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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.24.2015 Generated 10/7/2015 4:33 PM ST. LUCIE COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA P & Z Regular Meeting September 24, 2015 Convened: 6:00 PM Adjourned: I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Chair Cathy Townsend 1. Pledge of Allegiance Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Cathy Townsend Chair Present William O'Dell Vice Chair Present Bobby Hopkins Board Member Absent Craig Mundt Board Member Present Edward Lounds Board Member Present James Clasby Board Member Present Kara Wood Board Member Present Stephanie Morgan Board Member Present William Smith Board Member Present Marty Sanders Ex-Officio Board Member Present 3. Announcement(s) NONE 4. Disclosure(s) NONE P & Z Regular Meeting Thursday, September 24, 2015 6:00 PM 2 | P a g e II. MINUTES St. Lucie County Planning & Zoning Commission minutes for the meeting of Thursday, July 16, 2015 RESULT: ACCEPTED [8 TO 0] MOVER: Edward Lounds, Board Member SECONDER: James Clasby, Board Member AYES: Townsend, O'Dell, Mundt, Lounds, Clasby, Wood, Morgan, Smith ABSTAIN: Marty Sanders ABSENT: Bobby Hopkins III. PUBLIC COMMENT IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Ordinance - Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment to Revise Policies Related to the Port Master Plan, Water Supply Facilities Work Program, Wetlands and Fracking - Legislative Britton Wilson, Comprehensive Planner presenting a county-initiated text amendment to 3 elements of the Comprehensive Plan, however the main focus is to update the entire policy document of the Port of Ft. Pierce, and these changes are being proposed per the recommendations made by the Harbor Advisory Committee. In addition to the updating the Port Master Plan, the Ordinance also contains policy edits to two other elements, the Potable Water Sub-element and the Conservation Element. This is the first hearing on this item, which is the transmittal hearing where no formal action will take place. This is a public hearing and notice was published in the St. Lucie New Tribune on Sept. 24th. It has been over ten years since the Port Master Plan has been fully updated and the 2015 update has been a collaborative effort between the City of Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie County and the Florida Department of Transportation. The Port Policy Update has a 2-year history, beginning with the community charrette in 2013, an initial phase of text amendments was adopted last year and staff anticipates that this second phase will be fully adopted by the end of this year. Changes to the port policy documents can be summarized in the updated vision statement for the Port, which speaks to maximizing economic benefit to the region while minimizing impact to the Indian River Lagoon. Overall the vision encourages economic redevelopment of the Port under well-defined land use and planning guidelines and streamlined port governance, with sufficient flexibility to merge market demand with desired recreational uses as well as marine industrial, marine commercial, marine research and maritime academic use. The vision further calls for environmentally sound best management practices as well as transitional buffers between uses. P & Z Regular Meeting Thursday, September 24, 2015 6:00 PM 3 | P a g e Specific policy language updates of the Harbor Advisory Committee include removing the word “limited” from all the references to the term “Limited Cargo”. The term “Mega- yacht” is removed from being identified as the desired anchor tenant in the Port Operations area, but it still remains as a supported potential use. And clarification is given to the partnership between the County and the City of Ft. Pierce where an inter- local agreement will be entered into this fall. The next few policy updates are more-or-less housekeeping items. A new policy is created under the Potable Water Sub-element that adopts by reference the 10-year water supply plan. The plan itself was adopted by the BOCC last fall and is currently being implemented. It is included here at the request of the South Florida Water Management District. Under the Conservation Element we have a new policy that focuses on the protection of groundwater through the prohibition of hydraulic fracking on any land within unincorporated St. Lucie County, and this new policy is supported by an Anti-fracking Resolution that was adopted by the BOCC in March. The second policy is another house-keeping edit that instead of implying that the policy is peaking of a Category 3 Wetland by saying that it applies to wetlands that are not a category one or two, it directly says a Category 3 Wetland, which by definition is less than 5 acres so that is also being crossed out due to redundancy. Text amendments to the Comprehensive Plan are considered large-scale amendments and are subject to review and comment by the State Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) division of Community Planning. The amendments are being proposed in part based on recommendations by the Florida Department of Transportation, District 4 and the South Florida Water Management District and they not expected to adversely impact any important state resources or regional infrastructure. Therefore there are no anticipated objections by the state. Staff recommends that the amending Ordinance be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners with a recommendation for approval. The Board discussed policy inconsistencies in the plans, policy wording, policy changes, utilities, deep wells, deep water injections and boulder zones. Public Hearing Open Two Ft. Pierce residents spoke in favor of the Port being productive again with jobs. Public hearing Close The Board discussed the utilties aspect further before rendering a motion. P & Z Regular Meeting Thursday, September 24, 2015 6:00 PM 4 | P a g e RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Craig Mundt, Board Member SECONDER: William Smith, Board Member AYES: Townsend, O'Dell, Mundt, Lounds, Clasby, Wood, Morgan, Smith ABSENT: Bobby Hopkins V. WORKSHOPS There are no items scheduled. VI. OTHER BUSINESS There are no items scheduled. VII. ADJOURN There being no further business to be brought before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. Please Note: Final minutes are recorded in the official minute books that are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and available for inspection upon request.