Navarre incorporation effort hits roadblock; county wants petition drive before considering referendum

Santa Rosa County Commissioners say they need more information before they will vote to approve or deny a non-binding referendum that would gauge Navarre citizens' interest in incorporating Navarre.

Jonathan Cole, chairman of the Navarre Area United Political Action Committee, spoke before the commissioners at Monday morning’s committee meeting in Milton, asking them to approve putting the referendum on the August 2020 ballot.

But commissioners were hesitant to give the approval, saying they want to review the results of a petition effort, and possibly a PAC-funded feasibility study, before giving a thumbs-up to the referendum.

"I would just like to see us establish a baseline criteria for a petition, and say, 'OK, you present us with a petition signed by 5 percent of the registered electors in those affected precincts and we’ll put it on the ballot,' rather than us reviewing the consultant’s study and saying, 'This is efficient,'" District 5 Commissioner Lane Lynchard said. “Because it is not our job to endorse, or in any way support the efforts of this incorporation or hinder it, but I want to be clear that this is a citizen-driven initiative.”

More:Navarre citizens group seeking to incorporate Navarre into new city

The Navarre Area United PAC first publicly broached the subject of incorporating Navarre in December at the Santa Rosa County legislative delegation meeting. There, Rep. Jayer Williamson, who represents the area, told Cole he would support the incorporation only if 60 percent or more of voters in the potential city approve of the idea via the non-binding referendum.

Getting the referendum on the ballot is the first official hurdle the PAC has to cross to get the ball rolling on incorporation, and Cole told the News Journal after Monday’s meeting that he had expected the commissioners to ask for more information before approving or denying it.

“I wasn’t really expecting them to say yes. There has to be some sort of qualifier, and it sounds like a petition drive is what they’re asking for,” Cole said. “It’s kind of like when a candidate qualifies for an election, they have to get X number of signatures.”

County Administrator Dan Schebler said he’d recommend the petition garner signatures from 8 percent of voters in the affected area, per Florida statute.

The petition drive and feasibility study will be funded entirely by fundraisers and donations through the Navarre Area United PAC.

It’s not the first time a group has moved to incorporate Navarre, but Cole said this time is different. Navarre voters last considered incorporation via a referendum in 2014, and just 44 percent of voters then were in favor of incorporation — 16 percentage points short of the necessary 60 percent threshold that would have triggered a feasibility study and state legislative action.

Cole said this time, he’ll focus more on informing voters to make a sound decision.

“I know the last group that tried it got a lot of blow back from folks, and a lot of misinformation was spread,” he said. “We’re going to be countering that this time around with as much information as possible.”

Previous attempt: Navarre voters consider incorporation

But not everyone is thrilled about the idea of incorporation. Pam Wingate, president of the Navarre Beach Leaseholders and Renters Association, said she would not support incorporation because taxes under a new city would be prohibitive for property owners and leasers on the beach.

“The tax burden is No. 1,” Wingate said of why she didn’t support incorporation. “And more rules and regulations and more government bodies to go through. I hope they’re going to keep us like Pensacola Beach, which has remained unincorporated.”

Cole said he understood opposition to the measure, and decisions have not yet been made as to whether Navarre Beach would be included in the geographical boundaries of incorporation. He said he believed incorporation would be the best thing for Navarre so citizens could have more localized control of decision making processes.

“I grew up in a very small town, Apalachicola, and it’s been incorporated since before Florida was a state,” Cole said. “I grew up in this environment, so coming to Navarre and living in an unincorporated area, I think there are things that people don’t realize ... . The benefits (of incorporation) are a little more local voice in your affairs, and things being decided by people you vote for that live in you community. Decisions will be made five to 10 minutes down the road from where you live.”

District 4 Commissioner Dave Piech, who represents Navarre and Navarre Beach, said he would support the incorporation only if it was the will of the voters. 

The PAC’s next step is to work with county staff to develop requirements for a petition drive, and then Cole will again go before the board with a request for a referendum.

Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com and 850-435-8632.