor. Anchor engineering was hired by the City in July 2025 (under Jenkins Engineering) to oversee dredging of the Destin harbor. Under their purvue, a bathymetric study completed in the summer of 2025 identified the shallow areas of the harbor navigational channel where dredging would substantially improve the ability of vessels to navigate. Two grants have been awarded to the City to help cover the costs of dredging the harbor. One from FDEP ($100,000) and one from ​Okaloosa County ($400,000). Both awards have been accepted by Council. A request for bids (RFB) was advertised on November 18, 2025. The bid committee met on December 30, 2025 and results were ranked. | attachments=8 | reports=1

On December 10, 2025, the State of Florida purchased approximately 4 acres of previously privately-owned property located entirely within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Destin in Holiday Isle. This newly-acquired State land is located adjacent to City-owned property which includes the City of Destin's Norriego Point Park, as well as right-of-way with public parking. The State's property is surrounded by conservation and residential zoned properties within the City, as required by the City's Comprehensive Plan. Attached is a copy of the draft Lease between the State and Okaloosa County for the now state-owned conservation property next to the City’s Norriego Point Park, as well as a copy of the County's initial draft of a management plan for the State's conservation property. To the City's knowledge, neither of these documents have yet been finalized or formally approved as of the date of this staff report. The City has informed the County that it desires to work with the County on revised plans, and has put the County on notice that the County's initial draft of a management plan does not comply with the City's Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code, or existing development orders on the property. Under the laws and rules of the State, management plans for conservation lands are required to address the requirements of Chapter 253.034 , 259.032 , 259.105 , Florida Statutes and rules 18-2.018 , 18-2.021 of the Florida Administrative Code. In addition to being required by statute, management plans are a requirement within each State lease . The management plan is due one year from the date of lease execution and then every ten years after that. All management plans regardless of size are reviewed for statutory compliance and are reviewed/approved by the Acquisition and Restoration Council. The State requires that managers for parcels of less than 160 acres hold at least one public hearing per 253.034 (5)(f). As of this time, the City is not aware of any public meetings held by Okaloosa County with respect to any proposed management plan for the subject property, except that on December 18, 2025, Okaloosa County scheduled a public “Town Hall” meeting to be held by Commissioner Drew Palmer on December 30, 2025 at 3pm. The City promptly advertised this County Town Hall meeting in multiple forums for two or more City Council Members to attend [publication was made in the newspaper (on December 24 th and December 28 th ), on the City website, and on social media. The first publication was made on social media on 12/18/2025, the very day the City was made aware of the County Commissioner’s Town Hall. Additionally, the City of Destin obtained a court reporter who attended the Town Hall and who will provide a verbatim transcript of the meeting. All City Council Members and the Mayor attended the December 30th County Town Hall meeting, along with the City Attorney and City Manager. It appeared the meeting was attended by approximately 200 residents of the City of Destin. All City representatives and residents that elected to speak at the meeting expressed disagreement with the County's proposed plan in various forms, with the underlying message best summarized as a desire to maintain the property as conservation and/or park property that does not include commercial utilization of the conservation land nor any uses inconsistent with the surrounding residential (Holiday Isle) and conservation (Norriego Point) areas. One or more public hearings will be additionally required to be held by the full County BCC (not just one Commissioner) in the future. Additionally, because the proposed plan is not currently consistent with the City Comp Plan, LDC, or existing development orders, the County would be required to apply to the City for map and/or text amendments to each of these, which would involve additional public hearings at the City of Destin. | attachments=4 | reports=1

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On April 5, 2021, the City Council approved the scope of work and budget for a full rewrite of the Land Development Code (LDC). After internal and public reviews, beginning in early 2023, staff presented a draft of Article 5 to the City Council at its workshop on December 3, 2024 (see Background Article 5 December 3, 2024 Draft ). Based on that input, staff created the “final draft”. Further refinements have been made based on re-reviews by new staff (see Background Article 5 Working Draft ). In addition to the staff report, the staff has provided: • a draft ordinance and Exhibit A (proposed subdivision replacement article and the subdivision article to be replaced – struck through) • background documents the draft discussed at the city council workshop the current working draft, which includes the input from the city council workshop and the re-review conducted by staff a list of changes, reorganizations, and consolidations This will be the format for all further submissions. | attachments=3 | reports=1

On April 5, 2021, the City Council approved the scope of work and budget for a full rewrite of the Land Development Code (LDC). After internal and public reviews, beginning in early 2023, staff presented a draft of Article 3 to the City Council at its workshop on December 3, 2024 (see Background Article 3 December 3, 2024 Draft ). Incorporating the City Council’s input, staff created a final draft. Further refinements have been made based on re-reviews by new staff (see Background Article 3 Working Draft ). In addition to the staff report, the staff has provided: a draft ordinance and Exhibit A (proposed subdivision replacement article and the subdivision article to be replaced – struck through) background documents, the draft discussed at the city council workshop the current working draft, which includes the input from the city council workshop and the re-review conducted by staff a listing of changes, reorganizations, and consolidations This will be the format for all further submissions. | attachments=3 | reports=1

On December 1, 2025, City Council requested an amendment to the Land Development Code removing provisions for parking reductions and shared parking agreements. | attachments=1 | reports=1

The City Manager's contract provides for an annual fee to the City Manager, which will increase annually by the amount of any annual cost-of-living adjustment granted by the City Council to City employees. In addition, the contract provides that the City Manager will be considered for a performance/retention bonus of up to four percent of the contract value on each anniversary of the contract. | attachments=3 | reports=1