County Board to Vote on 10-Year Sales Tax Extension; Recent Meeting Outcomes Not Yet Available
Escambia County's most consequential item this week is still ahead: on July 23, the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to vote on an ordinance directing the Supervisor of Elections to place a referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot to extend the one-cent Local Option Sales Tax for ten years, covering 2029 through 2038. The same meeting includes public hearings on petitions to vacate alleyways and rights-of-way in Oakcrest, The Cedars, Talbert Street, and a 20-foot easement, plus a parks-code amendment and a street-lighting ordinance for Iron Rock Phase 3.
Recent Meetings: Outcomes Not Yet Published
All six recent meetings on file — Planning Board (July 7, two sessions), Development Review Committee (July 8 and July 15), Marine Advisory Committee (July 13), and Board of Adjustment (July 15) — are listed as agenda-only with minutes not yet published. That means no votes, approvals, or denials can be confirmed from the available record. What follows is what was scheduled for discussion or action; outcomes remain unknown.
Planning Board: Large Land-Use Changes on the Table
The Planning Board scheduled two public hearings on July 7. One covered a rezoning request, Case Z-2026-12, to rezone 160.07 acres at 1700 Blk Jacks Branch Rd from Agricultural (1 dwelling unit per 20 acres) to Rural Residential (1 du per 4 acres). The same hearing included proposed amendments to the 2030 Future Land Use Map:
- Case OSP-2026-02: Change 160.07 acres on 1700 Blk Jacks Branch Rd to Agriculture Residential.
- Case OSP-2026-01: Change 801.78 acres on 900 Blk Jacks Branch Rd and Well Line Road to Mixed-Use Suburban.
- LSA-2026-01: Change 538.42 acres on Frank Reeder Road and Nine Mile Road to Mixed-Use Urban.
- Review of ordinance language for Mixed-Use Urban and Commercial categories in Outlying Landed Field 8.
The board's role is to recommend whether the Board of County Commissioners should adopt these changes.
Board of Adjustment: Horse-Keeping Request
Case CU-2026-17, scheduled for July 15, requested a conditional use to allow horses at 5570 N Blue Angel Pkwy and 5404 Blue Angel Pkwy. Derek and Nancy Brown submitted the request as agents for owners Stanley and Deborah Barnard. The agenda also included accepting Development Services Staff Findings-of-Fact into evidence and approving minutes from June 17, 2026.
Development Review Committee: Residential and Commercial Projects
The July 8 DRC agenda listed final applications for Hancock Meadow (34 lots at 350 Meadow Lane), HEI Office at 3802 N. S Street, and the Perdido Renewable Natural Gas Facility at 13012 Beulah Rd. Pre-application meetings were set for Melt Coffee & Dip at 9021 University Parkway and Pine Forest Truck Parking at 9235 Pine Forest Road.
The July 15 DRC agenda added World Gym at 1200 N Hwy 29, Lost Key C10 (26 lots at 700 Blk Lost Key Drive), Wild Fork Foods at 6810 N. Davis Hwy, Hamilton Hall Townhomes (36 lots at 7722 Kipling Street), and a return of Hancock Meadow.
Marine Advisory Committee: Derelict Vessel Ordinance
The July 13 agenda included discussion of a draft ordinance amending Chapter 102, Article VI, to address derelict vessels and enforce state statutes on vessels at risk and long-term anchoring. The committee also planned to approve June 8, 2026 minutes and review the 2026 symposia calendar, which lists Diving Safety on August 10 and Waterways Conditions on October 12.
Coming Up
- **July 22 — Development Review Committee:** Scheduled vote on the final DRC application for Heron's Landing Townhomes Phase 2 at 951 Dog Track Rd. Pre-application meetings are set for Scenic Hills Repositioning (8891 Burning Tree Rd), Perdido Key Medical Spa (13500 BLK Perdido Key Dr), Murphy Oil #26065 (2500 Wilde Lake Blvd.), and ST1 LLC (6698 N Palafox St, Community Redevelopment Area).
- **July 23 — Budget Workshop:** Board review of the upcoming fiscal plan, including constitutional officers, a medical examiner update, a reduction review, and department-by-department review. No formal actions are listed.
- **July 23 — Board of County Commissioners:** Public forum with speaker sign-up and procedural guidelines; no policy decisions listed.
- **July 23 — Board of County Commissioners:** Vote on the LOST extension referendum ordinance, parks-code amendment, Iron Rock Phase 3 street-lighting MSBU ordinance and FPL contract, alleyway/right-of-way vacation hearings, and a lien-relief request for 315 Weis Lane that staff criteria show as denied.