Draft Minutes
November 16, 2005 Meeting
I. Call
To Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda
Bill Hammond opened the
meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory Committee at 6:07 p.m.,
in the First Floor Meeting Room of the Lee County Administration
Building.
The following Members were in attendance:
Mr. Bill Hammond
Mr. Don Eslick (Arrived at 6:15
p.m.)
Mrs. Carie Obenchain
Mr. Lee Ford
Ms. Jill Tyrer
Mr. Ron Hamel
Mr. Jack Luft
Mr. Steve Maxwell (Arrived 6:40 p.m.)
Ms. Ellen Lindblad
Mr. Neal Noethlich
Mr. Rob Fowler
The following committee members were excused absent:
Mr. Jack Eikenberg
Mr. Brian Griffin
The following staff was in attendance:
Wayne Daltry,
Director Smart Growth
Tim Jones, County Attorney
Rick Burris, Community Development
Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary
Mr. Daltry welcomed
Whitney Gray, a new member appointed by District 4. She recently moved
from Clearwater to N. Ft. Myers, has a zoology background and was a past
Clearwater Commissioner. The members and public continued to introduce
themselves per Mr. Daltry’s request. ( Lee Combs, Habitat, Rick
Burris, DCD, Beverly Grady)
II.
Administrative Matters
Action Needed: Accept and Approve the minutes as amended by discussion
of the members.
MOTON made by Mr. Fowler to approve October 19, 2005 and August
17, 2005 as written. Seconded by Carie Obenchain.
III.
Action items:
A. Volunteers to represent the Committee at the Local Planning
agency meeting of November 28th.
Recommended action: Designate one or more members to
attend the LPA meeting of November 28, 8:30 a.m., BoCC meeting room.
Wayne Daltry explained that the Smart Growth major policy
recommendations have been accepted by the MPO Council (Don Eslick
arrived at 6:15 p.m.) Mr. Noethlich and Mr. Eslick volunteered to attend
the LPA. Ms. Obenchain said she would try to attend. Mr. Daltry
welcomed anyone who is interested to please attend.
IV.
Workshop of locations for further assessment for mixed
use development, workforce housing.
Human Services Council meeting is December 13, 2005. Human Services
previously asked for a joint meeting. Mr. Daltry suggested that a Smart
Growth subcommittee participate in Human Service Council meeting to
include a Smart Growth agenda item. Mr. Daltry requested those who are
willing to attend that this will replace the regular Smart Growth
meeting scheduled for December 21, 2005.
Workshops’ Land Use, Water Equality, Transportation. Mr. Daltry
summarized what Smart Growth Committee has accomplished and the
recommendations set forth. He said the four interactive workshops
provided books on Land Use, Water Quality,
Transportation Land Use and Community Character. Mr. Daltry
discussed Smart Growth’s next steps, workforce housing, more
transportation opportunities and a process by which redevelopment is
associated with the surrounding community. Lee County understands that
the redevelopment process will be the major component of future
development and old development becomes a need. Mr. Daltry distributed
the map (attached) where the Planners identified some blight areas for
redevelopment opportunities.
Mr. Daltry defined Concurrency - a doctrine that as the area
develops, infrastructure grows in capacity concurrent with growth so
that there is no diminishment of services. Florida Law requires six
services; roads, water, sewage, drainage, solid waste and parks and
recreation.
Concurrency picked up three nuances; 1.)Concurrence with the State
Department Of Transportation, 2.) the School Board (not worked out) and
3.)Water Supply Planning of the Water Management District.
Mr.
Daltry requested members to put their name in for paper copies of the
following reports: Urban Infill Housing Myth of Fact, Higher-Density
Development Myth & Fact, Smart Growth Myth & Fact for the Recording
Secretary to mail to all requesting parties.
Mr.
Daltry introduced Rick Burris, Planner, Lee County DCD to explain the
future land use map, overlaid with Lee Tran routes and other public
facilities that already exist. Mr. Burris asked everyone to identify
aging and under utilized areas from this map that could also provide
pedestrian and school site areas. (Steve Maxwell arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
The areas shown on the map have policies promoting mixed-uses for Smart
Village Concept to provide affordable housing opportunities.
Action Needed: Workshop Quest.
Mr.
Daltry provided large scale community maps, aerial photo books, fire
department, schools, water and sewer systems, transit systems and
infrastructure maps to identify Smart Growth Section of the Lee
County Comprehensive Plan ERA Based Amendment and adhesive dots. The
red dots should be placed on map areas that were identified suitable,
but are not. Blue dots – intersections suitable for redevelopment not
tagged. Mr. Daltry asked that the committee identify housing shortfall
and the beginnings of blight areas during this implementation stage.
Jack
Luft discussed high density and congestion. He said the “Single
greatest factor in the growth of congestion is not increase of
population, but the increase of length of trips and the number of motor
vehicles in a household and that the average shopping trip has grown
from five to seven miles.” He said Smart Growth would have to be bold
and present a fundamental frame work of incentives and alternative
transportation modes. Mr. Luft discussed in detail the following:
1.
Demand a transportation system that is something other than widening
road ways, adding lanes and flyways.
2.
Create nodes where there is density. The current Lee County
Comprehensive Plan allows density at 22 acres a gross area and 15 units
per acre for downtown Ft. Myers which is not Smart Growth high density.
a.
The solution is not low density. He suggests “nodes” of development
that vary in range from middle to high density on the Comp Plan for
mixed uses.
b.
Mr. Luft discussed “critical mass” – a concentration within 10 mile
radius. (Tim Jones departed at 7:15 & returned at 7:25.)
c. Mr.
Luft said the Template for Smart Growth’s Bold Vision
recommendations could be the Chapter 380, (leverage with DRI’s) and
TCEA’s, (leeway with intersections) to build a different structure of an
urban environment for Ft. Myers. There is a need to capture the
imagination of the media and public to entice an alternative.
Wayne Daltry discussed Smart Villages. He said the Transportation Plan
reaches gridlock by 2030 unless we change the nature of road.
Mr.
Fowler expressed his concern on amendments to the Comp Plan with regard
to bias standards. Mr. Fowler questioned how does one get the plans
implemented? Mr. Luft explained that the county has the leverage to
mandate what is needed, such as workforce housing. The county can set
the conditions because the value is there through land use regulations.
He discussed an Affordable Housing Trust Fund v. grandmother units.
Mr.
Hammond spoke about putting blue ways and greenways together to allow
quality green space nodes. He said using Conservation 2020 would take
care of the water quality and green space issues. (Ron Hammel at 8:14
p.m.)
V.
Updates. Staff will provide updates on the various Smart
Growth initiatives underway. Also to be discussed is a joint meeting,
or a subcommittee to meet with the Human Services Council. (Discussed
previously in item IV.) Mr. Daltry will send the information on this
workshop later.
VI.
Public Comment: None.
VII.
Set next meeting date (January 18), identify agenda
items, and Adjourn.
Homework Assignment: Review target markets with support of surrounding
community tailored to small areas and continue this discussion at next
meeting.
MOTION to adjourn
by Bill Hammond at 8:15 p.m. Called and carried.
Respectfully submitted
by Lucy Crook, County Administration
