Planning staff proposed a text amendment to the Santa Rosa County Land Development Code tying major land‑clearing exemptions to bona fide agricultural use (ag exemption or silviculture permit) to prevent unauthorized clearing; the board voted to forward the amendment to the County Commission.

Contractor updates indicated the Whiting Aviation Park taxiway is nearing completion and largely grant‑funded; the county said it will camera and inspect a failed 16‑inch water main feeding a fire suppression system to determine warranty responsibility.

The Board of County Commissioners enacted an immediate local state of emergency and approved a budget amendment to support evacuations, sheltering and emergency operations as a hurricane threat approaches Santa Rosa County.

The board recommended rezoning 36.25 acres in North Milton to PIT‑1 for an earth‑material (dirt) pit. Applicant Angie Jones said the operation would supply local development needs and could take about 30 years to excavate, after which a pond or reclamation could be considered; the board approved the recommendation without objection.

Staff presented a $27,402,530 local option sales tax carryforward and other budget amendments; commissioners and residents debated impact-fee use and public messaging ahead of ballots and spending decisions.

Paradise Advertising reported projected Tourist Development Tax growth near 9–10% for fiscal year 2027 and recommended raising household‑income targeting from $100,000 to $150,000 after an A/B test showed better return; the board discussed benchmarking and accountability.

Public commenters told the commission the proposed Navarre Beach boardwalk and event complex would destroy preserved bird habitat and asked the board to consider smaller alternatives or relocation; petitioners say more than 13,000 signatures oppose the project.

Commissioners discussed progress and urgency on Berryhill, 5‑Points/Woodbine and other corridor projects, noting bids due Oct. 22 and suggesting impact fees and debt service as funding tools for roughly $60 million in work.

At a lengthy public forum, residents urged the county to address drainage, traffic and wetlands before advancing a Navarre Beach boardwalk and related projects; commissioners said an Oct. 19 workshop will gather further public input.

A yearlong visitor tracking study found Santa Rosa County had just over 1,000,000 visitors (June 2025–May 2026), produced about $431.6 million in direct visitor spending, supported some 3,700 jobs and generated roughly $7.13 million in tourist development tax.

The zoning board recommended approval of a conditional use for a distributed wastewater treatment system for the rebuilt Central High campus. McKim & Creed engineer Patrick Veil described a modular system (solids tank, treatment modules and drip effluent field) sized for about 9,000 gallons/day initial flow and expandable to about 12,000 gallons/day; DEP permitting, monitoring and maintenance were discussed.

More than a dozen speakers urged the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners to slow or stop the proposed Navarre Beach Boardwalk and Event Hall, citing habitat loss, traffic and financial shortfalls and presenting petitions and technical concerns ahead of an Oct. 19 workshop.

The zoning board recommended approval to rezone about 0.99 acres to permit manufactured homes on two parcels as single‑family dwellings, citing the applicant’s goal of more affordable options and noting a new state law allowing manufactured housing in single‑family zones effective Jan. 1, 2027.

The Santa Rosa County Zoning Board voted 7–1 to recommend denial of a request to rezone about 503 acres for up to roughly 1,500 homes and neighborhood commercial, citing traffic, stormwater and infrastructure concerns raised repeatedly by residents.

Dozens of Navarre residents told the Santa Rosa County commission at public forum that a proposed boardwalk, event center and related parking would harm dunes and shorebird habitat; speakers cited a $41 million Deepwater Horizon settlement allocation and said more than 8,000 people have signed a petition opposing the project.

Staff told commissioners a change order for Milton Interchange Park will add $178,561.25 and 90 days to a utility relocation contract; commissioners were also presented with Guaranteed Maximum Price No. 3 of $7.6 million for wastewater plant construction package B, bringing the contract total to just over $34 million and boosting capacity to 500,000 gallons per day.

Scores of residents, conservation groups and the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center pressed the Santa Rosa County Commission during public forum to delay the proposed Navarre Beach boardwalk, citing dune and wildlife harm, traffic and safety concerns and requests for broader public engagement.

Multiple residents and local advocates urged the board to delay awarding contracts and to re-engage the public, citing a prior master plan, bid openings, environmental concerns, and a wide cost range. David Jensen asked the board to present bids and require a recorded five-member vote before any contract award.

Representatives from the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, the Audubon Society and Save Our Soundside told the board the proposed boardwalk and event hall would remove nesting habitat, disorient hatchlings and require substantial mitigation. They urged the county to identify an alternative site.

Public commenters asked commissioners to disclose whether Tourist Development Council reserves or other funds would be used, and whether bed-tax rules permit retail components. A speaker asked the board to publish SurveyMonkey results and explain the project's statutory authority before any contract is awarded.

Dozens of residents pressed Santa Rosa County commissioners to pause the Navarre Beach Event Hall and boardwalk project, raising questions about funding authority, flood risk and impacts to dunes, sea turtles and shorebirds. Speakers asked the board to release survey results and to delay any contract award until bids and detailed information are public.

Staff updated the board on obstruction removal, East-hangar rebid plans and grant extension requests, AWOS bid inclusion of a camera, West Apron FAA grant signatures pending, and a Compass Rose survey scheduled in the coming weeks.

Pilots at the Santa Rosa County advisory meeting urged staff to ensure the new AWOS reports accurate wind data or disable the display, saying the current system sometimes reports 'wind's calm' while winds are gusting and that inaccurate reports are a safety hazard for less experienced pilots.