Okaloosa County BOCC — April 7, 2015 — Public Hearing - LPA 04-14 Ware FLUM Amendment and Rezoning — agenda request — reading text

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: April 7, 2015 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Elliot Kampert SUBJECT: Public Hearing - LPA 04-14 Ware FLUM Amendment and Rezoning DEPARTMENT: Growth Management BCC DISTRICT: Commission District 1 - Wayne Harris ISSUE: Conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of a request to change the use of land submitted by Patrick K. Hodges as agent for Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation relating to property located south of US 90, west of Jericho Road, and north of I-10, east of Crestview. The request is to change the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designation for the property from Agriculture (AG) to Industrial (I), or a more restrictive FLUM designation. If the FLUM amendment is approved, request to rezone the property from Agriculture (AG) district to Industrial (I-1) district, or a more restrictive zoning district. Property contains 874.20 acres, more or less. FINAL ADOPTION HEARING. BACKGROUND: • The proposed FLUM amendment is classified as a Type - 1 plan amendment which involves properties 10 acres or more in size. Type - 1 amendments must be transmitted to the State for state agency review. • Evaluation guidelines and criteria for Type - 1 amendments are specified in the Comprehensive Plan, Administration Element, Policy 1.15. It is staff opinion that the proposed amendment is consistent with the specified criteria. • The amendment site is located just north of the Eglin North Encroachment Zone which necessitates review and comment by the County’s Military Representative. • The property is adjacent to other properties designated as “Industrial” on the FLUM, and is otherwise adjacent to areas designated as “Agriculture” on the FLUM. • This amendment was approved for transmittal for state agency review at a public hearing held by the Board on January 6, 2015. • The reviewing agencies, except Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), had no comments regarding the proposed amendment. The FDOT comments (copy attached) conclude The transportation review has revealed that several State road segments analyzed are projected to exceed capacity. FDOT recognizes that any significant impacts on State facilities and resources will be eliminated, reduced, or mitigated through the mitigation strategies as outlined in the transportation study provided by the county. • The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued its no comment findings letter on March 4, 2015 (copy attached). PUBLIC COMMENT/OPPOSITION: A letter of support (copy attached) from the Executive Director of the Economic Development Council was provided by the applicant to the Planning Commission at its December 11, 2014 public hearing. There were no other public comments. PLANNING COMMISSION: The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval at a public hearing held December 11, 2014. MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE: : Thanks for the opportunity to make comments at the December 11, 2014 Okaloosa County Planning Commission on Agenda Item 2, LPA 04-14 and 382842-BCC-2014, to change the Comprehensive Future Land Use Map designation from Agriculture (AG) to Industrial (I) and to rezone the property from Agriculture (AG) to Industrial (I-1). The property contains 874.20 acres (+/-) and is commonly referred to as Shoal River Ranch. As I said in my remarks, Eglin Air Force Base has no opposition to either request. However, I did feel it important to advise the agent for the property owner of those issues we are concerned with in terms of compatibility with our mission. Specifically, we are always concerned with height of objects being constructed so that they do not pose a hazard to flight operations. We also are concerned with any exterior lighting that may further illuminate the night sky. We consistently recommend new construction implement downward-directed, fully shielded (cutoff) lighting which will help limit additional night glow. This is critical to the many night training/test missions Eglin conducts annually. We also ask that any activities that may require RF spectrum be coordinated through the Gulf Area Frequency Coordinator, resident on Eglin AFB. This will help ensure any use of WiFi or other such systems do not interfere with Eglin and vice versa. We remain concerned that with an industrial land use and zoning, the potential of some sort of smoke stack or other venting system may be in use that could cause visual obscuration (smoke, dust, other emissions) that could pose a hazard to flight. And lastly, even though the industrial land use doesn't lend itself to density concerns, we remain vigilant to those uses that could cause increases in density and intensity of use so as to mass large gatherings of people in underlying flight corridors that could pose an unnecessary risk to both our mission and those gathered on the ground. We understand this is the first step in the process and that no specific projects were on the Commission's agenda for consideration. However, I felt it best to provide these items of concern for the benefit of the land owner as they work towards future industrial projects on Shoal River Ranch. Hopefully this will limit incompatibilities from the start. Jeff Fanto Community Planner 96th Civil Engineer Group 501 DeLeon Street, Suite 100 Eglin AFB FL 32542 Office 850.882.8036 (DSN 872) OPTIONS: Adopt or not adopt the requested FLUM amendment and rezoning. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Board consider the facts presented herein, the Planning Commission recommendation, as well as any facts that may be presented at the public hearing, and then decide whether or not to adopt the FLUM amendment and rezoning by separate ordinances. Staff has no objection to the requested FLUM amendment and rezoning. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: John Hofstad, County Administrator