MINUTES
SMART GROWTH
January 17, 2007
MINUTES
Time
and Place: Wednesday, January 17; 6-8 p.m., 1st Floor,
Lee County Administration Building, 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers
Florida.
I.
Call to Order, Introductions, Review of Agenda - Bill Hammond
opened the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth Advisory Committee at
6:03 p.m. Mr. Daltry introduced new member, Liz Paul who is a
Broker-Associate with Re/Max Realty; a member of the Fort Myers
Association of Realtors, Director of Florida and National Association of
Realtors and on the Board of Directors for the Children's Advocacy
The following committee members in attendance:
Ms. Whitney Gray
Ms. Carie Call
Mr.
Brian Griffin (arrived at 6:20 p.m.)
Mr. Jack Luft
Dr. Bill Hammond
Ms.
Ellen Lindblad
Mr. Neal Noethlich
Mr. Damon Romanello
Mr. Ron Hamel
Mr. Lee Ford
Ms. Liz Paul
Mr. Steven Teuber
The following staff in attendance:
Wayne Daltry, Director of Smart Growth
Commissioner Ray Judah
Don Stilwell, County Manager
Tim Jones, County Attorney
Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary
2. Administrative Matters
A. Minutes of
November 15 and
December 13, 2006.
Action Needed: Accept and approve the minutes as amended by
discussion of the members.
Motion by Brian Griffin to approve the November 15, 2006 and
December 13, 2006 Workshop draft minutes as written; seconded by Whitney
Gray. They were unanimously approved.
3. Reviews
A. 2007 Work Plan items (from December 13 minutes) - Wayne Daltry
referred to the Summary of Tasks from the December SG Workshop that this
committee accepted with approval of the above draft minutes.
Discussion: The concern with urban density was addressed
and Mr. Daltry confirmed that it is integrated into
December 13, 2006 Minutes list of tasks 1.2 and
7.4. There was talk about clusters, walkable communities, and
mass transit where nodes are available in the urban parts of the county.
Mr. Daltry said this can be viewed in the draft mixed-use map.
Discussion continued that there are new technologies (compost toilets,
solar panels, etc.) that could make utilities possible.
B. Very First Cut
Review Checklist, from Comprehensive Plan and Smart
Growth Recommendations - Attached handout. BoCC has 60 days to
finish plan amendments. (Brian Griffin arrived at 6:20 p.m.) Wayne
Daltry asked everyone to look at the
memo dated
1/11/07 (attached) along with the Review Checklist. Need to
convert SG recommendations into county policy, and then into
redevelopment by February. He emphasized that if you do not see your
issue, call and he will find it for you, or find that it was missed. He
confirmed that the underlined language is accepted by BoCC and
incorporated into the Comp Plan. SG is to overhaul the review process.
There was discussion that the smaller communities, deficient in
planning, do have place holder statements, but nothing effective.
4. Discussion
A.
Commissioner Judah hopes and aspirations-
Commissioner Judah talked about density reduction groundwater reservoir
areas and being under pressure with inventory of land reduction. Some
concerns are possible changes in land use categories; annexation
requests by cities who want to increase tax base; current permissible
uses; mining, etc.
Greenway Communities should have an economic incentive approach to
protect the lands. He displayed a map that showed protection of
wildlife, fauna, well fields; provide incentives for transfer of
development rights in DRGR for agriculture and affordable housing; be
proactive by allowing development a greater benefit on lands that are
not pristine. There was discussion about asking Wilson Miller to present
Rural Stewardship.
Mr. Daltry said DRGR Review will be done by May for a deadline of
December 31, 2007. He specified other meetings and deadlines with MPO,
River Water Quality, SWFL Feasibility Study, Community Industrial Study
Drafts, Fire Districts and more. (Don Stilwell departed at 7:25 p.m.)
B.
Topics from members – Decided to move to #5 and exclude the break.
5. Public Comment
Dan Moser, Public Health Department- Said the active lifestyles in an
active living community has major safety issues. (Handout attached).
Ellen Peterson asked the committee to request the commissioners offer
the following incentives; solar water heaters on all new construction
and to retrofit homes. She asked to devise a way to work with Glades
County and FP & L’s new plant location on Lake Okeechobee. The following
are some of the reasons; it is the current location of the Swallow Tail
Kite migration; the plant will produce 200 lbs of mercury in a year (one
gram of mercury will kill 10,000 bass); the water the power plant heats
will pump into the ground. She said it will dissolve the calcium rock
which will change the composition to arsenic. Where will the arsenic
appear?
6. Set next meeting date (February 21) identify agenda items and
Adjourn.
Brian Griffin made a motion to adjourn at 8:00 p.m. with a second by
Bill Hammond; unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted by:
Lucy Crook
Recording Secretary
Lee County Administration
