MINUTES
SMART GROWTH
July 18, 2007 Minutes
Time and Place:
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at 6-8 p.m., 1st
Floor, Lee County Administration Building at 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 6:05 p.m. He asked members
and the public for introductions from around the room.
The following committee members in
attendance:
Mr. Lee Ford
Ms. Carie Call
Ms. Ellen Lindblad
Mr. Neal Noethlich
Mr. Damon Romanello
Mr. Matthew Caldwell
Dr. Margaret Banyan
Ms. Liz Paul
Ms. Jill Tyrer
Mr. Jack Luft
The following committee members
excused absence:
Ms. Liz Donley
Mr. Ron Hamel
Mr. Brian Griffin
Ms. Whitney Gray
Dr. Bill Hammond
Mr. Steven Teuber
The following staff in attendance:
Commissioner Ray Judah
Donald D. Stilwell, County Manager
Wayne Daltry, Director of Smart Growth
Tim Jones, County Attorney
Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary
2. Administrative Matters
A.
Approval of Draft Meeting Minutes of
June 20,
2007. Action Needed: Accept and approve the minutes as amended by
discussion of the members.
MOTION - Neal Noethlich moved to
approve the draft minutes; seconded by Carie Call. Called and carried.
3. Discussion
A. Workshop Progress, and follow up –
Mr. Daltry said the public
two-hour Stakeholders DRGR Workshop is confirmed for 6:00 p.m. July 25,
2007, at the Estero Community Center. He said for members to be there at
5:00 p.m. with any volunteers. The plan is to take testimony from the
public and bring written information back to Board of County Commission
(BoCC) and the Management and Planning (M & P) on August 9, 2007.
Mr. Daltry presented the
draft power point presentation and distributed a three-page handout,
“Workshop on the Critical Issues Facing the Southern Density Reduction
Groundwater Resource Issue, (DRGR).” He asked the Committee to critique
the power point. He said the public is the largest owner in the DRGR.
There are many land use investment strategies going on to current mine
areas for proposed redevelopment, agriculture and farms. He said there
will be two more maps; ariel view, conservation and master mitigation
map overlay.
Change Suggestions:
Dr. Banyan - 1) Said to include the first bullet point at the beginning
as well as the end and tell people why Smart Growth Committee is here.
Mr. Daltry said speaker cards will be available, a “Suggest It” form,
“Mail It To Me” form and the meeting will be recorded and minutes will
be taken. 2) The August 9th M&P date should appear on the
slide show. 3) Mr. Noethlich said the quality of the map views are not
very readable and Mr. Daltry explained that he will provide 200 copies
with a ten-page report including six to seven maps including an address
to mail questions to. Also, two sets of 2’ X 3’ printed slide show maps
will be displayed on the walls. 4) Place Smart Growth Committee on the
slide. 5) Include golf courses separately. 6) Mr. Noethlich suggested
emphasizing the last slide at the beginning and the end and focus on
your position and concern.
Discussion:
There were concerns that it might cause a public outcry if the public
thinks it is a workshop and to have a common course they want staff to
approve. Mr. Daltry responded that they have a choice to move from
market driven or to direct involvement and then to community planning
effort. This meeting has been sent to mining, agriculture groups and
will give them an opportunity to say to the bureaucrats what they really
want. Mr. Luft questioned possible crossfire and the danger of public
interaction. Mr. Daltry said to accept the pros and cons and try to
intervene. List questions on the floor and hold for an answer at a
later point. It is not a debate, but may want to offer a chance to
respond so general questions could be answered by property owners in the
area, i.e.; what would be the best development form and keep a running
list to answer later. Commissioner Judah reiterated that golf courses
should be a clarified and under its own separate line item.
B. Summary of DRGR review (Summary
attached)
Seventy Year Mining Inventory:
Mr. Daltry responded to Commissioner Judah’s question regarding the rock
and fill inventory if there were no more mining, how much has been used
in the past five year supply if rock mining was taken out. Mr. Daltry
answered Commissioner Judah on the following questions: 1) the
FDOT
Aggregate Study showed how dramatically the market goes up or down based
on the take away of other rock, 2) future mining production and
inventory should be known by the August 9th meeting, 3)
currently a cost feasibility study to buy and protect the DRGR will be
available to decide if there is enough money to say no to mining,
increase density, and/or the cost to buy all land for protections.
The following are some of Mr. Daltry’s
answers to Mr. Luft: 1)
generally each mine gets evaluated, 2) under the existing land-use, the
mining is deemed problematic where the sheet water flow and land use
maps attempts to find overlay with the existing water resources, flows
and recharge areas, and encroachment of activity that might be
disruptive, 3) has anyone determined the impact on the water resources
in areas proposed for mining? Mr. Daltry said part of the accumulative
analysis is evaluating each mine alone and modeling the last few years
of impact. The impact cone is not known but understood that it will
cause a draw down for habitat and water supplies. The Water Management
District Feasibility Study will address this when it becomes available,
4) Mr. Daltry confirmed that there are six different mine zonings
pending, 5) Will the seventy year inventory show existing mines? It is
important to know the issue of how much longer the existing operations
expect to continue and how important is mining as a resource.
David Crook, public, asked Mr. Daltry if
he knew the responsibility of the mine owners, i.e., reclamation
following the decommissioning of an active mine. Further, what group
governs the requirements for and enforcement of said reclamation and
what happens to the property following reclamation of the mine; what
happens to the hole in the ground? If the public is able to ask
questions regarding mining, the mines could be compelled or encouraged
to deed it over for public access and open recreation? Mr. Daltry said
there are restoration requirements and it is still privately owned. Mr.
Crook said it would be a show of faith from the land owner to agree to
open space for golf course, or something if they build it up to flood
plane. Mr. Jones said to Mr. Luft that not all of the mines are suitable
for development when closed. Mr. Daltry said the land boundary can be an
issue and they are not to develop wetlands, however they do sell it to
housing developments. Mr. Daltry said he is following Dade and Palm
Beach County’s current situation to learn from their mistakes.
Mr. Luft discussed a policy to link
mining operations to a closure and a conversion to conservation lands.
In advance, hold the mines to environmental reclamation at the closure.
Commissioner Judah agreed the need to tighten up the rights. Some of the
discussion continued with: certain areas where sheet water flows need
continuance to look for significant preservation for recharge lands and
not for subdivisions: A policy could say mines may convert to
residential, but within the matrix of conservation lands and sheet water
plans to guarantee a certain percentage of Groundwater Resource (GR)
remains in an indefinite permanent state of ground water systems. Mr.
Jones confirmed that mines have to comply with Federal law. Mr. Daltry
said by 2030 there will not be enough capacity for existing residential
areas for zoning. (Mr. Stilwell left at 6:54 p.m.)
Mr. Daltry concluded that these are the
sorts of questions to expect. It was mentioned that the subcommittee
should meet before the August 9th BoCC meeting to discuss the
results of the Stakeholders July 25th presentation. Mr. Luft
said his understanding is that the Commissioners are looking for the
best broad policy options to help with decisions.
Mr. Daltry said the July 25th
meeting will be a forum of, “What is your issue.”
Commissioner Judah said to: 1) get the input from the public, 2) discuss
it with staff that will provide key information, and 3) put together
recommendations for the Board. Dr. Banyan said DRGR could consume Smart
Growth and she could see how the committee could be redirected. Mr.
Daltry said ultimately the results from the workshop will help the Board
discuss the depth of issues for the DRGR. This is the first step, but be
ready to attend the Board meeting. Mr. Ford said this is the charge the
members are given. Mr. Luft said to consider where the Board Policy
says, a mining operation needs to ultimately and “here” put the
actions. This will help to allow a better vision to set in motion
environmental studies and aggressive restoration effort.
Preparation for the Stakeholder
Workshop: Mr. Luft said to
understand and be able to discuss setting up certain areas that could go
back to subdivisions and environmental areas; important to understand
what real density is for residential i.e.; make recommendations to set
policies about septic tanks, drawing water down, infrastructures that
can have utilities. Ms. Call asked about increasing density within or
outside the DRGR. Commissioner Judah concurred and to provide the Board
information on what would be the best way to implement an overlay within
DRGR.
Reviewed Ground Rules:
Mr. Daltry named some of the entities that will be present to answer
questions; answers will be available by the following Monday. Some of
the rules follow: 1) hold comments that go to Chair, 2) write questions
down if they are posed to someone else and if time allows answer at the
end, 3) consolidate repetitive questions, and 4) designate a time keeper
to limit public input to three minutes per question.
4. Task Progress
A. Member Issues
Overbuilding for the Lot
– from Brian Griffin
Mr. Romanello will present
Downtown
Redevelopment at the next meeting.
B. Other progress reports:
Mr. Daltry distributed, “U.S.
Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement Handbook” and briefly described the
Government Conference in Miami where dignitaries from around the world
and Governor Crist participated. He said some of it can be accessed at
www.eogmyflorida. It was the
most inspirational workshop he has attended in decades. There was no
avoidance of issues and Smart Growth was portrayed throughout.
5. Public Comment-
Comment made previously in the minutes.
6. Set next meeting date
(August 15th), identify agenda items, and Adjourn.
Reconvene on July 25 at the Estero Parks
& Recreation building at 6:00 p.m. Be there at 5:00 p.m.
Adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted by:
Lucy Crook
Recording Secretary
County Administration
