CRESTVIEW — Browsing social media comments, a newcomer might think city officials are thwarting business growth in the Hub City, possibly in cahoots with a rumored "good ol' boy" network.
Such comments are commonplace on the News Bulletin's Facebook fan page and website. One often-repeated rumor is that Crestview officials deliberately stunt growth so more tax dollars can flow to Destin and other south county communities.
But that's not the case, according to growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard. She says her department has seen a steady rise in projects requesting development orders, with seven substantial active projects in development phase.
"Oh yes, we've been busy," Gaillard said. "More development is coming to Crestview."
<<Click "READ MORE" at left to see seven projects in the works
And that, Mayor David Cadle said, could even include some long-hoped-for chain restaurants.
Still, there's the question, and consideration, of traffic impact fees: Do they hurt, help or have no bearing on local development?
The City Council will hold a Dec. 14 public workshop to discuss traffic impact fees; by law, it must decide before the year's end if the current fee waiver, in place since 2013, will continue.
120-DAY WAIVER EXTENSION
The City Council on Nov. 30 unanimously approved, on first reading, an ordinance to continue waiving traffic impact fees for the first four months of 2016 while consultants perform a traffic study that would be required if the waiver continues.
The study should be completed before April, Gaillard says. That would allow a month for city leaders to accept the study and debate whether fees should be waived or reinstated.
Public Works Director Wayne Steele says he knows what he would do.
"I would collect the fees," he said. "Maybe I'd reduce them. That study is only there to protect ourselves in case we get sued by a developer who says we're not using the funds for the benefit of what they were collected for."
Steele says the money — which must be spent to facilitate traffic flow near the affected development — has been well spent.
"Most of this money has to be spent in the (State Road) 85 and (U.S. Highway) 90 corridor, so you're taking traffic counts off the highway," he said.
Before the fee was waived in 2013, the city collected $646,000 in traffic fees, some of which is going toward the Crestview Corners connector road, which will draw traffic off S.R. 85 on the busy stretch between Hospital Drive and Redstone Avenue East.
LOST IMPACT FEES
Gaillard calculates that between January 2013 — when the fees were waived — and the end of October 2015, the city lost $241,119 in commercial development impact fees, and $182,457 in residential development fees.
"For most (developers), impact fees is something they don't even consider," Council President Shannon Hayes said. "Most of the time, when businesses come here, they don't ask, 'What's your impact fees?'
"When a multi-million dollar company comes in, $200,00 or $300,000 isn't going to affect them. They're going to make that back in a year."
So, why haven't more retail chains come to Crestview?
Steele offers an explanation.
"The reason the restaurants don't come is because they won't come until that trip count out there on (S.R.) 85 is over 50,000," he says.
DEVELOPMENT IS COMING
Crestview officials have openly, willingly talked to undisclosed, popular restaurant and retail chain developers to learn how the city can attract them, Steele said.
"Every time we talked to them, they said, 'The trips just aren't there,'" he said. "Until we get to 50,000 trips a day, they're not going to come."
However, "We have just reached that threshold."
But Mayor David Cadle says the potential for development is real.
Nationally known eateries are now "seriously eyeing opening" on Ferdon Boulevard South behind Wendy's, Mayor David Cadle said. "Several (undisclosed) restaurant chains have shown interest in coming to Crestview, and we are presently in discussions with them and have hopes these talks will come to fruition," he said.
The city has taken several steps to facilitate bringing these restaurants to town, including annexing property for access to the development area, he said.
If the talks get serious, and the impact fee is no longer waived, Steele had one recommendation: "call them something else," he said.
"'Fee' is such a dirty word."
In the meantime, some residents have their own ideas about the subject.
IMPACT FEES: The Crestview City Council will discuss traffic impact fees at a 4:30 p.m. workshop before its 6 p.m. regular meeting Dec. 14 at city hall.
TRANSPORTATION: Crestview City Councilman JB Whitten will host an informal town hall meeting with Public Works Director Wayne Steele and city engineer Fred Cook to address transportation issues, 6 p.m. Dec. 17, at Hub City Smokehouse, 168 Main St. S.
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WHAT'S COMING
Crestview Growth Management Director Teresa Gaillard said these businesses have submitted detailed development plans and engineering drawings, and are seeking development orders to build in Crestview:
•Day's Catfish: State Road 85 North behind McDonald's and CCB Bank, 4,500 square feet with drive-thru and 190-seat restaurant
•Elite Real Estate Services: remodeling McCaskill Street housing units for a commercial real estate office
•Express Oil Crestview: 5,100-square-foot auto repair and lube, plus 4,500-square-foot retail space on former Okaloosa Academy site
•Ferdon retail project between Publix and Sonic: 12,000-square-foot retail and 8,200-square-foot space for restaurants
•Jimmy John's sub sandwiches: Former Shell station next to McDonald's below Wal-Mart
•Redstone Commons, phase 3A: 47 more single-family homes
•Shiloh Place, 18 single family lots, on Johnson Court off Duggan Avenue
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview officials: Despite rumors, development is rising