growth and planning june 25, 2013 board of county commissioners workshop in st. johns county

Growth and Planning

June 25, 2013

Board of County Commissioners Workshop

in St. Johns County

Introduction The goal of today’s retreat is to obtain Commission direction on a variety of planning-related topics. Current planning policy has largely been written by previous Commissions and may not reflect the views of the current commission. Many planning policies have not recently been paramount due to the national recession and the resulting slow rate of development activity. The recent increase in development activity is, however, bringing many of these planning policies to the forefront. The outcome of today’s retreat will provide staff with the direction necessary to better serve the commission.

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Introduction

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I. Comprehensive PlanFuture Land Use Amendments, Economic Development, PUDs

II. Land Development Code

III. ConcurrencyTransportation, Impact Fees, Schools

IV. Additional Topics/QuestionsEnvironmental, Beautification/Community Appearance, Agricultural Issues, Aging Population, Sea Level Rise

Presentation Overview

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What are the BCC’s expectations to achieve

growth management and planning goals?

Proactive Reactive

Introduction

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I. Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Amendments, Economic Development, PUDs

Comprehensive Plan Goal A.1:“To effectively manage growth and development by designating areas of anticipated future development which satisfies demand where feasible, in a cost-effective and environmentally acceptable manner.”

St. Johns County’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Code designate properties in the County with both a land use and a zoning designation.

I. Comprehensive Plan• Future Land Use Amendments

• Economic Development

• PUDs

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The Comprehensive Plan has eight elements required by statute:

• Land Use • Transportation• Infrastructure• Coastal Conservation

• Housing• Recreation/Open Space• Capital Improvement• Intergovernmental

Coordination

I. Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan also includes a series of maps, including the Future Land Use Map.

• Future Land Use Amendments


• PUDs

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Comprehensive Plan(GOPs and Map series)

Zoning Atlas

Land Development Code

Construction Plans(Horizontal Approval)

Building Permit(Vertical Approval)


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The Future Land Use Map assigns properties a land use designation. The Zoning Atlas assigns properties zoning designations. Incompatibilities between the assigned zoning and the Future Land Use Map designation occur because the zoning existed prior to the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. In those cases, the Future Land Use Map is the legally controlling document and zoning designations cannot supersede or override the Comprehensive Plan.



• PUDs

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Future Land Use Map (FLUM)

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Zoning Atlas

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Comprehensive Plan Key Policies The County shall control urban sprawl, characterized by leapfrog development, strip development, and low density residential over a large area. The extent to which population growth and development trends warrant an amendment, including an analysis of vested and approved but unbuilt development. The extent to which adequate infrastructure to accommodate the proposed amendment exists, or is programmed and funded.



• PUDs

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Comprehensive Plan Key Policies The extent the amendment results in positive market, economic, and fiscal benefits. All Comprehensive Plan amendments … shall provide justification for the need for the proposed amendment…

Florida statutes no longer require local government to consider timing or need in the review of Comprehensive Plan amendments.



• PUDs

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Recently the County has experienced an increased interest from land owners for Comprehensive Plan amendments to the Future land Use Map (FLUM).

Most propose changes from Rural/Silviculture to Residential.

Many of these sites are near lands designated Residential, some are not.



• PUDs

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Key criteria for considering FLUM amendments:

• Location near infrastructure, other development

• Type of development (Residential, Office, Commercial, Industrial)

• Neighborhood compatibility

• Fiscal impacts

• Adequate roads/schools/fire services/etc.

• Innovative design

• Existing inventory/timing

I. Comprehensive Plan Amendments• Future Land Use Amendments


• PUDs

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Changes to the Comprehensive Plan are legislative actions. The BCC has the greatest decision- making flexibility on legislative actions. BCC discretion is broad, but must have a legitimate general welfare concern.

I. Comprehensive PlanComprehensive Plan

(GOPs and Map series)

Zoning Atlas




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When considering proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan:

What is desirable and undesirable? What are the most important criteria?

Does the County wish to retain its standards for timing and need? Should the County prepare its own fiscal impact analysis for developments?

I. Comprehensive Plan - Questions• Future Land Use Amendments


• PUDs

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Economic Development


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Residential Commercial



• PUDs

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Examples of the market demands include: Requests to rezone from OR to PUD for single family residential lots. Requests to rezone properties from commercial PUDs to residential PUDs. Requests to change land use in pocket areas surrounded by commercial to residential.


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• PUDs


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• PUDs

Market vs. Managed Growth Spectrum

Decision-making Process

Market Managed Growth

I. Comprehensive Plan Questions

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Is there a collective BCC perspective regarding the market vs. managed growth spectrum that can be provided to staff for their consideration of land use applications and requests? Staff orientation towards applications Development incentives/disincentives Available infrastructure Quality of life Cost of development

I. Comprehensive Plan - Question• Future Land Use Amendments


• PUDs

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Planned Unit Developments


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The Comprehensive Plan requires PUDs for rezonings that are:

10+ acres in Residential and Mixed Use land use categories. All Northwest sector rezonings. Commercial development of any size in Residential land use categories.



• PUDs

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Pros and cons of requiring PUDs:

PROS• More flexibility for land owner

• More certainty for community

• County and residents see site plan at time of rezoning

• Intended to promote innovative design

• Deviations require changes

CONS• Less flexibility for land owner

• Less certainty for community

• Costly and time consuming for developer to create and change

• Difficult for county and developer to administer



• PUDs

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Does the BCC want to rescind, retain, or modify these PUD requirements? Are there alternative techniques or tools to manage growth? If so, are there any particular considerations the BCC would like staff to evaluate?

I. Comprehensive Plan - Questions• Future Land Use Amendments


• PUDs

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Comprehensive Plan(GOPs and Map series)

Zoning Atlas





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The LDC has been in use for 14 years and has been revised numerous times. Per the Commission’s direction, staff is currently processing a series of changes that address overlay districts and other related issues. Many additional revisions that follow have been identified by the BCC and staff.


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• Explore incentives or form-based approaches

• Consider additional zoning districts

• Revisit Vilano Design standards

• Revisit Affordable Housing standards

• Update Uses and Definitions

• Review PUD standards (Phasing, sign plans, criteria for changes, etc.)

• Consider places of large assembly

• Review use categories

• Consider crime prevention designs

• Update vehicle stacking and other technical design issues

II. Land Development Code Revisions

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• Consider commercial design standards

• Review subdivision approval process for non-PUDs

• Review accessory family units, guest houses, and caretaker unit standards

• Review Temporary Use Permit Standards

• Examine Home office/Home Occupation standards

• Review Sign Regulations: electronic signs, sunset provisions, size and height

• Consider urban chicken standards

• Review setbacks

• Require second access points for large subdivisions

II. Land Development Code Revisions

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Should the County undertake a comprehensive review of the Land Development Code?

If yes, staff will present a full work plan for BCC consideration. If no, staff could continue amendments on an “as identified” basis as resources permit.

II. Land Development Code - Questions

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III. ConcurrencyTransportation, Impact Fees, Schools

• County adopted amendments in 2009 and 2010:• Eliminated excessive “Ghost Trips.”

• Reserved ten years of road capacity.

• Increased Minor and Small project thresholds.

• Reduced the radius of the study areas where project impacts are assessed for commercial projects.

• Deferred concurrency requirement from rezoning through construction plans.

• Allowed Proportionate Fair Share in lieu of full road projects.

III. Concurrency

• Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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• Road network is assessed annually in July based on most current road counts.

• This map illustrates:• Roads at capacity in green

• Deficient roads in orange

• Constrained roads in yellow

• Following slides show enlarged views.

III. Concurrency

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Deficient links based on actual traffic counts

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Concurrency workshop suggestions: Increase other transportation revenue sources (sales tax, impact fees, gas tax, tolls, TIF, ad valorem taxes). Encourage higher densities in specific areas and exempt these areas from concurrency. Reassess road classifications for model capacity. Reduce the radius of study areas where project impacts are assessed.

III. Concurrency

• Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Concurrency workshop suggestions: Consider a Vehicle Miles Traveled methodology. Assess inequities for projects located on or near deficient roads. Modify Proportionate Fair Share:

Allow more than one year to make payments. Allow minor thresholds of development to proceed in major projects.

Identify incentives for large planned developments.

III. Concurrency • Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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The BCC endorsed an effort on June 4th to convene a committee to discuss these issues.• Commissioner Bennett is the BCC liaison.

• The first meeting is scheduled for July 26.

• Is there any direction the BCC would like to provide staff prior to the workshop?• Increase transportation revenue sources

• Encourage higher densities

• Modify transportation models

• Address proportionate fair-share standards

III. Concurrency - Questions • Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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In addition, several developers have approached the County to discuss changing their mitigation obligations. Many have described changing financial conditions and lack of CDD financing as limiting factors. In several scenarios developers have sought a change to shift road construction obligations to the County to be funded through various impact fee proposals.

III. Concurrency

• Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Is the Board open and willing to consider the shift of construction obligations and timing from the developer to the County? Any decision will impact:

Project Funding Project Timing


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Does the BCC want to promote efficient use of infrastructure by incentivizing development within existing development areas? How would the BCC envision further incentivizing growth in these areas?


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Should the Board continue to accept local/subdivision roads for maintenance?

If yes, is there a financially sustainable funding mechanism the Board is willing to implement to offset the increasing costs of infrastructure maintenance.


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Impact Fees

III. Concurrency

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Does the BCC intend to retain Impact Fees? If the program is maintained, staff recommends that we update/consolidate the ordinances. This could be done as part of the general countywide effort to review ordinances.

III. Concurrency - Questions

• Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Developers have asked for changes to policy regarding impact fee credits.

They have requested that the value of their credits not fluctuate with changes in the impact fee schedule. They have also requested the ability to sell impact fee credits to other developments.

Would the BCC like to revisit the policy regarding the value and private sales of impact fee credits?


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Schools

III. Concurrency

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The joint meeting with the School Board includes four areas of discussion:

Pacetti Bay Middle School Continued coordination on planning issues School site/land use coordination Review of local revenue sources

III. Concurrency • Transportation

• Impact Fees

• Schools

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How would the Board envision further incentivizing non-residential growth in areas of constrained school capacity?

Enterprise Zones – incentives/disincentives Invest in infrastructure in identified areas


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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Are there new sources of revenue the BCC would like to explore to facilitate these initiatives?

Enact real estate recording fees Collect impact fees at building permit issuance Explore potential new revenue sources


• Impact Fees

• Schools

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IV. Additional Topics/Questions Environmental, Beautification/Community Appearance, Agricultural Issues, Aging Population, Sea Level Rise

EnvironmentalIs the County doing enough to protect its

environmental, archaeological, and historical resources?If not, are there specific initiatives that should be

undertaken to enhance the current level of protection?

• Environmental

• Beautification / Community Appearance

• Agricultural Issues

• Aging Population

• Sea Level Rise

IV. Additional Topics/Questions

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Beautification/Community Appearance No architectural design standards exist, except in the Overlays and some PUDs. The Comprehensive Plan calls for design standards for developments adjacent to major roads. Do we wish to have design standards for commercial development along major road corridors? If yes, are there specific design standards the BCC would like to consider?

IV. Additional Topics/Questions• Environmental




• Sea Level Rise

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Agriculture Issues The Comprehensive Plan calls for the County to explore options for the transfer/purchase of Development Rights to create sustainable agriculture. Does the BCC wish to pursue this initiative? Does the BCC want to consider increased buffers between proposed development and agricultural lands?





• Sea Level Rise

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Aging Population In Florida, an increasing senior demographic (65+) is an emerging issue.

Florida’s population is growing 2.7% annually.

The senior demographic is growing 7.7% annually.

Current senior population is approximately 35,000.





• Sea Level Rise

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Aging Population Should the County begin exploring senior issues from a land use policy perspective, such as transit and walkability?

Special Care housing, such as assisted living facilities, is not subject to density provisions in the OR zoning district.

Does the Board wish to address this policy?





• Sea Level Rise

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Sea Level Rise The University of Florida, the GTMNERR, and the Regional Community Institute are conducting research regarding sea level rise in our region.

Should the County participate in regional community assessments and planning-related activities pertaining to sea level rise?





• Sea Level Rise

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growth and planning june 25, 2013 board of county commissioners workshop in st. johns county

Documents

land use designation

land development code

puds comprehensive plan

zoning designations

planning policies

planning goals

variety of planning

assigned zoning