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October 26, 2005

At a workshop setting on Oct. 25th, various members of the group that is building residences in Sunny Hills brought their ideas, schedules, hopes and needs to the Washington County Board of County Commissioners.

The initial speaker was Andrew Sherrod, Deltona Corporation, who listed the different reasons why Sunny Hills will grow, including the too expensive homes in Bay County, Highway 77 improvements that allow Sunny Hills residents quick access to Panama City and Chipley, the Bay County Airport construction and the enlarged WCI state prison.

Sherrod noted that 1500 lots will be ready for sale and development in next five months. He requested but did not specify details, that the county ‘beautify’ the Sunny Hills area.

Fred Sykes, Turner Homebuilders reported that his company was building three new residences in Sunny Hills every month for the next 12 months and could ramp up to ten units a month if the sales warranted it.

Other developer-builder, Sunspace, was a no show due to Hurricane Wilma, but MSBU Director Glenn Zanetic described how they plan to build a four lane highway from Highway 231 in Bay County westward to Elcam Road and develop along that axis. Their goal is to build affordable townhouses as well as single family units.

The new owner of the Sunny Hills Golf Course, Tony Ray, described his goals for the area around the golf club, including a new clubhouse and residential construction around the course. He noted that there was no sewer service in the area as one holdback.

Opportunity Florida spokesperson and Washington County school board member Gary Clark reported that they were working on four economic development projects in Washington County and expected that two of the projects would kick off within six months. Opportunity Florida was also working to see that ‘workforce’ or affordable housing was constructed to serve the workers in the county who do not make an income suitable for the more expensive homes in Sunny Hills.

Washington County School Board Superintendent Calvin Stevenson reported that the school district was completing a land trade with Northwest Florida Water Management and will have 97 acres on Dumajack Road in Sunny Hills for a future school program, probably starting with a K-8 school.

Zanetic and Lou Tracy requested that the county take some of the monies the county will receive when they sell several hundred Sunny Hills lots and use the fund to resurface the existing roadways.