Smart Growth Lee

Draft Minutes

SMART GROWTH MINUTES

May 18, 2005 Meeting

I    Call To Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda

Dennis Gilkey 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 (Arrived 6:09 p.m.)

Mr. Ron Hamel (Arrived 6:40 p.m.)

Mr. Bill Hammond

Mr. Rudy Marian

Mr. Jack Eikenberg

Mr. Don Eslick

Mrs. Carie Obenchain (Arrived 6.09 p.m.)

Mr. Neal Noethlich

Mr. Lee Ford

Mr. Dennis Gilkey

Mr. Rob Fowler

The following committee members were excused absent:

Dr. Elinor Scricca

Don Stilwell

Steve Maxwell

Mr. Brian Griffin

The following staff were in attendance:

Wayne Daltry, Director Smart Growth

Commissioner Bob Janes

Donna Marie Collins, County Attorney

Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary

I.       Call to Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda

II.     Administrative Matters

A. Approve Minutes of April 20, 2005

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

MOTION: Denis Gilkey entertained a motion to accept and approve the April 20, 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.

Wayne Daltry asked Dan Moser to explain the results of the meeting. Dan Moser said the meeting with DCD, Mary Gibbs office and Mike Tish with D.O.T. was successful. He is confident that staff is interpreting and acting on it just as it was intended with no loophole. No developers have abused the sidewalk ordinance based on something not being on the map. Dan Moser said he plans to close the map loophole even though DCD and D.O.T. are interpreting the map on a case-by-case basis. (Carrie Obenchain and Jill Tyrer arrived at 6:09.) Discussion continued when Rudy Marian requested that “depicted” should be deleted and he wants to see sidewalks incorporated into the development plan and around the schools. It was concluded that developers receive Impact Fee Credit up to ¼ of a mile to the edge of the their property. The policies recommended for major roads on the Comprehensive Plan for sidewalks are, bus stops ¼ mile and 2 miles of a school.

Wayne Daltry disbursed and discussed the “Walkability Checklist.” He will encourage the Planning Department to include this as part of local community planning organizations self-assessment. Mr. Ford asked about connecting older developments with sidewalks. Wayne Daltry said the briefing last month regarding site-related sidewalks was to make sure; 1) the sidewalk is a site related improvement for certain classes of roads and 2) above sidewalk level of non-motorized transportation (4’ wide slab.) At the map briefing, Bicycle Pedestrian committee issues were debated on higher-level facilities. If the facility was not shown on the map in rural areas, waivers were added. Since there were no urban waivers, it was decided not to change the language for a new policy provision. The mass Transit Department said they have identified the areas and funding is being pursued. The school areas are still being inventoried however they are lobbying and pursuing sidewalk construction on school property per Lee County recommendations.

Rudy Marian asked to make a MOTION to delete the “Depicted on the plan.” After more discussion, he decided to resend his motion. Discussion continued with Impact Fee Credit to developers for sidewalks.

IV.      Tabled Items

A. Workforce Housing. A continuation of the tabled items from the original recommendations Specific Maps will be provided for review

Discussed and distributed three maps attached. Last meeting Wayne Daltry was asked to look at Lee County to research where the people live, where the jobs are, how expensive the housing is and show disparities. The two colored maps show population density and concentration of job demands. The Disparity Map’s shading identifies availability for flexible housing on a small scale. The following are the results:

            Population Density Map – 1 dot is 15 units

            Employment/Job Map – Describes opportunities for mixed-use housing where there are jobs, but little housing.

Disparity Map – Shaded area describes Wayne Daltrys interpretation of cost of housing, jobs that exist plus the absence of nearby affordable housing. (Hamel arrived at 6:40.) This is 2000-year data showing population to fill jobs, but cannot afford the housing. This is the workforce-housing mismatch. It enforces the previous discussions on redeveloping aging centers into mixed-use centers creating housing where there are jobs. Wayne Daltry talked about two strategies: “granny flat” efficiency and no single story commercial buildings.

Wayne Daltry said he would meet with community planning committees about areas of certain flexibility that would allow affordable housing. Redevelopment or preservation of older communities should be required in community plans. Neal Noethlich said the county has not encouraged mixed-use, nor tried to solve the density issue to encourage developers. Wayne Daltry said the terms of the mixed-use process states it is to help anyone with a mixed-use proposal get through the process. This wording will be emphasized in the new Comprehensive Plan amendment to include bonuses. Wayne Daltry said at the next meeting he plans to present mixed-use concepts from the low to the high. Dennis Gilkey mentioned providing a program to initiate workforce and/or affordable housing in the older communities and vacant lot areas if crime was gone.

Mr. Daltry said he would forward information on the June 29 Linkage Fee workshop. There was some discussion on Linkage Fees going into a program such as HDC for housing rather than buying the land and building. Mr. Ford said Impact Fees are raising costs too high for workforce 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.

       B. Progress on various projects, verbal, Wayne Daltry

1.       Conservation 2020 Program proposed reforms (passed out 1 sheet.) Bill Hammond said their direction is a county mitigation map that shows wetlands and open space land for habitat used as a tool to show availability within the county. The challenge is to match Conservation 20/20 Program mapping with the County Resource and Mitigation Maps to show the priorities. Advalorum taxes should be used for mitigation and conservation purposes to build in protection. Bill Hammond said at the beginning Lee County was at 9% public ownership. Currently it is at 20-21% of public ownership. His interpretation would be a goal in the 40% range.

Wayne Daltry said not to worry with mitigation mapping. If the goal is to get a certain percentage of all the available land resources with a annual goal to move towards that percentage, then you have a fundable program to renew if it is identified as the goal. Each year a step is being taking towards it. Bill Hammond said he disagreed, that Conservation 20/20 is doing that. Some of what he discussed was economy to scale, tax base and infrastructure requirements and what it takes if you go denser. He said every acre that goes public actually produces a future tax savings because the face value increases around the green space areas and offsets the tax loss to the public.

2. Groundwater Resource Report will be going before the Board at (M & P) Management and Planning Committee on June 7, 2005 at which time the report will be available.   Mr. Daltry discussed two components from a briefing he attended: 1.) Mining Component, which is tied to construction, can supply the needs for Lee County by applying certain policies, i.e., wetlands, there is still adequate mining lands left for twenty to thirty years. 2.) Groundwater Resource Report looks at the wells and data points as to how the system has been operating and if there is a critical recharge. Show enough information for a four-team review in a detailed report along with discussion on Land Management Strategy recommendations that came from this committee.

3.     Other discussions – Wayne Daltry talked about some of the following regarding Lehigh Planning Committee and its start up issues. Chairman Tuberville was here at this meeting. Getting fresh start with management, discussing same things we are with school sites, land development, etc.

4.     Bill Hammond requested discussion on water quality strategies on surface water utilities. Caloosahatchee River is not in good shape for many reasons one of which is the 400 hundred million cubic yards of silt that will be suspended out of Lake Okeechobee and it cannot be stopped. Water Management is being asked to quickly expedite interim targets to establish effective ways to help with water sheds. Our water problems are not due to development. There was discussion on the building of the 15-mile poor water quality designed reservoir. TDC is committed to get “Vist Florida” involved in this discussion. Water Management rules were discussed with regard to the devastation these rules are causing.

Wayne Daltry agreed to Don Eslick’s request to assess growth management and give a briefing at the June meeting.

VI. Public Comment

            None

VII.     Set next meeting date (August 17, 2005) - Adjourned - 8:00 p.m.

There will be no meeting in July

Respectfully submitted,

Lucy Crook

County Administration