At issue is whether the planning and zoning department will throw its weight behind developers or environmentalists. Environmentalists want tougher county regulations and real estate investors would like less stringent state wetland regulations. Wakulla County Commissioner Howard Kessler is advocating for the former approach. He argues that the amendment to repeal existing protections is ill-conceived.
“This was a(n) amendment that was hastily put together and there was no demonstrated need for the change or justification for the changes that this amendment puts forward,” Kessler said.
Meanwhile, an environmental group, The Wakulla Wetlands Alliance, is gathering signatures for a county referendum that would make county wetland protections amendable only with a unanimous vote by county commissioners.
