of the
Smart Growth Task
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Review and Discussion

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SMART GROWTH MINUTES

June 15,  2005 Meeting

 

I.                   Call To Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda

Brian Griffin opened the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory Committee at 6:04 p.m., in the First Floor Meeting Room of the Lee County Administration Building. 

 

The following Members were in attendance:

Ms. Ellen Lindblad

Mr. Ron Hamel (Arrived at 6:15 p.m.)

Mr. Bill Hammond

Mr. Jack Eikenberg

Mr. Don Eslick

Mrs. Carie Obenchain

Mr. Neal Noethlich

Mr. Dennis Gilkey (Arrived at 6:30 p.m.)

Mr. Steve Maxwell (Arrived at 6:55 p.m.)

Mr. Brian Griffin          

 

The following committee members were excused absent:

Dr. Elinor Scricca

Mr. Don Stilwell

Ms. Jill Tyrer

Mr. Rudy Marian

Mr. Jack Luft

Mr. Rob Fowler

Mr. Lee Ford

 

The following staff were in attendance:

Commissioner Bob Janes

Holly Schwartz, Assistant County Manager

Wayne Daltry, Director Smart Growth

Donna Marie Collins, County Attorney

Paul O’Conner, Community Development

Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary

 II.                Administrative Matters

A.     Approve Minutes of May 18, 2005

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

MOTION: Brian Griffin entertained a motion to accept and approve the May 18, 2005 minutes.  Bill Hammond moved to accept the minutes as written.  Seconded by Jack Eikenberg. Called and carried.  Motion passed.

 III.             Action Items:  (None)

Wayne Daltry’s Introduction:  He said tonight’s presentation is “What it is.” This presentation is on the study related to the management of our groundwater resource. Smart Growth committee commissioned it, BoCC appropriated the necessary funds and county departments collaborated.  The presentation is a briefing, i.e., a key report in the overall Smart Growth package.  The Groundwater Resource is the tool the county has used to plan to identify where the Natural Resource Policy takes dominance over the Growth Policy. He said he expects to develop an agenda from the committee’s discussion and questions on the initial issues and present this agenda to the county departments and the cities.  This should allow the county to be better prepared to assess success and failures through management of groundwater resources. There is a peer review underway and the report will be part of the EAR (Evaluation Appraisal Report) follow up.   He said after this meeting the Groundwater Resource Power Point will be on Smart Growth and Community Development websites. He noted there would be a hard copy available but encouraged members to retrieve the information from the websites.

Brian Griffin asked for a Babcock update: Commissioner Janes’ gave a brief update stating that Babcock Ranch is on hold until the family returns from a European tour.

 IV.              Presentation and Discussion Item:  Lee County Groundwater Resources Report and Mining Study, Mr. Greg Rawl, P.G. Power Point (attached.)

First part of the report is “Hydrology for Dummies” discussing technical terms, then goes into the use of the groundwater resources transitioning into the mining studies.  It assesses the mining within this county for aggregate and assesses the resources available for aggregate and draws its own conclusion.  Graphics available have never been seen before on previous reports and presents the county’s activity with more data points than seen in the past.

 

There was a brief discussion on the MPO with regard to transportation build out estimate. (Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres are completed.)  Surficial recharge areas need to be protected to prevent pumping water out of deeper aquifers.

Greg Rawl began his presentation with a detailed Groundwater Resource Power Point.

 (Break at 7:03 p.m. Returned 7:13 p.m.)

Some discussion was on “ET” ( Evaporation Transportation) wet season net recharge by land cover. Also, “Lower and Upper Caloosahatchee Tidal Budget Regions” called “Wayne Study.” (This is a study Wayne Daltry asked for that breaks the river into two zones to identify groundwater contributions to salinity mixing.) 

Impervious v. pervious services was questioned.  Mr. Daltry advised this specific subject would be addressed under Storm Water Utility Study.  There was discussion on future desalination in Lee County.

 

Greg Rawl continued with the Power Point half on the Mining Inventory 2002 (See Power Point):

Some of the discussion was regarding containing future mining in two areas, designed mines can maximize the recharging potential and older mines are located close to well fields.

 Questions from committee:

           Brian Griffin expressed his concern with the amount of rock leaving Lee County and the road damage it is causing. Paul O’Connor said this has not been discussed other than a few years ago when Tonnage Fees for Road Impacts were discussed. Mr. Griffin requested this issue be discussed at the next Smart Growth.

Greg Rawl will provide a future mine permit table and chart for Lee County with regard to Neal Noethlich’s request.

Mr. Gilkey said it is important to learn to manage the mining resource as well as the impacts.  He said Lee County is fortunate to have the resource of rock.

Mr. Maxwell  and all the members said this was a good presentation.  He requested the impact of economics in relation to water in the future.  He suggested providing an impervious graphic.

 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

 VI.              Public Comment – Mr. Daltry answered some of the public’s questions.  He said that he would draft an agenda and relay issues to department heads and cities. He noted that BoCC has put a moratorium extension on development on new Comprehensive Plan Amendments in the Water Resource DRGR areas until September 1, 2005. Staff will analyze the data, report back to BoCC and fit it into the EAR and new Comprehensive Plan.  It will be targeted into the permit system with SFWM Feasibility.  The county will hire a person to work directly with the Water Management District’s Permitting issues.

There were no more comments.  Brian Griffin and the committee applauded Greg Rawl for his excellent report.

VII.           Set next meeting date  - (August 17) - Identify agenda items and adjourned at 8:08 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Lucy Crook

County Administration