Smart Growth Lee

Draft Minutes

SMART GROWTH MINUTES

April 20, 2005 Meeting

I       Call To Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda

Bill Hammond opened the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory Committee at 6:08 p.m., in the First Floor Meeting Room of the Lee County Administration Building.

The following Members were in attendance:

Ms. Ellen Lindblad

Ms. Jill Tyrer

Mr. Ron Hamel

Mr. Bill Hammond

Mr. Rudy Marian

Mr. Jack Eikenberg

Mr. Don Eslick

Mrs. Carie Obenchain

Mr. Neal Noethlich

The following committee members were excused absent:

Dr. Elinor Scricca

Don Stilwell

Lee Ford

Steve Maxwell

Mr. Dennis Gilkey

Mr. Brian Griffin

The following committee members were unexcused absent:

Mr. Rob Fowler

The following staff were in attendance:

Wayne Daltry, Director Smart Growth

Commissioner Bob Janes

Donna Marie Collins, County Attorney

Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary

II.     Administrative Matters

Bill Hammond asked new member Mr. Jack Luft to introduce himself. Mr. Luft lives in Sanibel. Spent 23 years in Miami as Planner for the City of Miami. Retired in 1998 and is currently running a consultant firm for planning, primarily in Broward and Dade County.

A. Approve Minutes of March 16, 2005

Action Needed: Accept and Approve the minutes as amended by discussion of the members.

MOTION: Bill Hammond entertained a motion to accept and approve the March 16, 2005 minutes. Jack Eikenberg moved to accept the minutes as written. Seconded by Rudy Marian. Called and carried. Motion passed.

III    Presentation

A.     Sidewalk Standards within Lee County Communities, Dan Moser.

Mr. Dan Moser is with the Lee County Health Department in the Injury and Prevention Program as the Bike and Pedestrian Program Coordinator. He is also Vice President of the Florida Bicycle Association and active on some local and state committees.

Mr. Moser discussed bike and pedestrian requirements for new development and what the implications are of sprawl with regard to not enough access to “walkable” and “bikeable” communities. The Public Health community is teaming with Lee County Parks and Recreation about the environment and how it affects health. He said that Lee County offers a good basic infrastructure networking transportation, trails and greenways but lacks amenities. The next step will be to make use more desirable: Upgrading landscape, better facilities, adding street amenities where cyclists can avoid crossing roadways.

Dan Moser referenced the handout, Sidewalk Standards within Lee County and wording added, “IF DEPICTED ON THE PLAN,” to a 2002 amendment where county legal staff accidentally caused a loophole- page 2, #4. Updating the map is a difficult and timely process. Language in the original 2002 amendment was to take the map out of it and only include what type of amenity is needed. He provided a copy of the City of Fort Myers Code of Ordinances – a suggested reference for sidewalks. Wayne Daltry said he would draft this for a review for the next meeting so that it could be included in the EAR Plan and Comp Plan amendment. Some of the discussion continued with regard to what density requires for sidewalk, side paths, road impact fees, gas tax and future infill. Mr. Daltry confirmed that Smart Growth has recommended retrofitting sidewalks. Dan Moser distributed the 4^th handout, “The Long Emergency.” He announced on May 18 at 7:00 p.m. a Ride of Silence to commemorate all cyclists injured or killed.

IV.      Tabled Items

A. Workforce Housing. A continuation of the tabled items from the original recommendations (Below)

Wayne Daltry discussed the National Planning Conference he recently attended, noting he made the sessions on reintegrating workforce housing into the community, how to tailor “Smart Codes” for different communities, and other issues that are applicable to this discussion. Mr. Daltry distributed the existing Housing Policies of Lee Plan; Leo Cooper’s information; the report Redeveloping Neighborhoods; and a full excerpt from the County’s Annually Updated Housing Assistance Plan. He said the intention is to get a point of direction to define what the county is trying to do under the existing EAR to reintegrate workforce housing. He outlined some of his speaking engagements discussions/suggestions. Bill Hammond opened the floor for discussion on current Lee County Policy and Smart Growth recommendations. Michael Reitmann, Executive Vice President of Building Industry Association (BIA) distributed the report Do Affordable Housing Mandates Work? And discussed:

·      Inclusionary zoning - require developments to create a percentage of affordable housing.

·      Mixed-use housing - city or county partnering with developers to subsidize the workforce who meet the criteria for housing.

·      Mike Reitmann distributed Evidence From Los Angeles County and Orange County and said, “What was happening in California is happening in Lee County now.” Discussed his disfavor with inclusionary zoning.

·      Jack Luft said this is a market driven problem and price will not continue to incline. Suggested looking at the amnesty law to legitimize affordable housing adjuncts on legal units provided they are brought up to code, and to allow such units as a matter of code where it will work.

·      Mix the uses - Wayne Daltry reiterated the past discussion on empty shopping centers mixed-use. Where is the county policy gap that prevents liberating small builders and owners to take responsibility and form organizations? Ultimately the private sector will need to describe the incentives that will make this work.

·      Sharon Jenkins-Owen discussed that new codes on manufactured homes do meet hurricane standards.

·      Commissioner Janes said the commissioners will be discussing the community plan and discussed using a certain percentage of bonus density for affordable housing.

·      County should support (above and beyond impact fees) and fund Neighborhood Planning organizations in each community.

Bill Hammond recommended since the Board will be reviewing community plan, Smart Growth could look for gaps in the following:

1.      Do nothing, let the market take care of it and create affordable housing on its’ own initiative.

2.      Bias toward back lot facilities - look at existing ordinances and what protections could be built in existing areas. Encourage study to help with retrofitting, increase zoning to allow for density, decide what structures take more residential and convert into affordable housing units.

3.      Decide guidelines Smart Growth can give Community Planning Committees with transportation planning and parameters for workforce housing unit.

4.      Instead of lowering taxes, use surplus for affordable housing and discuss incorporating trailers in existing mobile home communities as affordable housing.

5.      Force developers to supply affordable housing.

V. Other Business

      A. Members identify those issues that may not have been addressed to date.

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

Bill Hammond summarized the following as a follow up for next meeting:

1.       Wayne Daltry will work with Dan Moser and county staff to review bike and pedestrian policies and specifically delete that one phrase to the amendment.

2.      Continue with workforce housing and the local planning process. Establish groups/committee’s to review their own community and how they can be approached in the Lee County Comp Plan.

Discussion continued with some of the following: Under staff direction, Mr. Daltry will review information within the County for identifying the places with the greatest resident/workforce housing mismatch (residential communities that demand a lot of jobs, but don’t provide the market housing for the workforce); he will then also see if these are areas where adjunct residences could be allowed. Finally, he will review Comprehensive Plan Policy as it provides for or restricts such housing.

      B. Progress on various projects, verbal, Wayne Daltry

·        Babcock Ranch: The Purchase support group is taking a breather and going back again.

·        There has been a hire to undertake the Build-Out Analysis recommended by the Committee.

·        Next meeting – be a sounding board on some preliminary findings of the DRGR Report from the science side.

·        Natural Resource issues; recommendations for updates of the 2020 program will be provided, for relationship to Smart Growth recommendations.

·        The County Commission has asked the MPO to act as the third party facilitator between the County and Cities on establishing service and annexation boundary agreements.

VI. Public Comment:    None

Tabled Recommendations

3. To increase affordable/accessible housing, the BoCC should explore through the plan review and permitting process a greater mix of workforce/affordable/accessible housing within approved developments.

4. Change the development regulations to ensure an increased mixed-use development pattern that requires integration of affordable housing. Do not allow options for not providing this affordable housing on site.

VII. Set next meeting date (May 18) - Adjourned -8:00 p.m.