City Commission Meeting Summary - January 15, 2008
The City Commission met in special joint workshop session with the Board of Leon County Commissioners and took the following action (with City Commissioner Katz absent):
Received a Power Point presentation on the Comprehensive Plan Urban Service Area (USA) and Urban Fringe, presented by Ms. Wendy Grey, Consultant
City Commissioner Lightsey, with Mayor Marks' endorsement, recommended adding the following language to the last sentence of the Plan's first objective, 2.2.1, Role of USA (page 2 of 9 of the agenda attachment) for clarification of the kinds of things to be protected:
"..., and the present environmentally sensitive lands, groundwater, and spring shed protection."
County Commissioner Thaell recommended re-evaluating and having further dialogue on the significance of imposing central sewer versus using the higher performing septic tank systems.
City Commissioner Lightsey recommended that Rural not be defined by the infrastructure - to delete that part and charge the staff with developing language that supports and defines Rural based on the value of maintaining low intensity uses with value segments attached such as green belts, keeping the value of this property for tax purposes at a level where farmers and others who were making those types of uses of the land could afford and hold on to their land.
Ms. Grey summarized the following issues and options as discussed by the Joint Commission:
1. Some support for clarifying the Urban Fringe and Rural Future Land Use categories to refine their definition so that they were not solely linked to the availability of central sewer and urban services. They, in and of themselves, have a purpose and value to the community. This may need to come back to Commissions with more information.
2. The USA appears to accommodate 20 years of population growth.
3. To the extent that there is a conclusion on what can be accommodated in the USA that will drive decisions about timing for development in the Urban Fringe, Urban Fringe representing areas of the community designated for future growth. The horizon in which they come into play would be partly dependent upon refining the assumptions under item 2 and they should be considered separately, as some are much close to sewers and urban areas, and some have more development - it is not a question of whether urban fringe is or is not.
4. Evaluate strategies improving water quality in the urban fringe separate from (and not only) looking at the central sewer package plant. Does it mean central sewer? Look at the issue somewhat independently of the fact of driving central sewer and potential densities. Try to separate the water quality issue from where central sewer goes. Come back with strategies and ways of dealing with that.
5. There has been some work that says the cost of housing and the cost of living can be analyzed, i.e., the quality of life for people, status in the community, what people are paying to maintain a certain quality of life. The criteria for evaluating these types of things should be added since there are better indicators and monitors, and it should be an interactive kind of process.
With regard to Ms. Grey's summary of #2, County Commissioner Proctor disagreed and Ms. Grey stated that she would review the assumptions based on the best available planning data.
City Commissioner Gillum requested that the staff bring Ms. Grey's summary of #2 back with projections taking out the St. Joe and English properties.
City Commissioner Lightsey directed staff to bring back information on the items listed, using additional data, and requested that clustering in Urban Fringe also be brought back and added to the list with possible alternatives.
City Commissioner Mustian requested additional discussion on clustering and urban infill.
CTC:RM:ecg:04-22-08