After weeks of going back and forth with Okaloosa County, the Destin City Council passed a resolution requesting that the state authorize the city of Destin to serve as the lessee and manage the newly acquired state park property on Holiday Isle.
The property in question is 3.9 acres on Holiday Isle next to the city of Destin’s Norriego Point Beach Access Park. The state purchased the property in December 2025 for nearly $84 million with the intention of the property to be used as a public park and to be operated by the county in collaboration with the city.
Since the property is inside the city limits of Destin, the city proposed an interlocal agreement where the two entities would collaborate on upcoming decisions concerning the property. The county drew up its own interlocal agreement, but nothing was passed.
In the meantime, the county and city attorneys along with a county commissioner and city council member met and have yet to come forward with a revised interlocal.
At the March 16 city council meeting, Destin passed a resolution that will be sent to the county, DEP and state representatives.
Before voting on the resolution, City Attorney Kimberly Kopp reminded everyone that the county still has no lease on the property and that there is no approved management plan thus far.
The city has expressed its interest in the future of the property to be conservation. Residents have expressed at city and county meetings for the city to be manager of the property.
At that point, Kopp read the lead-in to Resolution 26-05.
According to the resolution, it is “requesting that the state of Florida authorize the city of Destin to serve as the lessee and local managing entity for the newly acquired state park located within Holiday isle in the city of Destin; expressing willingness to commit city funding in an amount not to exceed $5 million to maintain the state park as valuable conservation land.”
Council member Sandy Trammell made the motion to approve the resolution and pass it on to the state. Council member Teresa Hebert seconded.
Council member Jim Bagby addressed three options that have been talked about before the County Commission.
“They (the county) can continue on the path they are on, patting us on the head, saying thank you for your input, but not really listening to us or the people that elected them and us,” Bagby said.
“Or we can have a public partnership with an interlocal agreement where we can work out our differences, but they don’t seem inclined to do that.
“Or we can have a city led, which is what the resolution spells out,” Bagby said.
Bagby noted that one of the issues the county has had with the city is “it would take too long.”
Addressing the county, Bagby said, “If you don’t work with us, or you don’t agree to let us lead this effort … it will be 10 years before this is litigated. And nobody will use that.
“There will be no improvements, no parking lots, nothing for 10 years because that’s how long we will be litigating this through the court system,” he said.
“I don’t like having the city sue the county, but if you leave us no other option, we will do it,” Bagby said.
“And I don’t want you to think we want do it,” he said.
Bagby also talked about the resources the city is using.
“We’re supporting you,” he said, noting they are committing the $5 million.
He said that money may have to come from other projects.
“It’s not like we have unlimited money,” he said.
“This isn’t a decision that people up here take lightly. We are reallocating resources … to make this decision,” Bagby said.
“Sometimes you just have to do what’s right,” he said.
Hebert agreed with Bagby.
“We do take this to heart. We want to take care of our citizens and our beautiful park over there,” Hebert said.
“But we want to make sure we keep this as a Destin area, that we control it. Hopefully, the state will agree that we are the best ones to manage it,” she said.
“We are already handling Norriego Park, it’s all combined. It just makes the best of sense,” Hebert said.
Mayor Bobby Wagner said the city is already doing a great job of managing the 14-acre Norriego Point Park, to the west of the 4-acre site.
“Why split it into two sectors,” Wagner said. “I believe we are already doing a great job.”
Wagner was in favor of the resolution.
“It’s the absolute right thing to do,” Wagner said.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Destin City Council wants to manage Holiday Isle state park
Reporting by Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log / The Destin Log
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
