Some United Peninsula Association members have a vision of what U.S. Highway 98 and East Bay Boulevard might look like -- in 25-40 years.

"We know it's a long-range plan,"  UPA President Don Richards told about 20 members gathered for an informational meeting Monday at Tiger Point Golf Club. "But when I'm dead and gone, we're still going to have this in place. The people who come after us will find a safer, more pleasant community."Richards presented a plan to have the Santa Rosa County Commission to designate U.S. 98 from Gulf Islands National Seashore's eastern boundary to Okaloosa County and East Bay Boulevard from U.S. 98 to State Road 87 to be "scenic zones." The designation would include developing and adopting into the county's Land Development Code architectural and landscaping standards to enhance and preserve the corridors' natural beauty and pedestrian safety. The designation also could qualify Santa Rosa County for grants to help fund public projects in the scenic zones, Richards said.Commissioner Lane Lynchard of Gulf Breeze told UPA members he's asked to use impact fees collected in south Santa Rosa County, about $3.5 million, to build multi-use paths and sidewalks to improve connectivity between subdivisions along U.S. 98 and pedestrian safety along U.S. 98. "When most people think about impact fees, they think about road projects,"  Lynchard said.  "But U.S. 98 is the perfect example of the elephant you have to eat one bite at a time. Three-and-a-half million dollars won't do anything much on 98 when it comes to improving (vehicle capacity), but it would pay for a lot of multi-use paths and sidewalks."He said using impact fee money to match grant funds would maximize resources for the long-range project.Richards said the county already is preparing an amended ordinance to allow some electrically powered vehicles to drive on roads with lower speed limits. The plan also includes encouraging subdivisions to allow paths for bicyclists, electrically powered vehicles and pedestrians -- but not cars or larger vehicles -- connecting them to neighboring subdivisions; building pedestrian overpasses like the one over U.S. 98 in Gulf Breeze; reducing the number of median cuts; encouraging shared driveways; and installing pedestrian-activated crosswalks."What we're trying to do is give people options," Lynchard said. "It's about safety; it's about quality of life."Architectural and landscaping standards would include things like stricter sign regulations; guidelines on the color, material and styling of new construction; requiring side or rear parking; beautifying storm water retention ponds; and improving right-of-way and median landscaping. Existing property owners would not have to meet new requirements unless their property was severely damaged and destroyed. In that case, the repair or replacement of the property would be expected to meet scenic zone standards.Lynchard said owners may not wait that long to improve their properties."(Redevelopment) builds itself,"  Lynchard said. "Once one improved development comes in, the others step up their game because they don't want to look bad."Still, Lynchard said, redevelopment happens much more slowly than new development. Because it takes time to blend new standards into existing communities, it could take 25-40 years to see major progress.Richards said the next step is to present UPA's plans to the county commission. If commissioners are supportive, the group will schedule a series of public meetings to discuss proposed standards and projects.For more information, go to www.united peninsula.org.