Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner outlined three significant harbor improvement initiatives during his monthly fireside chat on July 2 at Beachworx, presenting plans for environmental restoration and enhanced recreational access that could reshape the city’s waterfront. 

• The following is a recap of those initiatives discussed during the community meeting on Wednesday.

Vertical Oyster Gardens

Wagner began by announcing an ambitious goal to place 1 million oysters in the Destin Harbor through a vertical oyster garden program. The project aims to provide a natural alternative to the harbor’s current pump system, which Wagner says costs approximately $50,000 annually in electricity and maintenance.

• “Our goal is to put 1 million oysters in the harbor,” Wagner said, referencing the shared objective with the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance and former City Councilman John Stephens. “The cool part is [that] oysters can filter up to 50 gallons a day per oyster.”

The mayor explained that 1 million oysters filtering 50 gallons each daily would generate 50 million gallons of filtered water per day, potentially offsetting the harbor pump’s current 57.6 million gallons per day capacity. Wagner acknowledged his 50-gallon figure represented an aggressive estimate for healthy adult oysters, noting that spats, or baby oysters, would filter less during their growth cycles.

The vertical gardens work by threading recycled oyster shells along ropes suspended from docks into the harbor’s 979 million gallons of water. During warm summer months from late May through August, free-swimming oyster larvae naturally settle out of the water column and attach to the hard shell surfaces, eventually growing into juvenile oysters.

Former Councilman John Stephens, who was present at the chat and serves on Harbor and Waterways committees and already maintains five oyster gardens, said the City of Tampa has implemented a similar program. 

• Stephens explained that the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance collects oyster shells that people have eaten, lets them air dry, drills holes in five to 10 shells, and strings them together to create the vertical gardens.

When an audience member raised concerns about bacteria and water safety, Stephens said water quality has improved since the pump installation, though he acknowledged previous water quality issues in the harbor.

Wagner proposed using the oyster program to offset the current 25% Net Environmental Positive Benefit fee charged on dock construction projects, allowing property owners to participate in environmental restoration instead of paying additional fees. The city currently has almost half-a-million dollars saved in NEBP funds that are specifically allocated for environmental improvement projects, according to the mayor.

One audience member expressed concerns about potential odors if oyster gardens are exposed during low tide, while another noted that people historically harvested oysters from the harbor in the 1980s, though those days are “forever more gone.”

Mooring Fields

The mayor presented plans for a small-scale mooring field featuring five to 12 high-quality mooring spots drilled into the harbor bottom. The initiative would require reclassifying Destin Harbor from a free harbor to a mooring field, a process Wagner estimated will take approximately five years.

• “It’s about getting five to a dozen high-quality parking spots that are borne into the ground, that are measured across so that when people hook up, they are on our code. They are above board and above standard,” Wagner explained. “That ability to have those mooring balls there and going through that state retitling of our harbor from free-harbor to mooring allows us to have a harbormaster. That allows us a lot more liberty of making sure that the quality and standards of vessels, operations, and really just recreation in the harbor meet the Destin standard.”

The reclassification would allow the city to employ a harbormaster with authority to enforce regulations on anchored vessels, according to Wagner. Currently, the harbor operates under state jurisdiction as a free harbor, limiting local enforcement capabilities.

Stephens outlined extensive requirements for mooring field status, including upland facilities with dinghy docks, restrooms, showers, laundry services, trash disposal and pump-out stations for vessel waste. However, Stephens noted that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provides grants to help establish these facilities, and he expressed interest in the city pursuing Clean Vessel Act funding as well. 

• The mooring field would require vessels to comply with U.S. Coast Guard regulations and Florida safety standards, be in good operational condition, display current registration and maintain liability insurance coverage. Vessels would also be required to display anchor lights at night and have pump-out services available.

Stephens noted that no mooring fields currently exist in the Florida Panhandle, potentially making Destin a destination for recreational boaters known as “loopers” who travel the Gulf Coast. The mooring field would generate revenue that goes back into operations and maintenance of facilities and the harbor, while patrons would use local services including boat repairs, groceries, shopping, dining and entertainment venues.

An audience member who lives on the harbor expressed support for the project, citing ongoing issues with derelict vessels and noise from improperly muffled generators. The resident noted nine boats currently anchored in the harbor, some with occupants who improperly dispose of sewage.

Wagner acknowledged enforcement challenges under current free harbor regulations, where vessels can theoretically remain anchored for two weeks at a time with minimal oversight.

• Stephens said the city plans to present the mooring field proposal to the Harbor CRA either at the next meeting or the meeting after. Captain Jim Green, president of the Fishing Charter Association, serves on the committee and has had conversations about the project.

When asked about potential displacement of problematic vessels to other waterways, Wagner suggested expanding the conversation to neighboring areas like Joe’s Bayou to ensure a comprehensive solution. 

Norriego Point Project

The current Norriego Point project is funded through multiple sources, with the Natural Resource Damage Assessment providing $10,228,130 for restoration and recreational improvements, additional funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and local contributions from the City of Destin totaling $233,918 for dune crossovers.

Wagner explained that the project has been in development for decades and described the complex funding arrangement. “This one was actually BP Oil Spill money, New Oil Horizon,” Wagner said.

• He explained that since its grant money rather than city funds, the state maintains control over the project timeline and requirements, leading to delays and limited local input on certain amenities and specifications.

The project includes shoreline stabilization through completion of erosion control structures to project against wave energy and preserve the shoreline. Recreational enhancements feature construction of an ADA-accessible boardwalk, dune crossovers, restrooms, showers, drinking fountains, picnic facilities and educational signage. Environmental restoration involves planting seat oats and other native vegetation to stabilize dunes and support local wildlife habitats. 

• Wagner noted that many of the project’s amenities were predetermined by state requirements rather than local preference.

Construction fencing was recently moved back to provide more beach access before the July 4th weekend, though a contained construction zone remains. Wagner said bathroom facilities should be completed by August, with the main delay attributed to electrical work.

An audience member and former Holiday Isle HOA president raised concerns about inadequate trash collection and management at the site. The resident said their association manager frequently cleans up litter left by beachgoers because the city doesn’t provide sufficient trash cans or pickup service.

The resident also highlighted traffic congestion issues, particularly during fireworks displays when East Pass Towers residents cannot access their units due to crowds and parking problems.

• Wagner acknowledged the traffic challenges and expressed hope that additional parking spaces in the expanded area would help alleviate congestion, though he noted this might simply attract more visitors.

Wagner concluded the meeting by emphasizing the importance of community input in shaping these projects.

“The reason we’re doing these fireside chats is all about making sure that the locals have a seat at the table regardless of the project or the area that we’re talking about,” Wagner said. “Every month I’m going to speak on a different topic and location and those that feel called or passionate about that topic to come on out, because at the end of the day, it’s your ideas and it’s your voice that’s going to make and break the projects and the policies that we created for the future. We want to have progress in Destin, but we want to do it sustainably and we want to make sure that we talk about and make sure that we don’t just decide for the current generation, but for the future generations to come.”