EVALUATION AND APPRAISAL REPORT

on

ALACHUA COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPTION HEARING

AUGUST 11, 2009

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EVALUATION AND APPRAISAL REPORT (EAR)

Evaluates success addressing major community issues through the Comprehensive Plan

Recommendations/Strategies for update/revision of Comprehensive Plan in 2009-2011 based on EAR

Adoption Due Date: September 1, 2009

EAR documents available at: www.alachuacounty.us/ear

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COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS & EAR

EAR AND UPDATE OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

“Final Sufficiency Determination” issued by DCA within 90 days of receipt of adopted EAR

Amendment and update of County Comprehensive Plan based on EAR recommendations within 18 months of Determination of Sufficiency

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PHASE III – SPECIAL MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

FINAL PUBLIC HEARING

BOCC Adoption of Evaluation & Appraisal Report – August 2009

PRELIMINARY PUBLIC HEARING

Local Planning Agency – May 20 2009

JOINT BOCC/LPA SPECIAL MEETINGS – Feb/March 2009

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LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY RECOMMENDATION

Approval of the proposed Evaluation and Appraisal Report and transmittal to the Florida Department of Community Affairs for review and comment

– LPA also added Recommendation #1.1.4 to review policies on open space requirements to assess impact on the ability to achieve higher density/mixed use development in Urban Cluster.

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS (DCA) REVIEW

DCA identified no concerns with the proposed Evaluation and Appraisal Report as provided in letter dated June 24, 2009

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COMMENTS FROM OTHER STATE AND REGIONAL AGENCIES

The County also received written comments on the proposed EAR from:– St. Johns River Water Management District– Florida Department of Transportation– North Central Florida Regional Planning Council– Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission– Florida Dept. of State – Historic Resources– Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer

Services

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CHANGES FROM LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY PROPOSED EAR

Staff has modified the proposed EAR to clarify recommendations and background information in response to agency comments on the following:– Water supply planning and concurrency– Transportation level of service data– Source citations for listed plant and animal

species– Currently adopted policies on conservation areas

and wildlife crossings were added to Appendix9

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends adoption of the Evaluation and Appraisal Report on the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan: 2001-2020, and transmittal of the Report to DCA for sufficiency review and determination.

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EAR DOCUMENT

Introduction

Ch 1 – Recommendations to Address Major Issues

Ch 2 – Public Involvement Process

Ch 3 – Population and Land Use Analysis

Ch 4 – Assessment of Comprehensive Plan Elements

Ch 5 – General Level of Service Analysis

Ch 6 – Major Issue Analysis

Ch 7 – Assessment of changes to FL Statutes Administrative Rules, and State and Regional Plans

Ch 8 – Special Topics

Appendices11

OVERVIEW OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Full text of Issues and Recommendations in

Table 1 of EAR

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URBAN CLUSTER/LAND USE & TRANSPORTATIONMany EAR recommendations are addressed in CPA 01-09

Standards for Transit Oriented DevelopmentModification of TND/Village Center policiesMulti-Modal Concurrency Management SystemImpact Fee Structure to Complement Multi-Modal Concurrency Management SystemIntergovernmental Coordination on Multi-Modal TransportationReview Open Space Requirements in Urban Cluster

Multimodal transportation to outlying areasDesign standards for roadways re: bike/pedAdd/revise Activity Center & Commercial policies encouraging mixed-use multi-modal developmentAnalysis/Update of transportation mapsClarify Corridors Map policiesFinancially feasible capital improvements program

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP –

EAST GAINESVILLE

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1.2.1: Economic-based incentives to support the County’s protection standards while encouraging environmentally-friendly approaches

1.2.2: Outreach and education – Limitations of available data and maps – Stress value of ground-truthing of regulated

resources on site

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POTABLE WATER & SANITARY SEWER

1.3.1: Add groundwater protection measures by reducing amount of effluent generated where exceptions granted to connection requirements

1.3.2: Review, consolidate, and revise policies as necessary to address requirements of Section 163.3180(2)(a), F.S. concerning water supply concurrency

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FISCAL CONSTRAINTS: ACTIVITY CENTER MASTER PLANS

1.4.1: – Implement policies through development plan review– Amend Policies with detailed design standards for

mixed use, multi-modal development

1.4.2: – Develop AC Master Plans in-house in appropriate

instances or where special circumstances exist as workload permits; utilizing less costly/more effective methods for publicizing process

2.5.2: Continue to update existing Activity Center plans consistent with general mixed use design concepts for Activity Centers

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2.3.1: Existing policies implemented through updates to the Unified Land Development Code 2-24-09

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LAND USE-TRANSPORTATIONRoad Function and Design

Strategies to integrate policies on Land Use/Transportation Issues & Energy Conservation

2.4.1: Add an Energy Element– Overarching goals– Point to specific implementation policies to be

added/updated in the existing Elements– Include policies to meet new legislative mandates

in HB 697 (2008)

RECREATION LEVEL OF SERVICE & PROGRAMMING

3.1.1: Consider access for different park facility types

3.1.2: Base LOS on county funded/ developed facilities

3.2.1: Utilize recreation system as a whole

3.3.1: Analyze needs per Rec. Master Plan

3.3.2: Integrate into Countywide Visioning

3.3.3: Review impact fee credits & other incentives for developers to provide park land

3.3.4: Consider LOS using facilities provided by other entities based on cooperative agreements

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3.4.1: Include specific projects from the LMS into CIP and update policy framework

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PUBLIC SAFETY3.5.1: Maintain & implement existing [Fire Rescue/EMS] policies (LOS Guidelines)

PUBLIC HEALTH

3.6.1: Adopt new Community Health Element – Integrate as appropriate with other elements

LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY

JOB CREATION & RETENTION

4.1.1: Review/update Economic Element based on Economic Development Strategic Plan

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HISTORIC PRESERVATION

4.5.1: Complete Historic Preservation Master Plan and adopt Ordinance

TOURISM AND ARTSTourism/development Linkage & Promotion of Nature-based Tourism

4.2.1 & 4.3.1: Promote partnerships with local organizations (arts/cultural, sports) & promote unique recreational tourism opportunities

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RECYCLED MATERIALS & WASTE ALTERNATIVES

4.4.1: Promote industrial Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ)/ Resource Recovery Park…business recruitment… include program for mandatory curbside recycling and composting

INDUSTRIAL & OFFICE LANDSufficiency of Land Use Locations and Policies

4.6.1.a: Review suitability of locations/modify designations to resolve conflicts

4.6.1.b: Update policies to facilitate recruiting of targeted industries consistent with needs

4.6.2: Evaluate Industrial/Rural Ag land use categories & related policies for location of ag processing facilities

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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE & RETENTION

5.1.1: Add/revise policies to further support and promote local agricultural operations

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN & COUNTYWIDE VISIONING

5.3.1: Coordinate with municipalities to update Conceptual Land Use Plan Map/Countywide Vision and develop useable policy language to implement

5.3.2: Coordinate to address concept of neighborhood school districts

2.6.2: Explore mechanisms for coordination of long range transportation planning on a county-wide and regional basis

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GREENSPACE PROTECTION5.2.1: Adopt overlay map to identify continuous ecological corridor to be protected through various existing programs

WATER RESOURCES

6.1.1 & 6.2.2: Policy to support surface water quality protection and improvement:

– Low Impact Development (LID) strategies;– Protection of surface waters from nutrient enrichment;– Restoration of impaired water bodies;– Maintenance/protection of surface water levels and

flows

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WATER RESOURCES

6.1.2 & 6.2.2: Policy to support groundwater quality & springshed protection/improvement:

– More stringent water conservation measures– Education strategies– Discouraging new/expanded large withdrawals– Support and promote water reuse– Address potential water quality problems associated with intensive

agriculture related to concentrated animal densities– Address utility lines beneath stormwater basins in karst sensitive

areas – Update water needs & sources in coordination w/ WMDs, GRU– If designated Priority Water Resource Caution Area, incorporate

appropriate water supply projects into Comp Plan25

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RESOURCE PROTECTION

6.3.1: Use Gainesville/County approach to protecting annexed lands/develop interdisciplinary team on reserve areas; subcommittee of CVPC to focus on implementation of countywide protection

6.3.2: Add environmental liaison on the Gainesville Alachua County Orderly Annexation Team (GACOAT)

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INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION: LISTED SPECIES

6.4.1: Make necessary updates to special area plan policies in Idylwild/Serenola and Cross Creek

FISCAL CONSTRAINTS: STRATEGIC ECOSYSTEMS SPECIAL STUDIES

6.6.1: – Priority in areas of development review;

– Schedule to coincide with reduced work load;

– Promote/facilitate property owner participation;

– Pursue alternative funding strategies; and

– Increase priority in budget and work programs. 27

FISCAL CONSTRAINTS: AIR QUALITY6.5.1: Maintain policy on inventory and reduction of greenhouse gases and revise policy on public education component

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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

7.1.1: Establish process for considering impact on housing costs in staff reports

7.3.1: Specific actions directed by the BOCC are included in the recommendations table in the EAR document

7.2.1: Implement Financial strategies:– Existing & new housing affordability– Prevent replacement of affordable housing; – Purchase/retention of market-rate housing

7.2.2: Investigate County’s inclusionary housing incentives, particularly density, to determine why incentives are not effective

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SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING7.4.1: Review land use policies for barriers and identify ways to eliminate

7.4.2: Periodic review of SHIP strategy & partnerships with other agencies

HOUSING – ACCESSORY UNITS7.5.1: Consider revisions to policies for accessory dwelling units to allow accessory units in new developments maintaining requirement for homestead status for accessory or principal unit, to be implemented through means such as deed restrictions or covenants

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

Approve Resolution adopting the Evaluation and Appraisal Report on the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan: 2001-2020, and approving transmittal of the Report to DCA for sufficiency review and determination in accordance with s.163.3191, F.S.

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How to Provide Input

Mail: 10 SW 2nd Avenue, 3rd Floor

Gainesville, FL, 32601

Phone: (352) 374-5249

Email: ear@alachuacounty.us

Web site for EAR

www.alachuacounty.us/ear

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