Citizen Advisory Boards and Committees

Affordable Housing Advisory Committee

The SHIP Affordable Housing Advisory Committee serves as a more formalized version of the local housing partnership of lenders, builders, contractors and citizens that advise on implantation of the local housing assistance plan. This entity provides the SHIP administrator with input and feedback from the community so that the SHIP program is highly responsive to local needs. The feedback received from committee members is used to create locally adopted guidelines, policies and procedures that the SHIP staff follow when implementing the housing strategies. Each committee member is appointed by resolution by the board of county commissioners.

Current Vacancy: 2

Aviation Advisory Committee

The Aviation Advisory Committee consists of a total of seven members, five of whom shall represent the general aviation community and shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners and one of whom shall be appointed by the commanding officer of NAS Whiting Field and one of whom shall be appointed by the commanding officer at Eglin AFB. Each member of the board of county commissioners shall appoint one member of the committee subject to approval of the entire board. Each member shall serve a term concurrent with that of the commissioner who appointed him/her and may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by vote of the board.

Bagdad Architectural Advisory Board

The Bagdad Architectural Advisory Board or BAAB performs design review and renders decisions for all new development, demolitions, building relocations, building alterations and similar activities for properties located within Bagdad’s designated historic and conservation overlay districts. The BAAB consists of five voting members and one non-voting ex-officio member as appointed by the board of county commissioners. All BAAB meetings are open to the public and are typically held on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

Current Vacancy: 1

Building Board of Adjustment

The Building Code Board of Adjustments deals with code issues relative to the respective type of licensure whether it is building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing. The board hears issues relative to customer complaints of contractors, licensure discrepancies. This board has the authority to discipline either by the suspension or revocation of licenses as well as an assessment of fines toward those contractors licensed within Santa Rosa County. The board consists of seven members who are appointed by the county commissioners. All BBOA meetings are open to the public and are scheduled for the second Wednesday of every month as needed.

Current Vacancy: 1

Citizen’s Advisory Task Force

The purpose of the Citizen’s Advisory Task Force (CATF) is to serve as a focal point or liaison between the county and its constituents in regard to Community Development Block Grant project development and implementation. As further described within the CDBG Citizen Participation Plan (Resolution 2017-37), the CATF shall be comprised of at least five residents of the county, none of which shall be elected officials and no more than one employee of the local government. At least 51% of the CATF must be from low to moderate-income households. CATF members shall serve two-year terms. Members must complete a CATF application and provide an income certification if representing a low to moderate-income household. Members are not appointed by the board of county commissioners, but the appointment is subject to board approval.

Civil Service Board

The Santa Rosa County Civil Service Board was created by the Florida legislature. The county commission and the school board fund the operations of the board for the enforcement of the act. The board is comprised of five members, one member elected by vote of the county commission classified employees, one member elected by vote of the school board classified employees, one member appointed by the county commission, one member appointed by the school board appointee, and one member by vote of the constitutional officers. No member shall serve more than two appointed or elected full terms in succession. All members serve a four-year term carrying out the provisions of the act. The board’s primary responsibility is to serve as an appeals board for disciplinary grievances by employees in the classified service.

Library Advisory Committee

The purpose of the Santa Rosa County Library Advisory Board is to advise and work in partnership with the library director to develop long-range goals for the library. The board advises on the operations of the library, works on community outreach, and promotes participation from the rest of the county and its communities. Board members consist of community members who are appointed by the board of county commissioners.

Local Mitigation Strategy Task Force

The purpose of the Santa Rosa County Local Mitigation Strategy Task Force is to decrease the vulnerability of the citizens, governments, businesses and institutions of Santa Rosa County to the future human, economic and environmental costs of natural, technological and societal disasters. To this end, the task force develops, monitors, implements, and maintains a comprehensive plan for hazard mitigation. Funding for the prevention and recovery from disasters from the state and the federal government is directly linked to the existence of this task force and the work that it accomplishes throughout the county to mitigate the impact of disasters.

Membership in the task force is open to all jurisdictions, organizations and individuals supporting its purposes. The task force shall be guided by a decision-making and voting body called the steering committee. The steering committee, as described within the local mitigation strategy by-laws, includes one resident “seat” and two Homeowners Association Representative seats. Membership is accomplished through the completion of a member information form. The member information form should be submitted to the task force support staff for a signature of acknowledgment by the current task force chair. Approval of steering committee members is subject to approval by a majority vote of the existing steering committee membership. A database of members and contact information will be maintained by the task force support staff.

Local Option Sales Tax Oversight Committee

The Santa Rosa County Local Option Sales Tax Committee was created to review the expenditures of the revenue generated by the sales surtax to ensure the surtax revenue is being used only for the purposes specified in the August 30, 2016, referendum and Ordinance 2016-14.

The committee consists of ten members appointed by the board of county commissioners. Each commissioner shall appoint two members, both of whom shall be residents of Santa Rosa County, one of whom must reside in the district of the appointing commissioner. The nominating member of the board is authorized to remove any member from the committee for any reason, which removal shall be confirmed by the board.

Local RESTORE Council

The Local RESTORE Council consists of 11 Board appointed members as outlined in Resolution No. 2019-32.  The Council is comprised of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and one additional Commissioner appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, five representatives nominated by each respective District Commissioner, one representative nominated each by the City of Milton, Town of Jay and the City of Gulf Breeze; and one nominated by the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. This Council’s primary role is to review potential projects and expenditures under the RESTORE Act Direct Component (Pot-1) Multi Year Implementation Plan, and solicit public input regarding such projects and expenditures.

Marine Advisory Committee

The Marine Advisory Committee consist of a total of five members, appointed by the board of county commissioners. Each member of the board appoints one member, subject to approval of the entire board.  Each member shall serve a term concurrent with that of the Commissioner who appointed him/her and may be removed from office at any time with or without cause by vote of the board. The committee holds public meetings to discuss topics relating to boating activities. The committee submits recommendations and information to the board related to the expenditures of fees collected on behalf of the county from state boater registration fees.

Parks and Recreation Committee

The Parks and Recreation Committee makes recommendations to the board of county commissioners on matters relating to recreation. The committee consists of the county facilities manager or designee and the president of each sports association that have current management agreements with the county and or a designated representative of that group.

Tourist Development Council

The Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office is responsible for promoting tourism throughout Santa Rosa County.  The TDO directs tourism marketing efforts to grow tourism revenue and contribute to the long‐term health of our county’s economy, while striving to improve the quality of life for our residents. The TDO is also responsible for staffing the Navarre Visitor Information Center and coordinating the efforts of the Santa Rosa Tourist Development Council, an advisory board to the Santa Rosa County Commission.

The Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council, per Florida Statute 125.0104, is a nine-member volunteer advisory group made up of representatives from Santa Rosa’s tourism and hospitality industry. The members are appointed by the Santa Rosa County Commission for a term of four years. The TDC makes recommendations to the commission on capital investment and distribution of the tourist development tax. The TDC adheres to Florida’s sunshine and public records laws.

Tourist Development Council Board members must derive a portion of their income or be employed in a business that deals directly with tourists, have an extensive knowledge of or background in the marketing and/or sales of tourism goods or services. Examples of such businesses would include attractions, restaurants, museums, hospitality education and other businesses, which cater to tourists.

Zoning Board

The Zoning Board (ZB) serves as the state-required local planning agency with several additional responsibilities. First, the ZB hears requests for variances and special exceptions where there are practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships due to strict application of the land development code. Second, the ZB hears and makes recommendations to the BOCC for conditional use, rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment requests. Also, the ZB makes recommendations to the board regarding proposed land development code and comprehensive plan policies. Lastly, the ZB prepares the comprehensive plan and makes recommendations to the board regarding evaluation of comprehensive plan policies every five years.

The ZB shall consist of ten members appointed by the board of county commissioners. Each commissioner shall appoint two members, both of whom shall be residents of Santa Rosa County, one of whom must reside in the district of the appointing commissioner. The members of the ZB shall be appointed for staggered terms of two years and may be reappointed for consecutive terms. The nominating member of the board of county commissioners is authorized to remove any member from the ZB for any reason, which removal shall be confirmed by the board of county commissioners. Any vacancies occurring during the unexpired term of office of any member shall be filled for the period of the unexpired term within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.