Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee

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Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee

• Final Report

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Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee

• Appointed by Volusia County Council, School
  Board, VCOG
• Representatives from Environmental Council,
  League of Women Voters, United Way, VCARD,
  Homebuilders, Farm Bureau, Council on Aging
• Facilitated by Institute of Government and
  Conflict Resolution Consortium

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Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee

• Mayor Fred Costello
• Steve Dennis
• Mayor Ted Erwin
• Gerald Fieser
• Robert Fitzsimmons
• Rosemarie Gore
• Dr. Rob Grossman
• Clay Henderson Esq.
• Joel Ivey

• Larry Kelly
• Hon. Candace Lankford
• Michele Moen
• Elizabeth Layton
• Mayor Greg Northrup
• Rita Press
• Alexa Ross
• Mayor Don Schmidt
• Glenn Storch, Esq.

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Volusia Smart Growth Implementation Committee

• Met from August 2004 to August 2005
• Built upon two years of work of Smart Growth
  Summits.
• Involved numerous citizen committees
• Mission To seek agreement between the County,
  cities, and stakeholders to further define, adopt
  and implement smart growth principles within
  Volusia County.

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Population Trends

• 1960-1980 Volusia Population grew from 125,000 to
  258,000.
• 1980-2002 258,000 to 479,000
• 2002-2020 Projection to 650,000

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Central Florida Population Projections
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Penn Design Studio

• University of Pennsylvanias Urban Design Studio
  Alternatives for the Seven County Orlando Region.
• Growth projection 2000-2050 136 increase
  compared to national rate of 47
• Recommends increasing urban densities while
  developing strategies to protect open space.

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Penn Design Studio Trend Model
Developed Land 2000
Total acres 5,312,627 16 Developed Land 19
Preserved Land 10 Water 55 Undeveloped Land
CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Development
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Trend Model 2050
3,852,599 developable acres3,048,058 2000
regional population 7,217,534 2050 regional
population 2.49 average household
size2,898,608 households 1.44 units per
acre2,012,922 developed acres
Area Developable Developed Available
Brevard 675,402 419,788 264,612 155,176
Lake 740,599 464,056 355,406 108,650
Seminole 220,743 175,830 159,393 16,437
Orange 642,122 499,004 456,260 42,744
Osceola 964,015 694,027 257,241 436,786
Polk 1,287,102 1,024,637 461,555 563,082
Volusia 782,644 575,257 365,414 209,843
Total 5,312,627 3,852,599 2,319,881 1,532,718
protected lands 2000water bodies
developed areas 2000developed areas 2000-2050
Trend Model
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Smart Growth Principles

• Current development patterns which encourage
  sprawl are not in our best interest.
• Smart Growth encourages preservation of
  environmentally important areas.
• Smart Growth emphasizes compact, mixed use,
  walkable, livable cities.
• Smart Growth emphasizes a viable economy.

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SB 360

• SB 360
• 2005 Legislature passed significant changes to
  Growth Management Act
• Incentives to local governments who adopt certain
  new policies.
• New funding available for transportation and
  alternative water development
• Provides opportunity for local governments to
  make mid course corrections in comprehensive plans

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SB 360

• More local control and less control by DCA if
  certain steps are taken
• Local Government adopts a vision.
• Local Government adopts Urban Services Boundary
• Local Government works with School District to
  make school facilities planning an important
  aspect of growth management.

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A Vision for Volusia.
Volusia is recognizably different from the rest
of Central Florida because its unique natural
areas define the urban landscape. Bounded on the
west by 50 miles of the St. Johns River and on
the east by 45 miles of the Atlantic Ocean Beach,
Volusia is like no other place. Within our
boundaries are beaches, estuaries, rivers,
springs, and aquifers which are the foundation
for a special quality of life for our residents
and a natural attraction to our visitors from
around the world. Volusians live, work, and play
in a diverse mosaic of national, state, and local
parks, preserves, rivers, and beaches which
differentiate us from the rest of Central Florida.
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Smart Growth Keystone Recommendations

• Protect the Environmental Core
• Direct Development to Appropriate Locations
• Develop vibrant, livable and sustainable urban
  communities
• Ensure the continued existence of rural lands and
  agriculture
• Meet the infrastructure needs of smart growth
• Integrate Education and Smart Growth
• Integrate Economic Development and Smart Growth

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Protect the Environmental Core

• Map A
• Conservation lands already in public ownership
• Florida Forever Priority A Lands
• Volusia Conservation Corridor
• Permitted mitigation banks
• Other areas identified by the Pandion model for
  habitat and wildlife connectivity

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Map A
Map A depicts the environmental core of Volusia
County and should be adopted as part of the
Comprehensive Plan.

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Protect the Environmental Core

• Map A land should be priorities for acquisition.
• Donor sites for TDRs and Mitigation
• Heightened Environmental Standards
• Clustering by right
• Densities should not be increased
• Agriculture and Silviculture should be allowed

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Protect the Environmental Core

• Within Map A
• Substantially protect all wetlands
• 50 of uplands protected
• Heightened Environmental Standards
• Freeze underlying densities
• Encourage rural clusters with 25 density bonus

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Rural Cluster Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Source SEWRPC. 2002. Model Zoning Ordinance For Rural Cluster Development www.sewrpc.org/modelordinances/default.htm
Rural Cluster Development
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Direct Development to Appropriate Locations

• Map B depicts areas sensitive areas which could
  be served by Urban Service Areas.
• Primary Urban Service Areas are areas appropriate
  for urban development
• Secondary Urban Service Areas developed through
  Rural Clusters
• Joint Visioning and Planning for Areas of
  Influence and Potential Annexation Areas
• Land Use survives Annexation

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Map B
Direct Development to Appropriate Locations
Map B depicts sensitive areas which could
potentially be served by Urban Service Areas
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Develop vibrant, livable and sustainable urban
communities

• Community Visioning
• Checklists and Scorecards
• Incentives
• Mixed Use
• Town Centers
• Diversity of Housing Options
• Urban Open Space
• Affordable Housing

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Meet the infrastructure needs of smart growth

• Coordinated approach to Transportation
  Concurrency
• Scenic Roads
• Mass Transit
• Water Conservation

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Integrate Economic Development and Smart Growth

• Economic development support for Smart Growth
  principles
• Smart Growth support for economic development and
  social equity
• Understanding the costs of development patterns

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Ensure the continued existence of rural lands and
agriculture

• Incentives for Rural Clusters
• Greater range of allowable uses in rural areas
  compatible with rural character
• Transfer of Development Rights
• Rural Lands Stewardship Program
• Bluebelt Ordinance
• Rural and Family Lands Protection Act
• Planning for Rural Communities

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Integrate Education and Smart Growth

• Interlocal agreements on school siting
• Public Schools Facilities amendment to
  Comprehensive Plans
• Early identification of school sites
• Developer participation in dedication of schools
  sites
• Mitigation for school capacity

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Implementation

• Volusia County Council
• Charter Review Commission
• Volusia County School Board
• Volusia Council of Governments
• Area Cities
• Citizens

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Volusia County Council

• Accept and Endorse the Committee Report
• Set date for Council Workshop for further
  discussion
• Direct key staff members to look at
  implementation strategies and timetable
• Council to receive regular reports on the
  progress of implementation.
• Council adopts amendments to Comprehensive Plan
  and Land Development Regulations.
• Council negotiates agreements with area cities.
• Council request that Charter Review Commission
  consider the Committee Report.