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~ TRANSPORTATION ~ ~
FIVE-YEAR WORK PLANS – Each year, the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) conducts public hearings throughout Central Florida to explain updated transportation programs for individual counties. Outlines of each county’s upcoming projects are distributed at these hearings – identifying new and wider roads, bridges, sidewalks, bike paths and highway interchanges. These reports also may be accessed through DOT’s Web site: www.dot.state.fl.us/
DOT PROJECT UPDATES (for each Central Florida county) also are available through the DOT Internet Web site. These monthly reports explain major projects (especially roads) that were recently completed, are currently underway or being planned for the near future. The DOT updates are valuable for gauging an area’s future growth.
METRO-ORLANDO’S Western Expressway is progressing to Phase 2, traveling south from SR 50 in Ocoee (near the Florida Turnpike) to Interstate 4 at Disney World. Phase 2 is a southern extension of the expressway’s first leg that opened in summer, 2000 – traveling north from Ocoee’s SR 50 to US 441 in Apopka. Transportation planners still are trying to find the most feasible route for Phase 3 to connect Apopka’s 441 with Interstate 4 in Sanford. When complete, the expressway will serve as an alternative to I-4 for motorists traveling along the west side of Metro-Orlando -- similar to the Central Florida GreeneWay on the other side of I-4. As planned, the two expressways eventually will create a loop around the metropolitan area.
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~ GROWTH MANAGEMENT ~ ~
INTERCHANGE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE – A master plan (Development of Regional Impact) is being prepared for a 1,700 acre Business Activity Center off the SR 472 exit of Interstate 4 in Southwest Volusia.
… In Southeast Volusia, New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater officials are preparing land use plans and / or development standards for thousands of acres surrounding their I-95 interchanges.
… A new Ormond Beach business park is being conceptualized for about 600 acres off the Interstate 95 interchange at US1.
… Port Orange planners are drafting a land use plan for unincorporated areas west of the city’s limits, extending to Interstate 4.
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP – The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council is working to have all six Central Florida counties participate in a three-year study of ‘partnership’ techniques for growth issues. The topics range from environment, transportation and land use planning to economic development, cultural arts, education and tourism. The Regional Council is negotiating with the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce to conduct the study and encourage counties to support the project.
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~ ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS ~ ~
REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY planning is summarized in a report published by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Titled “Florida’s Water Supply: Will There Be Enough Water in 2020?,” the report analyzes each of Florida’s regional efforts to plan for future water supplies. Each region’s summary explain water use projections (based on populations), various issues being addressed, and water supply projects being planned.
The U.S. Army CORPS OF ENGINEERS is implementing more stringent wetland permitting regulations. The new rules make many more projects subject to increased review by the federal agency. And the new rules’ review proceedings are more specific to the proposed land use activity – affecting projects such as residential and commercial developments; stormwater facilities; road crossings through wetlands; utility lines; agricultural and mining activities; and recreational facilities.
UNIFORM
WETLAND ASSESSMENT -- Florida’s
environmental regulators are moving one step closer to statewide uniformity in
wetland review. They are crafting a
formula for evaluating wetland functions that will be used by all Florida
agencies and local governments to figure the appropriate mitigation for a
development’s wetland loss. This
uniform wetland assessment method must be adopted by February, 2002.
The end effect will transform Florida’s mitigation process from one
that is based on acreage ratios to a process based on wetland function.
PERMIT STREAMLINING – The St. Johns River Water District Governing Board is enacting rule amendments to streamline the environmental permitting (ERP) process. The amendments exempt projects that have minor wetland impacts, and simplify the permitting of certain stormwater activities.
DRAINAGE BASIN boundary lines (used to gauge wetland impacts) have been broadened by the St. Johns River Water District -- reducing the number of basins from 46 to 23. Broader basin boundaries provide developments a larger area in which to mitigate for wetland impacts. Call VCARD for maps of the new drainage basin boundaries.
A South Florida MULTI-SPECIES RECOVERY PLAN has been prepared by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to provide data on all endangered species (about 70) from south of Orlando to the Florida Keys. The plan is a guide for environmental and local government planners as they review land use plans and proposed developments where these species are located.
Changes to Florida’s GOPHER TORTOISE relocation policy are being enacted by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The new policy attempts to prevent the spread of an upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) that has been plaguing Florida’s gopher tortoise populations. Generally, the policy requires random testing of tortoises on development sites (before they are relocated) to determine if any suffer from URTD. If the infection is found, relocation is prohibited for any of the tortoises in the colony and additional procedures have to be followed – such as relocating the tortoises to an on-site preserve or through an incidental take permit issued by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
MANATEE PROTECTION – Development of marinas is becoming more difficult in at least 13 Florida counties that are known to be frequented by manatees. A federal lawsuit ruling mandates greater protection for this endangered species, including more restrictions on marinas and boat slips within manatee zones. All of these 13 counties are required to draft manatee protection plans that must include guidelines for marina siting and development.
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~ VOLUSIA / FLAGLER PLANNING NEWS ~ ~
Volusia County’s PUBLIC SCHOOL system must raise $376 million to build all the new facilities that will be needed over the next 10 years. School officials are asking voters to approve a half-cent sales tax increase to help fund the school projects.
DAYTONA BEACHSIDE redevelopment proposals are being reviewed by city planners to revitalize the famed Boardwalk area. This project will be an extension of the $200 million redevelopment already underway (directly north of the Boardwalk) that includes hotels and condominiums; retail and restaurants; amusement centers; a convention center expansion; and parking garage. The proposals submitted for the Boardwalk revitalization include these same types of land uses, but in varying degrees.
PORT ORANGE planners are progressing with a Town Center Redevelopment, an area that includes much of the city’s urban core. As part of the program, they are creating a ‘land bank’ of properties along the Halifax River (north of Dunlawton Avenue). During the next 10 years, city officials hope to buy these properties and market the area for a mixed-use redevelopment known as ‘Riverwalk.’
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DELTONA and ORMOND BEACH governments are updating their land development codes.
… As an ongoing project, Deltona commissioners have been adopting sections of their new code as staff completes them. Call VCARD for provisions that have been enacted thus far -- such as parking and landscaping standards and procedures for site plan review.
… Ormond Beach officials have contracted with private consultants to update the city’s land code. The consultants have conducted numerous workshops to get public input on recommended changes. In particular, Ormond’s wetland rules are both praised and criticized for being unique and restrictive.
IN FLAGLER COUNTY …
Palm Coast officials have worked hard during the
past year to turn this new city (incorporated in January, 2000) from a sprawling
area of neighborhoods to a unified full-service city.
Already, city leaders have assumed responsibility for development-review
and enacted an assortment of land code standards to manage the community’s
fast-paced growth.
WATER DISTRICT DIRECTORY – Staff of the St. Johns River Water Management District has updated a directory of administrators and staff contacts for the agency’s departments. The directory includes addresses; phone numbers; and job titles for each director, board member and staff contact – as well as a cross-reference of contacts for particular topics (i.e. stormwater and wetland compliance; mitigation; and permitting fees.)
A Florida directory of PLANNING OFFICIALS has been updated by the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This directory lists all the local governments’ planning directors; and state and regional officials involved in Florida’s growth management programs.
DEMOGRAPHICS – Each year, the University of Florida updates demographic statistics for Florida’s 67 counties. The statistics cover planning-related topics (for each of the counties) such as construction, housing and real estate; education; financial and business climate; employment, income and wealth; population; and transportation.
| Phone: (386) 257-4169 | Fax (386) 258-5104 |