Okaloosa County approves 392‑lot River Park master plan; staff to phase infrastructure and require traffic mitigation

The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners on May 5 approved the conceptual master plan for River Park, a 392‑lot single‑family residential subdivision to be developed in phases.

Kristen Shell, growth management director, told the board the master plan establishes a phasing framework — it is not a development‑order approval. Shell said developers often phase infrastructure so initial work stands alone (roads, stormwater, utilities) and later phases require separate development orders that must demonstrate freestanding infrastructure and comply with standards.

The applicant and representatives answered commissioners’ questions about utilities and access. The developer said the first phase will include a lift station that will serve later phases, vehicle turn‑lane improvements on Airport Road and a traffic study that identified warranted turn lanes. Water redundancy will be provided from two sources and the project will pay county mobility (traffic) fees at the development‑order stage to mitigate roadway impacts.

Commissioner Cox pressed the applicant on emergency access and whether first responders would be able to reach units as the subdivision expands. The developer said there will be two main access points and an emergency‑only access off Buckhorn Drive. “There will be some traffic safety concerns that will be addressed with that,” the developer said of turn‑lane work on Airport Road.

Commissioner Mixon moved approval of the master plan; the board voted unanimously to approve it. Staff noted that future development‑order applications for each phase must include detailed infrastructure, traffic analyses and any mitigation required by code and the county’s mobility‑fee program.

The approval confirms the property’s long‑standing residential entitlements; the county stressed that subsequent engineering, development‑order review and construction permits will detail stormwater, sewer/water connections and road improvements before each phase can proceed.

Next steps: the developer will return with development‑order applications and supporting studies for each phase. Staff will review traffic, utility and stormwater plans at that stage and bring them back to the board or to staff‑level approval as applicable.