County seeks input on North Okaloosa growth at town halls

CRESTVIEW, Fla. — Okaloosa County is set to hold two town hall meetings this month to address growth issues affecting residents in the northern part of Okaloosa County, including the Crestview and Baker areas.

The first town hall will be held on March 25, from 6:01 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Baker Recreation Center in Baker. The other is on March 27, from 6:01 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Crestview Community Center in Crestview.

The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners (OCBCC) has stated that the meetings’ goal is to gather feedback from the public about the issues that are most important to the citizens of North Okaloosa County. The meetings also aim to introduce the public to the study and the consultant, Inspire Placemaking Collective, Inc.

The results of the town hall meetings will be presented to the OCBCC, which will provide further direction to the consultant regarding the study.

“We are excited to move forward with the next step of this study that will address how we can responsibly manage growth and progress in the county,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon.

“We want to ensure that the voices of Okaloosa residents are heard so that we can preserve what is most important to us. With sound planning, we can ensure our quality of life is maintained and enhanced.”

The Baker Recreation Community Center is at 5503 Hwy 4, Baker, Florida 32531. The Crestview Community Center is at 1446 Commerce Dr, Crestview, Florida 32539.

Inspire has created a website for the study that includes a project timeline and will enable residents to review and comment on draft reports and other study aspects once deliverables start. The website is https://www.inspire-engagement.com/north-okaloosa-plan.