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A HORSE-LOVER’S dream
Northwest Florida Daily News - October 14, 2007 | view online article
view Emerald Glenn Article pdf

A NEW EQUESTRIAN-THEMED PLANNED COMMUNITY
WILL SPAN ALMOST 2,000 ACRES IN THE FREEPORT AREA
One of the planned features at Emerald Glenn is the multimillion dollar equestrian center with a 47-stall barn,
pastures and turnouts, arenas and seating areas, storage, and nearly 20 miles of trails.

By Ann McQueen - Daily News Contributing Writer

FREEPORT view Concept Master Plan pdf
— Think “Florida master-planned community” and images of seaside villages, golf towns, and family-friendly vacation destinations come to mind. Planned communities have sprouted up around the state to meet the market’s demand for lifestyle. Walton County, a development hot spot, has followed suit with its plethora of choices of golf communities, beachside mini-towns, family-oriented mega subdivisions and second-home communities. But a new planned community that offers home and property buyers a unique option is under way. Emerald Glenn, an Equestrian Community at Black Creek.

The 1,734-acre master-planned community is designed for horse lovers. It is located near Freeport between County Road 3280 and Black Creek. The design, created by the world-renowned architect and town planning firm Looney Ricks Kiss, includes 740 residential units, a multi-million dollar equestrian center with a 47-stall barn, pastures and turnouts, arenas and seating areas, storage, and nearly 20 miles of trails.

Plans also include a river lodge with a riverfront promenade and walking pier, a 50-unit dry dock and boat storage facility, and canoe and boat launches. Emerald Glenn’s master plan includes a total of 435 acres of preservation land.

The mix of residential lots includes 240 four- to six acre equestrian estates; 387 single-family home sites; and 113 one-acre riverfront lots.

Although architectural guidelines are still in planning, an architectural review board will be established to ensure homes are designed with a Southern-style hybrid that emphasizes porches, rail fences, and other Southern flairs. Landscape guidelines stress conservation; lots are wooded, and landscape buffers must be preserved.

Utilities are underground; water and sewer service is provided by the City of Freeport. Conceptual plans were approved by the Walton Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 28.

Location, location, location | view Location Map pdf
Emerald Glenn is the centerpiece of 4,000 acres designated for development at Black Creek. The BCC also approved a 100-acre commercial town center for development by Atlanta-based North American Investments at the Aug. 28 meeting. The town center will include 302,000 square feet of commercial space.

An outstanding attribute of the community is its ideal location in central Walton County. By car, Emerald Glenn is about 15 minutes from the Beaches of South Walton,

the attractions of County Road 30A, and shopping and dining. It is also about 15 minutes from the planned Bay County International Airport. Although Emerald Glenn is close to these conveniences, it is surrounded almost entirely by the 53,000-acre Nokuse Plantation, a private conservation project established by environmental visionaries M.C. Davis and Sam Shine. Nokuse links Eglin Air Force Base-owned land on the west with state-owned conservation tracts to the east. Plans are under way for a multi-million dollar conservation exhibit and learning center at Nokuse called the E.O. Wilson Biophillia Center. Named after the Alabama born entomologist and environmental philosopher, the Biophillia Center is envisioned to awaken children’s love of nature and offer education and hands on engagement with the area’s history, environmental wealth, and complex ecosystems. Nokuse Plantation will remain in conservation in perpetuity.

Why horses?
We wanted to embrace the efforts of Nokuse and come up with something compatible,” said Lloyd Blue, a local attorney and developer who is coordinating the project. “The equestrian lifestyle lends itself to open spaces and large tracts of conservation and preservation land. This lifestyle also lends itself to extremely low densities. The parcel is zoned for 7,000 units; our plan has 740. And, it’s an alternative that is not readily available in the Panhandle.”

The Players
To bring the vision to fruition, Blue and Emerald Glenn Development LLC assembled a team of highly specialized designers, consultants, and planners.

Rick Borst, an executive manager with extensive experience in business development and organizational management, is serving as project manager and marketing coordinator.

EquestriSol, a full service research and marketing company based in California, helped conduct market research and assist with developing the equestrian lifestyle.

Hayward Design, headed up by Lorri Hayward of Lafayette, Ga., offers 20 years of experience in planning and designing equestrian facilities.

Mauricio Castro, director of Florida Planning for Looney Ricks Kiss, is in charge of project design. He spent eight years with Duany Plater-Zyberk, the famous town designers of Seaside and Rosemary Beach. Looney Ricks Kiss operates offices nationwide in Colorado, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas as well as a local office in Rosemary Beach.

DeGregorio Design of Santa Rosa Beach is handling Emerald Glenn’s graphic design. Financing and individually structured loans are available through Farm Credit of Northwest Florida for qualified buyers.

Price points, build-out

Phase I
Phase I of Emerald Glenn includes 99 four- to six-acre estate sites and the equestrian center. These home sites are sufficient in size to accommodate personal barns for serious equestrians. They are situated around the equestrian center, a professionally managed facility with upscale services including training, schooling, lessons, and events. Trail rides will be available as well.

The estate sites are listed at an introductory price of $199,900. Reservations and deposits are currently underway. The developer is offering special incentives to the first 50 buyers who are ready to build. Project officials expect construction of the equestrian center to begin in the first quarter of 2008 and to be complete by the end of that year.

 

Phases II-VII
Phase II is currently planned to include 37 equestrian lots and the first of several single-family home villages, with smaller lot sizes for buyers who wish to enjoy the lifestyle without the upkeep of personal barns and acreage. This village will consist of 59 homes. Phase III includes another 40 equestrian lots and a second village of 60 units. Phase IV includes 38 equestrian lots and a third village of 50 units.

Phase V will include an offering of the final 26 equestrian lots and a fourth village of 60 single-family homes. During this phase, the first 53 one-acre riverfront lots will be offered and construction on the river lodge will begin.

Phase VI includes a 58-home village and the remaining 60 riverfront lots; Phase VII will include a 100 single-family home village.

Each separate village will have its own amenities, although homeowners will have access to the equestrian facilities, the river lodge, and the other lifestyle attractions. Pricing information and build-out on future phases is not yet determined, however, Borst said that home sites in Emerald Glenn appeal to a wide range of incomes and demographics. The larger equestrian estates and river front lots are more expensive, while the single-family home villages offer options for young or single-income families and retirees. About 30 percent of the development is dedicated to equestrian estates; the remaining 70 percent is dedicated to a variety of people in pursuit of the lifestyle.

One last word
Emerald Glenn is a huge asset to Walton County,” said Scott Brannon, county commissioner for District 1, which includes the Freeport area. It’s a wonderful example of how responsible development can contribute to our quality of life. The lower density compliments the conservation efforts at Nokuse. This is a project we can all be very proud of.”

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