MINUTES
SMART GROWTH
DRAFT MINUTES October 18, 2006
Time
and Place: Wednesday, October 18, 2006; 6-8 p.m., 1st Floor,
Lee County Administration Building, 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers
Florida.
I.
Call to Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda
Wayne Daltry opened the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory
Committee at 6:02 p.m.
The following
committee members were in attendance:
Ms. Whitney Gray
Ms. Carie Call
Mr. Steven Teuber
Mr. Brian Griffin, Co Chairman
Mr. Jack Luft
Ms. Liz Donley
Ms. Ellen Lindblad
(Arrived at 6:06 p.m.)
Mr. Jack Eikenberg
Mr. Bill Hammond
Mr. Ron Hamel
Ms. Jill Tyrer
Mr. Lee Ford
The following
staff in attendance:
Wayne Daltry, Director of Smart Growth
Commissioner Janes
Don Stilwell, County Manager
Tim Jones, County Attorney
Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary
2. Administrative Matters
A. Minutes of September 20, 2006.
Action Needed: Accept and approve the minutes as amended by
discussion
from the members. No quorum at this time.
3. Reviews
A. Smart Growth LPA Policies, progress – Wayne Daltry said that
Smart Growth (SG) recommendations are going forth with one area of
disagreement in 88.2, an air quality policy issue. SG needs to decide
whether to recommend to commission. Local Planning Agency (LPA) asked
for a presentation from FL Department of Environmental Protection and he
thought SG should also. Sherrill Culliver is here to discuss and answer
questions on current air quality and air quality issues. The information
and mapping website was made available to all earlier. (Ellen Lindblad
arrived at 6:06 p.m.)
Mr.
Culliver said DEP has monitored air quality in Lee County for the past
two decades. EPA looks at what triggers chemical smog during an 8 hour
average for a three year period. Based on population, Lee County is far
below average and is not required to have a vehicle inspection program.
In 2005 the county was ranked 24th out of 25 cleanest cities
in U.S. There are monitors in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers Beach.
FP&L Power Plant is one of the six major large entities in Lee County
that has lowered emissions more than one ton since last year.
Sherrill Culliver answered Dan Moser about the coal burning in Glades
County and how it should not have a big impact locally. Three out of
four times there will be an emission control center to keep emissions
very low. Wayne Daltry added that there is a Vehicle Citing Act and BoCC
asked staff to keep abreast of it.
Brian Griffin suggested recommending to the commissioners to approve
staffs recommendations on proposed raised impact fees for roads before
the Public Hearing. Mr. Daltry agreed that the more gap you close, the
less congestion. The commission would appreciate a letter of support.
MOTION - Brian Griffin asked for a motion to send a letter. There was
no response.
Wayne Daltry asked for the committee’s input regarding DCD staff
recommendation not to pursue an emissions program. Ms. Donley said SG is
here to assist the county in its vision; to set standards higher than
minimum requirements. Ms. Call agreed to leave it in the
recommendations. (Sherrill Culliver left at 6:30 P.M.).
A. Minutes of September 20, 2006.
Action Needed: Accept and approve the minutes as amended by
discussion .
Co-Chair Griffin asked to entertain a motion to accept the September 20,
2006 draft minutes.
MOTION by Ms. Call; seconded by Ms. Lindblad to accept the September
20, 2006 draft minutes as written. Called and carried.
B. LPA Policies, other sources, from September LPA
Mr.
Daltry referred to handout Summary of New/Revised Objectives in
Coming Year. He emphasized that over half of the Managers Goals are
SG recommendations; particularly on land development recommendations. He
summarized the handout and said to call him for any questions. He may
tie a work program in November because December it goes to the
Commissioners. There are still missing components, i.e.; getting with
the School Board on site recommendations to slow down growth instead of
stopping it; however the county is seriously getting points across to
the cities with annexation concerns. The special district issues are
ongoing.
Co-Chair Griffin commented on Commissioner Janes excellent newspaper
article on SG. He noted that it is too bad that the county can only make
recommendations to cities. It is unfortunate that there is a lack of
representation on SG from Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, City of Fort
Myers, and Ft. Myers Beach. Mr. Daltry said the MPO is in place to be
used for briefing all entities.
Wayne Daltry discussed the Inter-local Agreement handout where
city added a section to annexation law. Improving a city tax base
improves county tax base, but improving a physical structure may not do
the same to the unincorporated areas. Through creation of inter-local
agreements, independent local government issues can be worked out.
4. Discussion
A. Reprise of Mike Busha’s, “If this is Smart Growth, I Want My
Money Back.” Wayne Daltry gave the power point.
Break time at 7:15 P.M. and returned at 7:25 P.M.
B. Oil, Transportation, and Urban Form, a review of the
Parliamentary Subcommittee of Australia. An e-version of the
Proceedings of the Parliament from Australian with regard to the
Oil Issue document was previously sent. Mr. Daltry said the document
is a transcription discussing how Australia is responding to an
expectation of the oil cost increase and what it will do with
transportation and urban goal design. The County Manager Goals 2006-07
includes an objective to look at all current fuels. The Australian
transcription noted the importance of transit and urban redesign and the
need to know how much time we have with the increased cost of fuel.
There were two Florida papers that supplemented the Australian paper on
transportation fuels and alternative fuels. One said single vehicles
will be around as long as we have hydrogen fuel that solar powers a
hydrogen electrolysis conversion machine. Mr. Daltry noted it has not
been built. Another one was bio-fuels. (Century Commission has seen
these presentations.)
What does assessing the fuels do to urban form? He discussed the
importance of greenspace, farmland and enough land to grow fuel. These
discussion papers are available for handout and might add value in
future discussions.
Red Tide report distributed. In summary, the runoff from fertilizer
causes algae blooms which results in Red Tide. There is a coastal shelf
pheromone about 50 miles out on the gulf side which is why the current
does not take the water away; generally it sits there. This report is
co-sponsored from the SG initiative and paid for through an inter-local
agreement.
C. Topics from Members
Wayne Daltry said expect to review the LPA policies coming from other
sources at the next meeting.
Co-chair Griffin opened the floor for discussion. Wayne Daltry
distributed October Figures from MLS with the current number of
homes on the market.
Liz Donley said with regard to greenspace, the Lee Mitigation Master
Plan presentation might give SG members an understanding of the
greenspace activity. Mr. Daltry said he would check with Dr. Beaver.
Jack Luft entertained discussion if the new commission might
aggressively go after mass transit, or be reluctant because of the nimby
effect. It was shared that this BoCC is pro SG. Wayne Daltry said
transit has to grow decision by decision until it is a solid frame
system. The difficulty is getting density involved with community area
planning worked with the nature of the area market. He referenced
creating ‘Villages’ at corners, i.e.; Colonial and Fowler, Daniels and
41. There was discussion that in other parts of the county building
‘villages’ for the retired/over 50 female market and the young adult
generations are successful.
5. Public Comment
Dan Moser (public) serves on an ADHOC Task Force mandated by
legislature, called Conserve by Bike to create strategies to make
viable options to ride bikes to work. The task force is to submit a
report to the state legislature in May 2007. He discussed the disconnect
with other municipalities. He suggested as a next phase of SG to use the
MPO model and mandate representation from elected officials from other
cities to serve on SG. Commissioner Janes agreed and discussed the
necessity to begin developing a private/public partnership because
neither can do it alone. The United Way funds are not beneficial for
issues of detoxifying, mentally ill, etc., which is why the Human
Services Council was created to address these issues.
6. Set next meeting date (November 15), identify agenda items, and
adjourn.
Chair Griffin entertained a motion to adjourn.
MOTION by Carrie Call to adjourn at 7:57 p.m.; seconded by Ellen
Lindblad. Called and carried.
Respectfully submitted by:
Lucy Crook
County Administration
