§ 13.02.00. THE ROUTE 30A SCENIC CORRIDOR

A.

Purpose. The purpose of the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor design standards shall be to preserve and maximize views of the Gulf of Mexico, to enhance the visual characteristics of the north and south sides of the Route 30-A right-of-way as well as the east and west rights-of-way of the connector roadways, and to eliminate roadside clutter. County Road 393, County Road 395, and those portions of County Road 83 and County Road 283 that are south of U.S. 98 (as depicted in map 13-1) are hereby designated as Route 30-A Scenic Corridor connector roadways. The rights-of-way of Route 30-A and these connector roadways are the property of Walton County and their use by any private or public entity is permissible only with the expressed and written authorization of the Board of County Commissioners.

B.

Applicability. All properties that are located contiguous to County Road 30-A, County Road 393, or County Road 395, or are contiguous to those portions of County Road 83 and County Road 283 that are south of U.S. 98 (as depicted in map 13-2) shall, for the purposes of this section, be considered within the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor. All properties within the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor shall comply with the design standards in this section. For clarification purposes, the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor is a County designation and the Florida Scenic Highway program is a State of Florida designation this is separate and distinct from the County program. Although these programs are separate and distinct from one another, the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor encompasses the Florida Scenic Highway designated roadways.

C.

Setbacks and Building Widths. Building setbacks for structures proposed on lots or parcels located within the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor not within a mixed use center on the Future Land Use Map shall conform to Section 5.00.03 of this code. Building setbacks within mixed use centers on the Future Land Use Map may be less than otherwise required by Section 5.00.03 if a lesser setback is warranted under the circumstances and a waiver is granted by the Board of County Commissioners through the development review process. Awnings and mailboxes are exempt from any required setback. Within any required setback, landscape materials shall be installed in accordance with the landscaping standards provided here in subsection D.

The total width of structures built on lots or parcels adjacent to the south right-of-way of Route 30-A with a view corridor to the Gulf of Mexico shall not exceed 65 percent of the width of the lot or parcel. Single family residential is exempt from this requirement unless developed as part of a new single family residential subdivision, in which case the 65 percent ratio shall apply.

D.

Landscaping Standards.

1.

Any required setback area in the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor shall be planted with salt and drought tolerant native species. Salt tolerant species are indicated on the landscape material lists in Section 5.01.02(D).

2.

A 20' scenic corridor setback from the right-of-way is required. Existing vegetation within the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor shall be preserved in accord with Section 4.06.02 of this Land Development Code as part of an overall landscape plan. References to parcel size in Section 4.06.02 do not apply to this section. Preservation requirements apply to all parcels. Mixed use centers depicted on the Future Land Use Map are not subject to the 20' scenic corridor setback requirement.

3.

Landscaping within any required setback area shall conform to the landscape buffer standard as described in Section 5.01.02.

4.

Landscaping of public right-of-way:

a.

Property owners whose property fronts on C.R. 30-A are encouraged to provide landscaping on the public right-of-way. Such landscaping shall utilize native or other approved salt and drought tolerant vegetation as listed in Chapter 13 in this Land Development Code.

b.

Each plan for landscaping the public right-of-way shall be prepared and submitted to the Planning and Development Services Division for approval. Plans will be reviewed by the Walton County Public Works Department for safety issues and by utility companies that make use of the location, and may be subject to a right-of-way use agreement between the applicant and the Walton County Public Works Division. Any landscaping proposed and approved for the public right-of-way of C.R. 30-A is subject to removal by the County for any public purpose and by any utility company whose services are located within the right-of-way when necessary for repair, improvements or extensions of service. Under these conditions of public purpose removal, the cost of replacement shall be by the applicant and Walton County will bear no obligation as a result of its approval of landscaping. When utility companies or Walton County find it necessary to remove landscaping on the right-of-way they shall provide reasonable notice to the abutting property owner to allow for that owner to remove and protect plants. When minor and/or emergency repairs by utility companies or by Walton County or when notice has been given and plants have not been removed and landscaping is damaged by the activity of the utility companies or by Walton County, the restoration and the cost of such restoration shall be the responsibility of the abutting property owner.

c.

The applicant, including the providing of an irrigation system shall maintain all landscaping in the public right-of-way. The sprinkler system for all shrub beds shall be drip irrigation. Spray heads are permitted for turf and annual color areas but shall strictly limit overspray onto roadways, bike paths, and driveways, or any other non-landscaped areas to the greatest extent possible. In general the use of low-angle spray heads is encouraged. Rotor heads or other "long-throw" heads are forbidden in the public right-of-way. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to maintain the irrigation system to minimize overspray outside of turf or annual color beds. Upon request, the owner shall operate the irrigation system for the County enforcement officer. Violators shall be subject to fines per County code. All sprinkler controls shall be located to be accessible by the County.

E.

Driveway/Access/Parking Standards.

1.

No parking is allowed within the public rights-of-way or public easements unless the parking is for a public purpose and approved by the Board of County Commissioners after engineering technical review of the proposed design by either the Engineering Manager or the County Engineer.

2.

Driveways shall be paved from the edge of the pavement to the property line as a part of any development.

3.

Driveways shall be no closer than 50 feet apart, except where the width of the parcel does not allow for this separation. In such cases where the parcel width does not provide for a 100 foot-driveway separation, the site shall be designed to maximize the separation of driveways. Separation shall be measured from the centerline of each driveway.

4.

Commercial uses are encouraged to provide parking in the rear of the building to allow building facades and landscaping to predominate in the view from the road. The parking requirements in Section 5.02.02 shall be reduced 20 percent for all commercial developments that provide parking in the rear of the building. However, the parking area shall not encroach into the coastal protection zone established in Section 4.02.02.

F.

Sign Control.

1.

Applicability. Signs within the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor shall conform to Chapter VII of this code and shall also be subject to the following standards and prohibitions:

2.

Prohibited signs. In addition to the signs prohibited in Section 7.02.02, the following signs shall be prohibited in the Route 30-A Scenic Corridor: permanent off-premise outdoor advertising signs; pole signs; water towers as advertising; wall murals as advertising; off-premise signs; temporary mobile signs; interior lit single panel plastic or lexan face; streamers, pennants, ribbons, spinners and other similar devices; flashing signs; signs containing reflective elements that sparkle or twinkle in the sunlight; roof signs and signs containing moving parts. An off-premise sign is any sign located on property other than that to which the sign relates.

3.

Sign standards.

a.

Ground Signs. One on-premises ground sign may be permitted per parcel. The ground sign area shall not exceed 24 square feet and the sign height shall not exceed 12 feet in height.

b.

Building Signs. Building signs shall not exceed 24 square feet.

4.

Illumination standards. All signs or lighting for signs shall be directed or shielded such that the light sources or glare from the light sources is directed away from or shielded from the beach and the right-of-way (Scenic 30-A).

G.

Other Uses of the Public Right-of-Way:

1.

The permanent placement of trash/garbage cans, dumpsters and other such receptacles on the public right-of-way is prohibited. Such containers may be placed on the public right-of-way on the days of pickup, only.

2.

Display of merchandise or merchandising materials (e.g., signs, banners) is prohibited on the public right-of-way.

3.

The use of the public right-of-way for repeated and/or continual deliveries and offloading is prohibited.

4.

The use of brick pavers or concrete for the bike path is prohibited. The only acceptable paving material shall be asphalt.

H.

Fences and Walls. Walls, chain link fences, and/or wire fences, including barbed wire, are prohibited along the entire Route 30-A Scenic Corridor. Fences may be located in all front, side and rear yards. No fences shall be less than three feet in height or greater than six feet in height. Fences shall not exceed four feet in height when placed in the front yard unless set back from the front property line a minimum of the required building setback. Fences shall be of a design consistent with the architectural theme of the site as developed, and shall be compatible with adjacent properties and the neighborhood. Fences on properties with masonry or stuccoed buildings must have masonry pilasters spaced at a maximum of 24 feet apart. Fences and pilaster/fence combinations are to be painted to complement the building color. Plywood, particle board, or similar wood materials are prohibited. The finished side shall face outward, and stringers and posts shall not be visible from the outside. Fences on lots or parcels adjacent to the north or south right-of-way of Route 30-A with a view corridor to the Gulf of Mexico shall be subject to a 65 percent see through width to lot ratio limitation.

I.

Farmer's Markets as Temporary Uses. Farmer's markets as temporary uses shall be permitted provided the following provisions and conditions are met:

A.

Permit Requirements.

1.

All market locations shall be approved by the Walton County Planning and Development Services appointed designee. All applications must be submitted and approved a minimum of one month preceding the proposed opening date of the market.

2.

No farmer's market shall be permitted to operate without the approval of the Walton County Planning and Development Services through the outdoor event review process and receiving an annual farmer's market permit from the planning and development services appointed designee.

B.

Location. Farmer's markets shall only be permitted in commercial centers of approved development projects that contain event or common areas.

(Ord. No. 98-21, § III, 11-16-98; Ord. No. 2002-16, § 1, 9-3-02; Ord. No. 2008-11, § 1, 4-8-08; Ord. No. 2015-08, 4-14-15; Ord. No. 2015-13, § 4, 5-26-15; Ord. No. 2017-22, 11-7-17; Ord. No. 2018-06, § 2, 2-14-18)