of the
Smart Growth Task
 Force
 

Review and Discussion

County Links

Draft Minutes

June 16, 2004

 

I.            CALL TO ORDER, INTRODUCTIONS, REVIEW OF AGENDA

Chairman Brian Griffin opened the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory Committee at 6:00 p.m., in the First Floor Meeting Room of the Lee County Administration Building.

The following Committee Members were in attendance:

Mr. Jack Eikenberg

Mr. Brian Griffin

Mr. Rudy Marion

Mr. Arnold Rosenthal

Ms. Ellen Lindblad

Mr. Bill Hammond

Mr. Dennis Gilkey

Mr. Rob Fowler

 Mr. Don Eslick

 Mr. Steve Maxwell

The following staff was in attendance:

Mr. Don Stilwell, County Manager

Mr. Bob Janes, Commissioner District 1

Wayne Daltry, Director Smart Growth

 Tim Jones, County Attorney

Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary

The following Committee members were excused absent:

Ms. Jeannie Dozier

Ms. Jill Tyrer

Mr. Lee Ford

Mr. Steve Smith

Mr. Tim Kenney

II.         ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

      A.   MINUTES OF May 19, 2004

  • MOTION to accept and approve the minutes as amended by   discussion of the members.

     B.  Bill Hammond moved to accept the minutes, seconded by Rudy

           Marion, called and carried.

 

     C.  Brian Griffin requested the following addition to the May 19, 2004

           minutes.

  •  Mayor Jim Humphrey made a statement in his presentation  referencing the 40 floor high-rise buildings that would change the waterfront scene in Ft. Myers.  He was not in favor of it, however Ft. Myers City Council voted 5-0 to pass ordinance.

III.      PRESENTATIONS:

     A.  Transportation Update. Presentation of the draft vision statement,

           goals, and objectives of the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan for

           Lee County, and solicitation of comments (Bill Ball, Tindale and Oliver

          Associates.)

Wayne Daltry introduced Mr. Glen Ahlert, Program Director with Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). He distributed a copy of his presentation, “Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization 2030 Transportation Plan Development” attached.

  • The Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for developing a long-range transportation plan, (a minimum of 20 years beyond the state of adoption, updated every 5 years) a multi-mobile transportation service for Lee County.

  • Initially the plan was for year 2020 to be updated 2005 – 2030 the new horizon year.

  • An aggressive outreach process is underway to different interest groups, stakeholders and general public to establish initial policy direction.

  • Planning a joint regional planned element with Collier County to develop a framework for the 2 counties. Proceed to develop individual county levels and D.O.T. plans.

  • At the end, reconcile any differences that have developed through developing county plans and adopt joint regional policy plan as part of each MPO’s own plan.

  • The plan will develop the following over the next year and a half.

o         Highways

o                   Transit

o                   Bicycle pedestrian facilities

o                   Management and operations issues, including intelligent

            transportation systems.

o                   Develop to 2015 as a midrange plan.

 Mr. Ahlert introduced Bill Ball, AICP Principal with Tindale-Oliver & Associates, Inc., a planning and engineering firm.   He presented a power point presentation, “2030 LRTP Update,” attached.

  • Bill Ball informed the committee this presentation is only a preliminary vision statement at this point in time.  He requested input from this committee and explained that they will be doing the same with other community workshops and county meetings over the next few weeks.  The feedback received will allow them to update this draft again.  He covered each page on the “2030 LRTP Update”.

  • He noted the “Lee County 2030 Transportation Vision Survey” was distributed to:

o       The News Press insert in the June 5th edition.

o       Advertisement in the Spanish newspaper.

o       MPO mailing list.

o       Booth in the Hispanic Job Fair

o       Online survey

 

Bill Ball ended his power point presentation with the 5 key concepts based on stakeholder reviews, input from preliminary surveys to date, and the 8 goals. He distributed “Lee County MPO 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan” (attached) and opened the floor for discussion.  The following were topics of discussion:

 

o        Hurricane situations.

o        Transportation wording should respond to fit the land use.

o        Manage transportation with growth

 

(Brian Griffin noted for the record, Steve Maxwell, Rob Fowler and Dennis Gilkey recently arrived.)

 

o       Investigate through outreach if transportation has been

         responsive.

o       The survey does not differentiate where roads should be an

         incentive and/or not incentive based on the Comp Plan.

o       Bill Hammond was concerned the survey would be completed

         before the winter resident’s return.

Question and answer session continued with regards to transit/roadways, funding, enhance traffic circulation, synchronizing traffic lights, evaluating the economics of bus routes, bus users need assistance the same as auto users, Collier County workforce clogging Lee County road system.  Brian Griffin requested a copy of the last Lee Transit cost analysis from Steve Myers, Lee County Transit.

   B.   Schools as Community Centers.  Ms Kathy Babcock, School

        Board Planning Director, will summarize some of the community activities

        currently taking place, and she and Mr. Daltry will receive member

        comments for further evaluation for potential school facility use

        deliberations.

  • Wayne Daltry introduced Kathy Babcock, School Board Planning Director.  Ms. Babcock’s presentation explained that the majority of the school programs serve the children as well as the working parents and low-income families.  The outline of her speech is attached. 

A question and answer period followed Ms. Babcock’s presentation:

 

o        PTA v. PTO

o        Public rental fees for building

o        Inter-local public use of ball fields

o        Schools as hurricane shelters

 

Before the break Brian Griffin encouraged everyone to take the new Smart Growth pamphlet.

 

(Break 7:02 - 7:15)

IV.     ACTION SECTION

       A.    Lee County Fire Districts.  An introduction and summary of the

               Fire Consolidation assessment of 1998 is attached.  Also attached is

               the draft list of issues and work scope presented in May.  Please

              also review Chief Merrifield’s comments made in May, and the

              appropriate section of the minutes.

 

SUBCOMMITTEE:

  • Wayne Daltry suggested meeting the third Wednesday, July at 6:00 in 1st Floor Administration Conference room. (He will check with the Fire Chief members to confirm the date and time.)

  • His direction was to narrow discussion down to Smart Growth’s concerns with fire service overall, not which departments to consolidate.  By the third meeting strategic issues should be deciphered.

  • Tools to use such as (EMS, Fire or Utility Department) are set in the context of accomplishments referring to achieve and outcomes of goals.

  • Chief Merrifield’s comments will be included with the information that goes to subcommittee along with a short analysis of the utility system, distribution of fire hydrants, current nature of code enforcement and fire over all.

  • Wayne Daltry will notify everyone when these meetings occur.

  • Brian Griffin requested to receive information that will bring the 1998 study up to 2004.

  • Brian Griffin asked as a member of the subcommittee that for the record he works for ISO, which rates fire departments.  He is on the committee strictly to contribute information. He can only offer legal assistance as a “friend of the court.”

Question and answer session among the public and the committee followed.  None of the fire participants responded to Wayne Daltry’s invitation to comment, or to be added to the mail list.

B.   Pine Island Community Plan.  The requested action from public

       comment is to support and defend challenges to adopted community

       plans.

  • Action Needed: As Determined

Wayne Daltry referred to his memo dated June 15, 2004 that includes a letter text draft (attached.)

  • To provide the planning process where a position will not be taken on the challenge with regards to personal property lines.

  • Support the community planning process and the county incorporating community plans into the county planning process.

Brian Griffin opened the floor for discussion.

  • He stated his hope was to achieve a community plan that may help put aside the need for incorporation.

  • Dennis Gilkey stated the committee should not endorse legal action or specific projects. The 4th line up from the bottom of the letter should be changed to say, “We support the planning process that they have done.”

  • Brian Griffin suggested that the wording be “What the committee has previously endorsed.”

Discussion continued:

  • Members could not recall action taken by Smart Growth on this subject.

  • Concern of future community plans shut down after challenged.

  • Confirmed that Lee County BoCC has approved.

  • Wayne Daltry confirmed that Kathy Malone requested this action under public comment at the last Smart Growth meeting, consequently it was brought forward to this meeting for committee’s review and action referenced under item 5.A of the May 19, 2004 Minutes.

  • Kathy Malone, Pine Island Council of Civic Associations, confirmed that she generated this request.

  • This letter of recommendation would go to BoCC as a request to be part of their hearing.

MOTION:

      Dennis Gilkey made a motion referring to the recommendations

      provided on page 6 of the Smart Growth Committee Recommendations

      list made to the county earlier.  It addresses Community Plans, which

      means the committee could not write a letter of support for the Pine Island

      Community Plan to BoCC.

 

Motion seconded by Ellen Lindblad.

  • Tim Jones stated that an endorsement letter from Smart Growth committee would not go in the record.

  • Commissioner Janes stated that BoCC strongly endorses the Community Planning process.

Motion passes 5 to 0 not to send a letter of support. Called and carried.

 

V.            OTHER BUSINESS

  • Websites will be established to help with Community Planning process.  The site will offer meeting dates, locations and time. 

Wayne Daltry stated this is one of the community planning recommendations this committee has raised and is being worked on by county staff.

  • Community Development will establish a website where each community planning organization may input their information to the website.

  • Staff will assist each community planning organization to update meeting schedules and locations on its own web connection or page.

  • Staff will be supporting the updates, along with record keeping and public notices for these organizations.

     A.          MEMBER ISSUES:

             o         Members identify those issues that may not have been

                    addressed to date.  ATTENDANCE.

o          Action Needed: Issues to be forwarded to the next meeting.

 VI.         PUBLIC COMMENT

  • No Public comment.

VII.   SET NEXT MEETING DATE (AUGUST 18) (JULY

          MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED) and Adjourn.

  • Wayne Daltry noted that the Eloquent Few would be addressed at the next meeting.

MOTION:

Chairman Brian Griffin adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. called and carried.  

Respectfully submitted,

Lucy Crook