By Collin Breaux
If you ask Washington County Planning Commission Chairman John Gay, growth will continue to occur in the area–whether one likes it or not.
“I’ve been on the Planning and Zoning Commission for over seven years and I’ve been the chairman for two and a half years,” Gay–who is also running for a seat on the County Board of County Commissioners–said. “What we’re seeing is inevitable. The old-time citizens don’t like it. This is a rural area. It’s not going to be a rural area in five to 10 years. It’s going to be completely different than what you’re seeing today.”
In recent times, there have been a number of new businesses opening, including Washington County’s first-ever liquor store Chipley Liquor, Chipley wine spot 1901 On Main, Vernon dive shop S.E.A. Divers Scuba, and animal care center Hometown Veterinary Care.
Tap beer house Chipley Station and a new Dollar General Market on Jackson Avenue are also planning to open in Chipley, as well as a new Beef ‘O’ Brady’s along Highway 77.
“The things that seem to be the hottest items right now are RV parks,” Gay said. “We have approved, in the last two years, probably half a dozen RV parks.”
Washington County Tourist Development Director Heather Lopez said the increase in activity is because the area has bounced back after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and because tourism and business officials have been getting the word out about Washington County.
“People are starting to come and enjoy the things that we have here,” Lopez said.
Figures provided from VISIT FLORIDA by Lopez show that visitor spending in Washington County is up 12.4% in 2022 (the most recent data year available), compared to 2021. Visitor spending was $24.3 million in 2022, compared to $21.6 million in 2021.
Lodging made up the biggest category at $8 million, with food and beverage second at $7.1 million. Shopping came in at $3.7 million, while entertainment and recreation was $2.2 million.
For state and local taxes, $2.3 million was generated from tourism.
An economic report on Falling Waters State Park by Florida State Parks for 2023 said the park’s economic impact was $7.2 million, with 102 local jobs supported. The annual attendance was 57,678.
“It’s a positive thing for the area,” Lopez said of the local growth. “It’s definitely a positive thing for our tourism partners. It will help them to keep people employed and to continue to grow their businesses. It increases the local taxes, which help with other services that residents need. It enhances the quality of life for the residents here because it gives them new restaurants to visit, new retail shops to shop in, new attractions to take their family to.”
Washington County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michael Maxwell said what people are seeing now is “a sustained growth that is the result of years of effort and dedication made by folks in government and the private sector.”
“There have been many things lurking below the surface that are now coming to fruition. That Washington County is no longer a ‘wet’ county has made a difference and drawn the attention of developers and entrepreneurs in a variety of businesses,” Maxwell said. “I also think the Florida Panhandle in general is “hot” right now for people wanting a better quality of life. Our proximity to the beach, relatively low cost of living, low crime rate, quality education opportunities, etc. are drawing people to this area.”
The Planning Commission is charged with controlling the growth, Gay said.
“The growth is coming. We’re not going to stop it but we can control it and allow growth at the right time, at the right place,” Gay said. “I will say we have the best commissioners on planning and zoning that we’ve ever had.”
The commissioners look at matters presented to them as business and what’s good and not for Washington County, Gay said.
“It doesn’t mean it won’t ever get done,” Gay said. “It just means that now is not the time and place for it to be done. We make those decisions based on what we think is best for all of Washington County–not a developer, not a particular citizen, but what’s best for the community in where it’s being proposed.”
For instance, the Planning Commission turned down an asphalt plant on Crystal Lake and proposed subdivisions.
“What we hear from citizens that come before us that are opposed to a land use change or developer is we moved to Washington County because it’s rural and quiet and we don’t want all this new development around us,” Gay said. “The problem is, Bay County’s pretty much built out. You’re not going to build south. There’s way too much water out there. The only place you can grow is in Washington County.”
The development will create new jobs and attract new businesses, Lopez said.
“Also, a lot of times, we find people visit here and end up loving the area and they end up moving here,” Lopez said. “Sometimes it helps with increasing our population as a county because they really enjoy our quality of life here.”
Attendance for long-standing events like the Panhandle Watermelon Festival has grown, Lopez said.
“Watermelon had a record crowd last year and I expect, with the line-up they have for this year, it will be another record crowd,” Lopez said. “We definitely start getting a lot of phone calls in our office asking about lodging and about the event. Our phones stay pretty busy. It definitely brings a lot of money to our area.”
The Possum Festival is also expanding, she said.
“We’re far enough past the COVID stuff that the events are starting to see growth too,” Lopez said.
New businesses will positively contribute to the diversity and quality of life in our community and is a win-win all the way around, Maxwell said.
“I believe this trend will continue and probably accelerate. I think we will see an increase in more industrial-type businesses and companies as well,” Maxwell said. “I believe that as the growth and development continues we must be cognizant of the workforce needed for the businesses coming to the area, as well as affordable housing for the workforce.”
Reflecting on the corridors in Washington County, Highway 77 getting into the area has a lot of private property that can be turned into commercial or industrial uses or subdivisions, Gay said.
“We look at them and make a determination based on their location and what they’re proposing,” he said. “When you look at Corridor 79, you don’t have any private property to develop once you cross the county line at Pine Log. You don’t have any private property to develop until you get all the way to New Hope.”
A “tremendous” amount of growth is anticipated to happen between New Hope and Vernon, Gay said.
“I’ve said, eventually you’re going to see the majority of property from New Hope north to Vernon going to be commercial or subdivisions,” he said. “That’s just what’s going to happen.”
Asked why he thinks there is so much development and growth happening in Washington County, Gay said it’s cheap.
“You can come here and do commercial development or RV park development for pennies on the dollar for what you could do in Bay County and still be profitable at it,” he said. “Taxes are less here. It’s not an inconvenient place to live. People can live in Sunny Hills and run down to Lynn Haven if they need to go to Publix.”
As for what the future of development could look like, Gay said Sunny Hills and the 77 corridor will probably develop first because those areas are already set up.
“Within the next five years, I think we’ll see a nice chain grocery store here,” he said. “You’re going to get enough population to support it.”
Hannah Collins 
GARRETT VALCOURT