SMART GROWTH COMMITTEE
June 18, 2008 Minutes
Time and Place:
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 from 6-8 p.m., 1st
Floor, Lee County Administration Building, 2115 Second Street, Fort
Myers, Florida.
1.
Call to Order, Introductions,
Review of Agenda
Chairman Bill Hammond called the meeting of the Lee County Smart Growth
Advisory Committee to order at
6:05 p.m.
The following committee members in
attendance:
Dr. Margaret Banyan
Ms. Liz Paul
Mr. Ron Hamel
Mr. Neal Noethlich
Dr. Bill Hammond, Chairman
Ms. Jill Tyrer
Mr. Brian Griffin, Vice Chairman
Ms. Ellen Lindblad
Ms. Carie Call
Ms. Whitney Gray
Mr. Lee Ford
Ms. Margaret Fineberg
The following committee members excused absence:
Mr. Jack Luft
Mr. Steven Teuber
Mr. Damon Romanello
Mr. Mike Mullins
The following staff in attendance:
Commissioner Tammy Hall (Departed at
6:50 p.m.)
Wayne Daltry, Director of Smart
Growth
John Fredyma, County
Attorney
Lucy Crook, Recording Secretary
2.
Administrative Matters
A. Chairman Hammond confirmed
there is a quorum and asked if everyone accepts the agenda as is. Mr.
Daltry asked to move Agenda Item 3. B. The Role of Local
Community Design Panels, to the next meeting. There were no other
changes.
B.
Minutes of
March
19, 2008.
Action Needed: Accept and approve the
minutes as amended by discussion of the members.
MOTION made by Vice Chairman Griffin
to accept the March 19, 2008 draft minutes as written; seconded by Ms.
Gray. Called and carried.
Discussion: Mr. Daltry referred to the handouts, 1.
Brookings Institute Report on Carbon Footprints, Energy and Local
Planning; 2. Legislation from the 2008 Florida Legislature;
and 3. Lee Land Development Regulations. (Ms. Fineberg
arrived at 6:07 p.m.). He summarized the 1. Carbon Footprint
document on Transportation and Residential Energy use in 2005; continued
with rankings for Highway, Auto and Truck; ending with Carbon Emissions
from Residential Energy Use. The carbon greenhouse emissions cap will
bring us in line with the rest of the industrial world. In the future
this will pass because there is industry support. Knowing the nature of
your footprint will be the key for community’s future regulation.
Credits will have to be bought to meet the carbon footprint through
carbon sequestration to be
consistent with international agreements. 2. Legislation
Energy Bill passed during the 2008 Legislative Session; two energy
bills passed one of which was passed by the Governor in the Building
Code law. See page 5, House Bill 697, line 186. It discourages urban
sprawl, etc. This will be tied to the metric ton as a benchmark for
measurement. It has been adopted by Lee Board of County Commissioners
(BoCC) with mixed-use redevelopment infill that tied into the Rural Land
Protection. He referred to all of the underlined areas within the
document showing what has been added to the bill, under i.e.;
Transportation; Affordable Housing; Energy - low-carbon-emitting
electric power plants (nuclear). This helps set the tone for, 3.
Land Development Codes. He summarized most of the chapter
headings. (Commissioner Hall departed at 6:50 p.m.).
It was discussed if Lee County Code is in the way of Smart Growth’s
vision. Mr. Daltry suggested a subcommittee might review the
codes for redundancy. Also, talked about the definition of codes and how
they should be written for public health, safety, welfare and
occasionally morals. Many of the codes are not constitutional; things
grow and get added. There was discussion about the gated communities and
fertilizer ordinance; the Zemel property annexation; Matlacha being
decreed as a blighted area with sub-standard lots that later sold in the
millions; Bonita Springs annexed into DRGR - ludicrous laws, etc.
Vice-Chairman Griffin explained Commissioner Hall has met regularly
with the Mayors regarding community annexation inter-local agreement
that will be placed on the ballot by BoCC. Mr. Ford talked about
the City of Fort Myers Planning Board he is on and he will not recommend
approval of annexations until decisions of responsibility are confirmed.
Mr. Ford said the past affordable housing discussions have become
obsolete since the economy has changed, and industry is moving away.
Smart Growth has important issues, but industry needs to be addressed
for community’s that have no real industry. Chairman Hammond
agreed for Smart Growth to take a step back and reconsider the vision.
Take the briefing on the Legislative Energy Act as the criteria to look
where Lee County is and why it discourages new business. Refresh the
vision and motivate the Commissioners. There was more discussion.
Action
Item: Bring Smart Growth visioning back for a re-look.
Mr. Daltry said
we would use the strategy Smart Growth is using with consultant Dan
Moser on Complete Streets using Regional Planning Council (RPC) and
Metropolitan Planning Office (MPO) to be the forum.
B. The role of local community design panels. Take up at the
next meeting, August 20, 2008.
4. Task Progress
A. Member Issues: Mr. Hamel talked about the Agriculture
dilemma the Citrus Growers are having with the Eagle Protection
Ordinance that is being considered. Harvesting will be difficult. It
would require growers to provide a site plan at harvest and obtain a
permit to harvest. It will be counter productive during harvest season
when agriculture needs to be promoted. Attorney Fredyma gave some
background on incentive plans, speaking with the Commissioners and
waivers, etc.
B. Complete Streets - Mr. Moser is working with Administrative
and Land Development Codes along with local cities’ MPO plans. He is
primarily dealing with D.O.T. who met at the Bike/Pedestrian meeting
today. D.O.T. is standing their ground and continues to be an obstacle
to Complete Streets by not designating the lanes with signage and will
take lanes away when roads are resurfaced. It is up to the discretion of
D.O.T. Director in Lee County. Their reason is maintenance and liability
because no county roads are swept.
C. McMansion’s - Vice-Chairman Griffin said the economy
is taking care of this issue.
D. DRGR, Lehigh, and North Fort Myers – Ms. Call
expressed her concern with the mining industry recommending regulations
to the Comp Plan. She wrote a letter to the DRGR Committee she sits on.
Mr. Daltry will follow up. He plans to coordinate a joint meeting
with Smart Growth. The Committee has only received presentations from
the consultant with no committee interaction. Lehigh Plan – is
almost done. The North Fort Myers plan is done except for minor
changes with industrial.
E. Intergovernmental Coordination – He talked about
transportation/trucking issues with high energy prices. Will be asking
RPC:
·
Is rail going to become more feasible, or is it obsolete?
·
Can it be made to work again should fuel sources be
difficult?
·
Looking at the carbon issue, what is our ability to deal
with carbon sequestration? He noted that it is an agriculture activity.
5. Public Comment
-None
6.
Set next meeting (August 20th)
a.
Identify agenda items – Review the Smart Growth Vision
b.
Adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
by,
Lucy Crook
County Administration
