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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 10-23-2009 October 23, 2009 10:00A.M.–12:00 P.M. SMART GROWTH COMMITTEEMEETING AGENDA Growth ManagementConference Room 1 County Administration Building 2300 Virginia Ave., FortPierce, FL 34982 Welcome Roll Call 1.REVIEW AND APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 8, 2009MEETING. 2.REVIEW AND APPROVE SUMMARYOF JUNE 26, 2009 MEETING. 3.DISCUSSION ITEMS A.Update on May 26Informal BOCC Meeting th B.Revise based on BOCC comments Smart Growth Draft Recommendations 4.UPCOMING MEETINGS Discuss meeting schedule necessary to complete Committee recommendations in preparation for dissolution. (Next regular meetingwould beFriday, November 13at10:00am; the BOCC budget hearing is scheduled simultaneously.) th NOTICE: All Proceedings before this Board are electronically recorded.Anyone with a disability requiring accommodation to attend this meeting should contact the St. Lucie County Community Services Director at (772) 462- 1777 or TDD (772) 462-1428 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting. ST. LUCIE COUNTY 1 SMART GROWTH ADVISORY AD HOC COMMITTEE 2 ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA 3 2300 Virginia Avenue 4 Growth Management 5 Conference Room One 6 May 8, 2009,10:00 A.M. 7 8 9 A compact disc recording of this meeting, in its entirety, has been placed in the file along with these minutes as 10 part of the record. In the event of a conflict between the written summary minutes and the compact disc, the 11 compact disc shall prevail. 12 13 CALL TO ORDER 14 Chairman Trias called the meeting to order at 10:06A.M. 15 16 ROLL CALL 17 Ramon Trias.....................................Chairman 18 Mary Chapman.................................Vice-Chair 19 Sam Comer......................................Committee Member 20 Rick Reikenis....................................Committee Member (arrived 10:09 AM) 21 David Kelly.......................................Committee Member 22 Marty Sanders..................................Committee Member 23 Patricia A. Ferrick.............................Committee Member 24 Marty Sanders .................................Committee Member 25 26 MEMBERABSENT: 27 Noreen S. Dreyer..............................Committee Member 28 Larry Storms.....................................Committee Member 29 Michael Houston...............................Committee Member 30 31 STAFF PRESENT 32 Kara Wood.......................................Planning Manager 33 34 OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE 35 H.M. Ridgely 36 37 ANNOUNCEMENTS 38 39 Ms. Wood informed the Committee that staff did a presentation at the last informal BOCC 40 meeting on the proposed framework for a Western LandsPlanning Study where different 41 options werepresented to the Board to select a lead consultant to do the study. She also 42 informed them that the presentation was posted on the Growth Management’swebsite with 43 a link for any comments if they were interested. 44 45 1.Review and approve minutes of March 27, 2009 meeting. 46 Review and approve summary of April 10, 2009 meeting. 47 48 Mr. Trias called for discussion of the minutes from theMarch 27 and April 10, 2009 49 meetings. 50 2009-05-08 SG Draft MinutesPage 1of 5 1 Ms. Ferrick wanted to make note that the minutes from the April 10, 2009 meeting seemed 2 to be inclusive and that she understood it was dueto equipmentfailure; however she did 3 want the minutes to reflect the changes that were discussed. 4 5 Mr. Trias recommendthat the issues be readdressed and noted in this meeting’s minutes. 6 7 The committee agreedand the minutes were approved unanimously. 8 9 2.Staff Updates 10 11 A complete version of the LDC will be available throughMunicode in June. 12 13 3.Discussion items. 14 15 A.Review, amend if necessary and approve revised Smart Growth Draft 16 Recommendations 17 18 Mr. Trias called for the discussion of any outstanding issues in the draft recommendations 19 that neededto be finalized before presenting them to the Board at the May informal BOCC 20 meeting. 21 22 Mr. Sanders presented the following items for consideration. 23 24 Page 3 (17)-recommended including the word “only” to clarify that fill may be 25 needed 26 Page 4 (h)-recommended including the word “transportation” to clarify that this 27 statement is directed toward transportation concurrency 28 Page 4(i)-consider and develop location based transportation impact fees… 29 Page 4 (2)(h)-under Density and Urban Form-Identify areas or locations for 30 transit hubs… 31 Page 5 (2)(a)(b)and(c)-under Density and Urban Form-creating overlay for 32 mass transit, establish public policy to do parking garages, transit facilities, and 33 funding thru impact fees, special assessment programs or CRAtype programs 34 Page 6(e)-require sidewalks within all new residential and commercial 35 development outside of the Urban Service Area 36 Page 6 (i)-update ROW protection map to address local street network 37 connectivity. 38 39 From the above comments a discussion about Sidewalk / Pedestrian paths ensued and the 40 following comments were made: 41 42 Committee members questioned whethersidewalks should be required with in all new 43 residential and commercial developments and noted that they werealready required inside 44 the Urban Service Boundary but not in rural areas. 45 46 The Committee made the following determination: Sidewalks / Pedestrian paths need to be 47 development appropriate; therefore, the committee’s recommendation should be to “require 48 sidewalks/pedestrian paths within all new residential and commercial development as 49 appropriate to the existing transect zone.” 50 2009-05-08 SG Draft MinutesPage 2of 5 1 Other concernsmentioned include: 2 3 I.There are too many areas in the LDC that use the Standard Industrial Classification 4 (SIC) Code item numbers rather than implementing the exact uses allowed in a 5 particular zoning district. 6 II.Page 3 (9) and Page 5 (4)(d) -The definition for Open Space needs to be 7 strengthened and possibly redefined. 8 III.Page 3 (1)(b) –The zoning and land usage being underutilized or inappropriately 9 utilized based on the LDC, Future Land Use, and surrounding density. 10 11 The committee’s determinations regarding these issues are as follows: 12 13 The Committee determined that the SIC Code has become obsolete as there are newer 14 codes in place and the County is looking to move away from the use of that Code. 15 Furthermore, to implement all possible uses rather than using the SIC codes would result in 16 an overbearing LDC. 17 18 The Committee determined that the word “require”should be changed to “encourage” in 19 item 9 on page 3. Item 4d on page 5 should be clarifiedand the recommendationshould 20 include language like “developa definition of open space where public parks and private 21 spaces are clearly distinguished and defined.” 22 23 The Committee determined that item 1b on page 3 was clarified thru items 1 on page 3, 2 on 24 page 4 and 3 on pages 4 and 5 as the issue of infill development needed to be looked at as 25 a whole included with “Direction of Growth,” “Density and Urban Form” and Land Use. 26 27 B.Preparation for presentation at the May Informal BOCCMeeting 28 29 The Smart Growth Committee agreed to present three or four short and long term goals to 30 the Board in a twenty to thirty-minute presentation to include the Power Point presentations 31 (as a visual aid) presented by Ms. Wood and Mr. Trias during the February 12, 2009 Smart 32 Growthmeeting and Mr. Sanders comments addressed before the Committee today. The 33 Committee further decided that the recommendations will be presented in itscurrent format, 34 as a draft, minus the strikethroughand underline formatting. 35 36 Mr. Trias confirmed with Ms. Wood that the Committee was still scheduled to present their , 37 draft recommendations to the BOCC at the informal meeting on May 262009, which he 38 encouraged everyone to attend. He also informedthe Committeethat this meeting would be 39 thelast Smart Growth Committee meeting (before the BOCC informal meeting)to discuss 40 the draft recommendations thatwill be presented to the Board. 41 42 Mr. Trias mentionedthe May 12, 2009, 3:00 PM meeting scheduled with Administrationto 43 discuss the Smart Growth Committee. He also notified the Committee that theMay22, 2009 44 meeting has beencanceled and the next Smart Growth Committee meeting will be on June 45 12, 2009. 46 47 Mr. Trias stated that he thinks that there is going to be a lot of work that can be done by the 48 Smart Growth Committee but that some of it should be done by staff and consultants 49 because this is going to require a serious commitment of time and effort. 50 2009-05-08 SG Draft MinutesPage 3of 5 1 Ms. Wood commented that staff’s understanding, from the Committee’s desires, was that 2 the goal was to go to the Informal meeting and get some initial feedback on the general 3 direction of the recommendations presented by the Committee, clean it up by revising and 4 add any additional recommendations, go back to the Commission at a regular meeting and 5 have them officially accept the document. At that point the Committee would sunset and 6 revive in some other form to be advisory to whatever actions ensued from the committee’s 7 recommendations. 8 9 Mrs. Ferrick commented that she doesn’t think that the original obligation of the Smart 10 Growth (SG) Committee has been fulfilled, which was to look at and review the Land 11 Development Code and make changes to it. 12 13 Mr. Kelly commented that it’s not realistic for the SG Committee to go through the LDC line 14 by line and make changes to it. What is realistic is to identify areas of the code that need to 15 be changed and let the staff and consultants make those changes, while the SG Committee 16 offers support towards those efforts. 17 18 Before the conclusion of the meeting theCommittee agreed that at the next meeting 19 following the informal BOCC meetingtheywould discussthe outcome of the informal BOCC 20 meeting rather than continue with making further SG Committee recommendations. 21 22 4.Other Business 23 24 Mr. Kelly electronically presented the “Smart Growth Committee Recommended Changes to 25 Land Development Code(LDC),” dated May 5, 2008,which identify changes he felt could 26 impedetheSmart Growth Committee’s recommendationsto the LDC.These revisions 27 included the following areas: 28 29 Chapter 3–Zoning Districts :Review and revise permitted, conditional and 30 accessory usesandPlanned Development Districts (PUD, PNRD, and PMUD) 31 consistent with chapter 7 32 Chapter 4–Special Districts :Develop and insert Neighborhood and District 33 Overlay Zones similar to TVC Overlay Zone 34 Chapter 5–Adequate Public Facilities :Has for the most part been addressed in 35 the Smart Growth Committee’s recommendations 36 Chapter 7–Development Design and Improvement Standards :7.01-PUDallow 37 and encourage Smart Growth concepts, 7.02 PNRDvertical integration of useswhile 38 considering the holistic uses, 7.03 PMUD-a good review of the code to either rewrite 39 or taken out this section of the code, 7.04 Area, Yard, Height and Open Space-allow 40 additional flexibility consistent with Smart Growth, 7.05 Transportation Systems- 41 related to engineering review access requirements, cross sections including 42 pedestrian and bicycle facilities and require interconnections. 43 Chapters 8–Accesory and Temporary Structures and Uses :Expand the use of 44 home occupationsconsistent with Smart Growth and new technologies. 45 46 Mr. Trias asked the committee about the format of this information for the purpose of it going 47 before the Board. 48 2009-05-08 SG Draft MinutesPage 4of 5 1 The committee agreed to implement these changes under IMPLEMENTATIONat the end of 2 the memo,using the language “Amend existing LandDevelopment Code…,” and adding 3 suggested revisions as anattachment to the Smart Growth Committee’s Recommendations. 4 5 This meeting adjourned at11:16AM 2009-05-08 SG Draft MinutesPage 5of 5 ST. LUCIE COUNTY 1 SMART GROWTH ADVISORY AD HOC COMMITTEE 2 ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA 3 2300 Virginia Avenue 4 Growth Management 5 Conference Room One 6 June 26, 2009,10:00 A.M. 7 8 9 A compact disc recording of this meeting, in its entirety, has been placed in the file along with these minutes as 10 part of the record. In the event of a conflict between the written summary minutes and the compact disc, the 11 compact disc shall prevail. 12 13 CALL TO ORDER 14 Vice-Chair Chapmancalled the meeting to order at 10:12A.M. 15 16 ROLLCALL 17 Mary Chapman.................................Vice-Chair 18 Noreen S. Dreyer..............................Committee Member 19 David Kelly.......................................Committee Member 20 Marty Sanders..................................Committee Member 21 Patricia A. Ferrick.............................Committee Member 22 23 MEMBERSABSENT: 24 Ramon Trias.....................................Chairman 25 Sam Comer......................................Committee Member 26 Rick Reikenis....................................Committee Member 27 Larry Storms.....................................Committee Member 28 Michael Houston...............................Committee Member 29 30 STAFF PRESENT 31 Kara Wood.......................................Planning Manager 32 Britton Wilson...................................Senior Planner 33 34 1.Review and approve minutes of May 8, 2009 meeting. 35 36 After acknowledging that the Committee did not have a quorum, it was agreed that 37 discussion and vote on minutes would be deferred until a quorum was present. 38 39 2.Discussion items. 40 41 A.Update on May Informal BOCC Meeting 42 43 Ms. Wood, Ms. Dreyer and Ms. Chapman summarized the presentation and discussion of 44 the BOCC discussion on the Committee’s Draft Recommendationsmemorandum.It was 45 acknowledged that there was very littlecomment on the policy recommendations 46 themselves, and that discussion focused on implementation. Commissioners requested 47 more detail on the Committee’s suggestions for implementing strategies as outlined at the 48 end of the memorandum. 49 50 B.Revise Smart Growth Draft Recommendations based on BOCC comments. 51 2009-06-26 SG Draft Meeting SummaryPage 1of 2 1 The following points were offered regarding implementation recommendations: 2 For some of the strategies, it’s difficult to know what can be addressed in a more 3 expedited way before doing more research. For example, some Comp Plan 4 amendments require significant data and analysis for DCA review; while the 5 amendment may seem simple, it also may require extensive background research. 6 Focus on Comp Plan and LDC revisions that would effect transportation, such as 7 reducing right-of-way widths and codifying context sensitive and walkable street 8 sections. Include this in EAR-based amendments where possible, specifically Policy 9 2.1.3.3 requiring minimum ROW widths. 10 Investigate possible opportunities for Transportation Concurrency Exception Areas in 11 unincorporated St. Lucie County as offered under SB 360. 12 Rather than phasing specific strategies as whole task, categorize into short and long- 13 term goals. Short term efforts can include initial research and investigationfor a 14 number of strategies, setting the stage for more complete long-term Comp Plan and 15 LDC revisions. 16 17 It was agreed that Ms. Wood would draft an alternate versionof implementation 18 recommendations, and both drafts would be available for the Committee’s consideration at 19 the next meeting. 20 21 3.Upcoming Meetings. 22 23 Next regular Committee meeting scheduled for Friday, July at 10:00am. 24 25 This meeting adjourned at 11:11AM 26 2009-06-26 SG Draft Meeting SummaryPage 2of 2 GROWTH MANAGEMENTDEPARTMENT PLANNING DIVISION M E M O R A N D U M TO:Smart Growth Committee Members FROM:Kara Wood, Planning Manager DATE: June 5, 2009 SUBJECT:Update on May 26, 2009 BOCC Informal Meeting The Smart Growth Committee’s Draft Recommendations were presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their May 26, 2009 Informal Meeting for discussion and comment. No significant comments were made or revisions suggested to the recommendations themselves, only on the Implementation strategies. The Board wasalsointerested in learning more about tools such as the SmartCode and LEED standards in addressing issues of design, growth and sustainability. The one specific addition the Board requestedbefore receiving the recommendations document for acceptance was a clearer outline and prioritization of short and long-term implementation strategies. Below I have excerpted the Implementationsection fromthe draft recommendations thatthe Committee agreed upon so far and made an attempt at organizing it more specifically to address this concern. Please review andsuggest revisions as necessary. I MPLEMENTATION The Committee considered a number of existing documents that would serve to implement the outlined areas within the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. Clearly some of these suggested strategies will be more effective than others in implementing Smart Growth practices, and some will require significant effort over a period of time. The Committee has made an attempt to list such actions for implementation andorganizedthemin aphased approach. A sample phasing plan follows, with phases that can also be combined and overlapped as time and resources permit. Phase I: 1 year 1.Adopt a Neighborhoods and Districts Element Comprehensive Plan amendment to allow for mixed- use development at smaller increments of landthan what is currently permitted in the Land Development Regulations.Supplement draft policy language with data and analysis required for Comprehensive Plan amendment review. 2.Identify areas in the existing Land Development Code where LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or FGBC (Florida Green Building Coalition) certification can be encouraged or incentivized. Standards that address efficiency of the complete building envelope, as well as site and neighborhood design, should be considered and connected with applicable Code sections. Draft code language to include with other necessary revisions outlined in Phase 2. Phase 2: 1 to 2 years Amend the existing Land Development Code to rectify present impediments to Smart Growth and make it easier to “do the right thing.” In addition to new regulatory provisions, these amendments might include revisions to the following chapters of the Code as consistent with smart growth principles identified in these recommendations: June 5, 2009Update on May 26, 2009BOCC Informal Meeting Smart Growth CommitteePage 2of 2 1.Chapter 3: Review and revise permitted, conditional and accessory uses in all zoning districts as appropriate. 2.Chapter 4: Develop and adopt overlay zones similar to TVC. 3.Chapter 5: Explore alternatives to standard concurrency practices. 4.Chapter 7: Review and revise 1) uses and design standards for planned development districts, 2) area, yard, height and open space requirements, and 3) transportation systems to include street sections with pedestrian and bicycle facilities. 5.Chapter 8: Review and revise home occupations to allow greater range of home employment. Phase 3: 3years Adopt a SmartCode or other form-based code to regulate urban design either as a requirement or as an incentive.This would require a significant effort in analyzing the existing and future development conditions of the unincorporated County consistent with form-based code standards. The Committee has not endorsed onespecific methodology for this implementation, preferring instead to leave this determination to Growth Management staff and the Board of County Commissioners. In closing, the Smart Growth Committee would like to thank the Board for the opportunity to participate in making recommendations that will further the intent of growth management documents toward sustainable development. GROWTH MANAGEMENTDEPARTMENT PLANNING DIVISION M E M O R A N D U M TO:Board of County Commissioners FROM:Smart Growth Committee Members THROUGH:Kara Wood, Planning Manager Mark Satterlee, Growth Management Director DATE: May 12, 2009 SUBJECT:Smart Growth Draft Recommendations Per Resolution 05-435establishing the Smart Growth Advisory Ad Hoc Committee and itscharge to make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), the following recommendations are presented for your consideration. Thefundamental basis for these recommendations comesfrom A Recommended Comprehensive Smart Growth Audit Checklist,an appendix to the American Planning Association’s Planning Advisory Service Report No. 512. The Committee decided to focus primarily on achieving urban form for compact, mixed-use urban development that leads to greater sustainability than patterns that reflect predominantly single-use suburban development on the fringe of existing areas. Topics that have been eliminated from the Smart Growth Audit Checklist and not condensed into other categories include Jobs-Housing Balance, Energy Conservation, Water Quality, Air Quality, Water and Sewer, and Regionalism and Intergovernmental Relations. The assumption was that other committees, such as Environmental Advisory and Affordable Housing, were reviewing these issues with greater specificity.The Committee understands that some of these issues have already been raised and included in the EAR; it is believed that these more specific recommendations, where they apply to the Comprehensive Plan, can simply be incorporated into the EAR-based amendments. The recommendations in this document are intended to be considered as a whole, as many individual policiesadvisedfor revision or consideration are dependent upon other aspects of smart growth being addressedconcurrently. As a point of departure, the Committee often referenced the form-based aspects of the TVC land development regulations as a model for specific ideas offered. Anumber of the recommendations on urban form could look to the TVC code as a method of implementation. For greater ease of review, the recommendations below have been divided into three sections: 1.Executive Summary: a concise and categorized matrix of the recommendations 2.Detailed List: all policies and regulations that the Committee is recommending for revisions 3.Implementation: suggestions for ways to get from policy to reality May 12, 2009SMART GROWTH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Smart Growth CommitteePage 2of 6 ES XECUTIVEUMMARY The Executive Summary presents a more concise format of the Committee’s list of recommended modifications to regulatory documents. The summary has been formulated into a matrix that consolidates the primary issues the Committee was interested in considering, categorizes each task based on the relative regulatory document, and connects each with the major topics from the more detailed recommendations. Comprehensive Plan 1.Require needs-based analysis for land use amendments XX outside USB. 2.Strengthen land-use policies favoring infill development.XXXX 3.Confirm/ strengthen landuse policies to reclaim/reuse obsolete XX sites or brownfields. 4.Encourage minimum densities in appropriate areas: 8 to 15 XXXX unitsper acre, higher in urban centers. 5.Strengthen land use policies to ensure future development XXXX occurs in compact form. 6.Consider some portion of land outside USB be identified as fringe and exclusively agricultural or conservation to prevent XXXX unlimited development of single-family tract housing 7.Create additional land use designations for mixed-use XXXX development. 8.Confirm/create plan policies to encourage a mix of land uses at XXXX the building, site, and neighborhood levels. 9.Address long range needs for roads, sidewalks, bicycle paths, XX transit, freight movement, and water and air travel. 10.Provide for maintenance of current roads and existing XX transportation systems before spending money on new ones. 11.Require interconnected local streets for new development and XX updatednetworkin ROW protection map. 12.Revisestreet standards to reduce excessive right-of-way and XXX pavement widths. Land Development Code 1.Encourage infill development with expedited review processXX 2.Encourage minimum densities in appropriate areasXXXX 3.Revise parking regulations to ensure reduction of excessive parking; provide maximum parking ratios, reductions for shared parking in mixed-use projects and where transit is available, XXXX encourage or require on-street parking in appropriate areas, and allow porous pavements where appropriate. 4.Require a wide range of housing types to meet needs of various demographics; permit accessory units within single-family lots, X and allow minimum lot sizes appropriate to urban areas. 5.Strengthen and supplementland development regulations for XX zoning districts to allow a mix of uses. 6.Strengthen zoning ordinance to encourage/require XXX form/transect-based development. 7.Require development in all zoning districts to provide minimum open space ratio as appropriate to location and intensity of land XX use. May 12, 2009SMART GROWTH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Smart Growth CommitteePage 3of 6 8.Require connectivity of open spaces and greenways to existing XX destinations and other open space areas. 9.Encourage accessibility to public open space to all or most XX residents of the community within acertain minimum distance. 10.Create landdevelopmentregulations that provide for “conservation subdivisions” or “cluster subdivisions” as a matterXX of right. 11.Require, where appropriate, development to provide new local XX streets at designated intervals (e.g., every 1,500 feet). 12.Revise street standards to reduce excessive right-of-way and XX pavement widths. 13.Require sidewalks/pedestrian paths within all new residential X and commercial developmentas appropriate to transect. 14.Require connection of new streets to existing streets and X stubbing of streets or driveways to allow connection to future development. 15.Create land-use regulations that are “transit-friendly” or “transit XXXX supportive”. 16.Revise regulations to require various disciplines within the site design profession(i.e. architects, landscape architects, X engineers, land planners)to coordinate in achieving superior site design. 17.Consider regulations forbuildings on sites with low ground elevations to utilize elevated construction techniques rather than X only site fill. Data & Analysis 1.Develop landuse analysis forpotential infill in acres and units based on realistic redevelopment opportunities as well as XX existing/approved vs. projecteddemand. DL ETAILED IST The following list is intended to outline areas of revision the Committee feels area needed in the regulatory documents. 1.Direction of Growth (Inward, Not Outward) a.Strengthenlanduse policiesand land development regulations tofavor “inward direction of growth” (infilldevelopment) and encourage development within existing urban areas as opposed to promoting new developmenton the fringe of developed areas. b.Develop landuse analysisto identify location and amount of potential infill development. New development capacity should account for existing and approved units/acreage/square footage versus projected demand. Potential redevelopment areas should include sites that 1) underutilize development available in Future Land Use, 2) are appropriate for greater urban intensity, and 3) where maximum build-out would not be inconsistent with surrounding properties. c.Confirm and/or strengthen any land-use policies recognizing the need to reclaim and reuse any temporarily,obsolete, abandoned or derelictsites (TOADs) and to clean up and reclaim for future use any “brownfields”. May 12, 2009SMART GROWTH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Smart Growth CommitteePage 4of 6 d.Confirm and strengthen (or create if necessary) landuse regulations that discourage development within, and the filling of, floodways and floodplains.At a minimum, local regulations should be compliant with those at the state and federal level. e.Consider adoptinglanduse policiesand land development regulationsthatencourage the establishment of minimum (not just maximum) densities to promote the efficient useof lands. f.Analyzedeveloped residential densities and how they relate to planned densities and densities permitted by zoning districtsto assist in determining if density allowances in the land use plan and zoning district have been underutilized. g.Develop County-wide TDR program based on results of potential versus projected development. h.Establish transportation concurrency exception areas within urban service boundary where appropriate to incentivize infill development. i.Consider and develop location based transportation impact fees for mainland to take into consideration greater travel distance for sprawl. 2.Density and Urban Form a.Plan forand zoneat least a portion of the residential land for densities between 8and 15 dwellingunits per acre, with even higher densities provided for in urban centers. b.Provide incentives and otherwisestrengthen the landuse plan so thata sequential,phased pattern of future development in areas contiguous to developed areasis encouraged. c.Through the EAR implementation process regarding thewestern lands study, consider whether regulations shouldidentifymuch of the fringe land as exclusively agricultural (i.e., a holding category) or with a substantial minimum lot size that discourages single-family tract housing and preserves large sitesfor viable farm use. The result of the study should provide a menu of options for the future of agricultural land. d.Review and revise parking regulations to ensure reduction of excessive parking by providing maximum parking ratios, provide reductions for shared parking in mixed-use projects and where transit is available, encourage or require on-street parking in appropriate areas, and allow porous pavements where appropriate. e.Confirm that development regulations require a wide range of housing types to meet needs of various demographics, that accessory units are permitted within single-family lots, and that minimum lot sizes are appropriate to urban areas. f.Consider strengthening the local zoning ordinance to provide for traditional neighborhood development (TND). g.Require that finished floor elevations higher than the established flood plain be met through elevatedconstructiontechniquesrather thanonlyfilling the surrounding site. h.Identify areas or locations for transit hubs for planning of efficient mass transit. 1)Develop future land use designations or overlay areasto encourage greater densities in proximity to transit hubs. 2)Establish public infrastructure such as parking garages and transit facilities to support mass transit needs. 3)Develop infrastructure funding mechanisms throughimpact fees, Special Assessment Programs or CRA-type programs. May 12, 2009SMART GROWTH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Smart Growth CommitteePage 5of 6 3.Land Use a.Create additionalland use designationareas, where appropriate, for mixed-use development.One example of this would be the adoption of a Neighborhoods and Districts Future Land Use to allow for smaller increments of property to develop according to compact, mixed-use principles. b.Strengthen plan policies to create additional opportunities forand encourage the mixing of land uses at the building, site, and neighborhood levels.At a minimum, regulations should allow for some percentage of residential units within commercial land uses,as well as some commercial development in high density residential areas. c.Strengthen andcreatezoning ordinances thatprovide atleast one or more zoning districts that allow mixes of residential and commercial uses. d.Strengthen or create futurelanduse plan and zoningordinancesallowingfor compatible, small-scale neighborhood commercial uses (e.g., corner stores) adjacent toor within residential neighborhoods. e.Consideroccupation regulations flexibleenough to allow awide variety of telework activities while maintaining the peace and quiet of the neighborhoods in which they arelocated. f.Strengthen procedural elements of land development regulations to require that various disciplines within the site design profession coordinate to achieve superior site design, including but not limited to urban design, engineering, environmental preservation, landscape architecture, transportation and stormwater management. 4.Open Spaceand Parks a.Strengthengoals, policies, and implementation measures to set aside a certainpercentage of totalland area in the community as open space or green space. b.Requirethat development in all (or most) zoning districts provideaminimum open space ratioas appropriate to location and intensity of land use.Encourage accessibility to public open space to all or most residents of the community within acertain minimum distance. c.Strengthenlanduse regulations torequire developers toconnect open spaces and greenways to existing destinations and open space reservations. d.Developa clear definition of open space in which public parks and private open space are clearly described. Encourage the development of pocket parks and, if appropriate, larger community green space in residential projects. e.Create landuse regulations that provide for “conservation subdivisions” or “cluster subdivisions” as a matter of right versus requiring a change in zoning district. Create standards for site organization and building form to guide this “by right” development. 6.Transportation a.Confirm (andstrengthen or create if necessary)thatthe comprehensive plantransportation element addresses long range needs for roads, sidewalks, bicycle paths, transit, freight movement, and water and air travel (where appropriate). b.Confirm thatlocal transportation policies provide for themaintenance of current roads and existing transportation systems before spending money on new ones. c.Includetransportation policiesthatprovide for local street networks (as opposed to the conventional hierarchical system of arterials, collectors, andlocal streets).New local streets May 12, 2009SMART GROWTH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS Smart Growth CommitteePage 6of 6 should be provided at designated intervals that encourage walkability and a variety of options for automobile trip routes. d.Create provisions inthe comprehensive plan and land development regulationsto provide for an analysis oflocal street standards and recommendations for reducing excessive right- of-way and pavement widths. e.Requiresidewalks/pedestrian pathswithin all new residential and commercial development as appropriate to the general transect of the subject area. f.Confirm and strengthen (or create if necessary)subdivision regulations to allow the planning commission or local governing body to requirethe connection of subdivisionstreets to existing streets and the stubbingof streets to allow connections to future subdivision developments. g.Confirm and strengthen (or create if necessary)landuse regulationsthatencourage, if not mandate, the provisionof inter-parcel connections between individual developments, where compatible. h.Createlanddevelopmentregulationsthat are“transit-friendly” or “transit supportive”.These types of development will require minimum densities to support transit near a center of urban activity. i.Update right-of-way protection map to address local street network connectivity. I MPLEMENTATION The Committee considered a number of existing documents that would serve to implement the outlined areas within the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. Such actions for implementation mightinclude: Encourage or incentivize standards for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or FGBC (Florida Green Building Coalition) certification that address efficiency of the complete building envelope, as well as site and neighborhood design. Adopt a SmartCode or other form-based code to regulate urban design either as a requirement or as an incentive. Adopt a Neighborhoods and Districts Element Comprehensive Plan amendment to allow for mixed-usedevelopment at smaller increments of land. Amend the existing Land Development Code to rectify presentimpediments to Smart Growth and make it easier to “do the right thing.”In addition to new regulatory provisions, these amendments might include revisions to the following chaptersof the Codeas consistent with smart growth principles identified in these recommendations: 1.Chapter 3: Review and revise permitted, conditional and accessory uses in all zoning districtsas appropriate. 2.Chapter 4: Develop and adopt overlay zones similar to TVC. 3.Chapter 5: Explore alternatives to standard concurrency practices. 4.Chapter 7: Review and revise 1) uses and design standards for planned development districts, 2) area, yard, height and open space requirements, and 3) transportation systems to include street sections with pedestrian and bicycle facilities. 5.Chapter 8: Review and revise home occupations to allow greater range of home employment. The Committee has not endorsed onespecific methodology for this implementation, preferring instead to leave this determination to Growth Management staff and the Board of County Commissioners. In closing, the Smart Growth Committee would like to thank the Board for the opportunity to participate in making recommendations that will further the intent of growth management documents toward sustainable development.