Beulah Master Plan, Century Wastewater Plant, Other RESTORE Projects Public Comment Meeting Today

January 14, 2020

A master plan for Beulah and wastewater treatment facility improvements for Century are two of eight projects in Escambia County’s RESTORE Act funding requests. The plan was released for a 45 day public comment period that ends Thursday, February 6, and there is a public meeting scheduled for today.

Escambia County will receive approximately $70 million through 2031 in RESTORE Act Direct Component (Pot 1) funds as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The RESTORE Act requires a Multi-Year Implementation Plan (MYIP) be approved by the Treasury Department prior to submittal of individual project Grant Applications and dispersal of funds.

The county also removed a funding request for an OLF8 Master plan, replacing the funding ask with a campus expansion at the Pensacola International Airport.

Public comment can be submitted as follows:

  • Online public comment form
  • In person: MYIP Amendment 1 Public Comment Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m., Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, Room 104
  • By email to RESTORE@myescambia.com
  • Postal mail: Attention – Escambia County Natural Resources Management-RESTORE, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502

Beulah Master Plan
$300,000 to develop a master plan for the Beulah area

Escambia County will procure the services of an urban/land-use planning firm to develop a master plan for approximately 30,000 acres in the Beulah community of Escambia County. The master plan will be based on the University of West Florida HAAS Center Citizen Survey, an existing conditions analysis, technical analysis, and on stakeholder engagement and community participation.

The Beulah Master Plan will establish a vision for allowing for the continued growth in the area while preserving the quality of life and sense of place enjoyed by the current residents. The final deliverable will be a master plan and/or zoning overlay district and implementation plan, dependent on the technical guidance provided by the procured consultant and concurrence provided by Escambia County Developmental Services staff.

The Beulah community has experienced extensive growth resulting from improved economic conditions and the expansion of Navy Federal Credit Union’s Beulah campus, which is expected to employ over 10,000 people by 2022. Subdivision development orders in Beulah have increased exponentially, with 7,000 residences permitted for development since 2010. Beulah does not currently have a master plan nor zoning overlay district to effectively plan or manage growth. Development of the Beulah Master Plan will balance the highest and best land uses of the subject area with the needs of the County, region, and the Beulah community in creating a plan for sustaining growth while preserving the character of the community.

—-

Town of Century Wastewater Improvements
$500,000 to design and permit repairs to Century’s failing wastewater treatment facility

The wastewater treatment and collection system has fallen into disrepair as the town has struggled financially for the last decade to keep pace with maintenance and replacement activities.

Direct Component funds will be utilized to fund planning, design, and permitting associated with wastewater treatment and collection system improvements, including lift station, treatment plant, and piping repairs and replacements.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has strict requirements for the proper operation and maintenance of the utility system, and Century is responsible for meeting these requirements. Funding design and permitting of wastewater treatment and collection system improvements will allow the town to work with FDEP to secure funding to implement the improvements from the State’s Revolving Loan Fund as a rural, disadvantaged community.

OTHER PROJECTS:

Pensacola International Airport Campus Extension — $1.524 million, replaces OLF8 Master Plan on funding request
Perdido Bay Boat Ramp — $2.5 million for the construction of a boat ramp
Brownsville Community Center Renovation — $300,000 to renovate the interior and exterior, add incubator retail space
CRA Community Center – $500,000 for a community center in a yet to be determined CRA but likely in the Palafox CRA
CRA Economic Development Program -- $1.5 million to institute the complete streets program in CRAs
Little Sabine Bay Restoration Program – $2 million for a multi-tiered restoration effort

Pictured top: The Century Wastewater Treatment Facility, NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The Navy Federal campus in Beulah.

Comments

4 Responses to “Beulah Master Plan, Century Wastewater Plant, Other RESTORE Projects Public Comment Meeting Today”

  1. mat on January 14th, 2020 4:38 pm

    WOW… A 2.5 million dollar boat ramp.
    What is it made of? Gold.

  2. Theresa Blackwell on January 14th, 2020 3:21 pm

    On Beulah Master Plan: What they are saying is that we especially need a master plan because of all the unplanned, exponential residential growth that is swallowing up the character, the sense of place in the Beulah community. It will take a plan to protect some of it from subdivision sprawl. What I would say on this is better late than never.

  3. Me on January 14th, 2020 10:38 am

    @Mike The price of progress I assume.

  4. Mike J. on January 14th, 2020 10:03 am

    Two statements:

    “preserving the quality of life and sense of place enjoyed by the current residents”
    and
    “improved economic conditions and the expansion of Navy Federal Credit Union’s Beulah campus, which is expected to employ over 10,000 people by 2022. Subdivision development orders in Beulah have increased exponentially, with 7,000 residences permitted for development since 2010.”

    To me, these two statements are contradictory. How can quality of life be preserved by adding 7k homes to Beulah and increasing traffic flow, congestion, etc?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News