Wakulla County BOCC Meeting – February 17, 2026

The February 17 regular meeting of the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners opens with standard procedural items.
Items 1–3 fall under the consent agenda:

• Approval of minutes from the February 2 meeting

• Payment of bills/vouchers (Jan 29–Feb 11)

• Disposal of surplus county property

The substantive actions begin with Items 4–14, covering contract assignments, code enforcement capacity, economic incentives, disaster‑related infrastructure planning, appointments, housing assistance, animal control updates, zoning changes, vending regulations, and code clarifications. Several items reflect ongoing growth pressures and the rising demand for water, sewer, and related infrastructure.

Item 4 - Assignment of Professional Consulting Services Contract (RFQ 2022‑19)

Approval is requested to transfer an existing on‑call architectural/engineering/inspection/surveying contract from AE Engineering Inc. to WSB, LLC following acquisition.

• Original award: October 2022

• Term runs through 2026

• No new costs or obligations

This is an administrative contract assignment to maintain continuity of services.

Item 5 - Agreement for Special Magistrate Services (Henry Buchanan, PA)

Approval of a contract for special magistrates to conduct hearings on:

• Building and zoning violations

• Animal control cases

• Dangerous dog determinations

Rate: $250/hour, case‑by‑case.
This follows 2025 ordinances shifting authority from citizen boards to magistrates.
Adds a third firm to avoid conflicts/unavailability.

Item 6 - Letter of Support for Opportunity Zones Nomination

Approval is requested for a letter supporting the nomination of two census tracts for the updated federal Opportunity Zones program (made permanent post‑2028 under the 2025 Reconciliation Act).
Eligible tracts include:

• Northeastern area (Opportunity Park industrial zone)

  • This is where Point Blank Enterprises is being constructed, where Wakulla CI is located, and the old CSG building.

• Southern area (Panacea/Sopchoppy)

  • Heads up - your small town feel may not stay small for long. Industrialization is coming.

Designation would offer capital‑gains tax incentives for private investment.
No county budget impact.

Item 7 - Procurement for SRF Supplemental Appropriation Projects

Authorizes competitive procurement for planning documents tied to two State Revolving Fund (SRF) projects funded through 2024 federal disaster relief (Helene, Milton, Hawai‘i wildfires):

Lake Ellen Septic‑to‑Sewer

• Estimated total: ~$15.6M

• Up to ~$13M loan forgiveness

• County share: ~$2.5M (Sewer Access Fees)

• Planning cost: ~$75K

Newport Drinking Water Improvements

• Estimated total: ~$440K

• Up to ~$195K forgiveness

• County share: ~$245K (1‑Cent Sales Tax + fees)

• Planning cost: ~$30K

Both projects are on FDEP’s priority list.
Loan applications due March 2026; planning documents due November 2026.
Planning costs are eligible for future reimbursement but at county risk until loans finalize.

Item 8 - Appointment to Tourist Development Council

Resolution to appoint Tim Lawrence, Mayor of St. Marks, to fill the municipal official seat through September 30, 2026.
No budget impact.

Item 9 - SHIP Purchase Assistance Award ($10,000 )

The Board is asked to approve $10,000 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds to assist with down payment/closing costs for a newly constructed single‑family home priced at just under $330,000. The applicant meets SHIP eligibility requirements (first‑time homebuyer, income‑qualified). The assistance is structured as a 5‑year lien, forgiven at 20% per year. Funds come from the FY2024–25 SHIP allocation.

Context: How does a SHIP‑qualified buyer afford a $330,000 home?

SHIP is designed to help low‑ to moderate‑income households access affordable housing. Eligibility is based on HUD’s Area Median Income (AMI) tiers - typically households earning 50%–140% of AMI, depending on family size. In counties with AMIs similar to Wakulla, this often places SHIP‑eligible incomes roughly in the $40,000–$70,000 range for many households, with the highest tier (140% AMI) sometimes reaching into the $80,000–$90,000 range for larger families.

Under SHIP rules, total housing costs cannot exceed 40% of gross monthly income. That affordability cap is important, because it determines what price home a SHIP‑eligible buyer can realistically sustain.

So how could this purchase qualify?

Only a few scenarios make it possible:

• The buyer is at the very top of SHIP’s income range (near 140% AMI)

• The buyer received additional assistance beyond SHIP

• The buyer has exceptionally low debt, allowing a higher mortgage approval

• The lender used aggressive underwriting (DTI (Debt to Income) > 40%)

• Taxes/insurance on the property are unusually low

• SHIP funds are being used as gap financing to reduce the principal owed

Why this matters

SHIP’s purpose is to help income‑restricted households access affordable housing. When SHIP dollars support purchases of $330,000 new construction, it raises legitimate policy questions:

• Is the program still serving its intended population?

• Are affordability standards being stretched to fit rising home prices?

• Does this reflect a mismatch between local wages and local housing stock and if so, why?

This is the kind of structural tension residents need to understand:
The program designed for affordability is now intersecting with a housing market priced far above what most SHIP‑eligible families can sustainably carry.

Item 10 - Schedule Public Hearing: Animal Control Code Amendment

Requests scheduling (anticipated March 16, 2026) and advertising for an ordinance updating Chapter 6, Article IV to comply with the 2025 Pam Rock Act.
Updates include:

• Revised definitions (Dangerous Dog, Proper Enclosure, Unprovoked, etc.)

• Replacement of §6.081
  Advertising cost: $100.

Item 11 - Rezoning R25‑09 (R‑1 to CC), 1.94 acres on Sabal Palm Drive

Proposal to rezone two parcels in Hudson Heights Unit 1 from R‑1 (single‑family) to CC (Crawfordville Cottage Commercial) for small‑scale, neighborhood‑compatible commercial uses (arts, crafts, cafés, specialty retail).

• FLUM: Urban Fringe (allows non‑residential up to 0.3 FAR with utilities)

• Planning Commission: Unanimous approval

• TRC: Cleared

• Public input: Two written protests citing traffic, commercial intrusion, precedent, and infrastructure strain

As a quasi‑judicial item, denial requires competent substantial evidence tied to legitimate public purpose.

Item 12 - Large‑Scale Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment (CPM25‑04)

This major land‑use amendment deserves its own full breakdown.
A separate Wakulla Reports blog will cover this item in depth.

Item 13 - LDC Amendments for Self‑Service Vending (Final Public Hearing)

Final hearing (March 2, 2026) on an ordinance to:

• Add a definition for “Self‑Service Vending Business”

• Allow as a conditional use in the C‑2 district

This stems from prior direction regarding freestanding ice machines.
Planning Commission: Unanimous recommendation
Publication cost: $39.

Item 14 - Direction to Draft Ordinance Defining “Automotive Sales”

Requests direction to draft a Land Development Code amendment defining “automotive sales,” with a proposed threshold of more than four vehicles displayed at any time.
Purpose: clarify enforcement in commercial zones without restricting small or online operations.
No immediate cost; future public hearing required.

Full agenda backups and attachments are available here.
Stay sharp, Wakulla!