Bay County to spend $2.4 million on 122 acres to house stormwater facility, fire station

PANAMA CITY − Local officials are working on a project to reduce flooding and improve public safety.

Bay County commissioners on Tuesday voted to spend $2.4 million to purchase about 122 acres from the St. Joe Company. Located near U.S. 231 and Transmitter Road, the land will be used to build a regional stormwater facility. Bay County Fire Rescue Station 14, known as the Hiland Park Fire Station, also will be relocated to the area.

Tuesday's decision came more than four months after commissioners voted on Dec. 22 to enter into a purchase agreement for the property. It will be bought using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

"That property has a great deal of wetlands in it, so the county is going to construct a regional stormwater pond at that location to help alleviate flooding that's occurred throughout that area," said Keith Bryant, chief infrastructure officer for Bay County. "It has a couple of different purposes for buying the property."

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Along with the stormwater facility, which will boast a 20-acre retention pond, the Hiland Park Fire Station will be moved to the property. It currently sits off Lafayette Road in a location that not only is too small, but often experiences traffic congestion that slows emergency response.

According to the meeting's agenda, the new property is "still within the fire station service area" and "will provide more room for future expansion." Bryant said it also will give firefighters better access to major roadways.

The agenda also states "the site contains the main outfall system for the basin and is one of a few remaining vacant parcels of significant size within the basin." Bryant said it will play a key role in helping the county reduce flooding.

"Once we purchase the property, we're going to design in that area that regional stormwater pond, and it will take water that traditionally has flowed south ... and will store that water," Bryant said. "It will prevent some of that structural flooding that's been occurring in that area."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County to buy 122 acres from the St. Joe Company for $2.4 million