Okaloosa County BOCC — February 18, 2014 — DEO Letter of No Objection — reading text

Rick Scott GOVERNOR Jesse Panuccio EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEGEIVE FEB 04 2014 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT of ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY January 31, 2014 By Mr. Elliot Kampert, AICP, Director Okaloosa County Department of Growth Management 1804 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Suite 200 Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32547 Dear Mr. Kampert: Thank you for the information regarding the expansion of the Mid-Bay Regional Activity Center in your letter to the Department dated January 17, 2014. The information contained in your letter appears to be sufficient for the Department to determine that the project meets the criteria for the Regional Activity Center designation and is consistent with and supported by the adopted Okaloosa County Comprehensive Plan. The Department looks forward to receiving corresponding comprehensive plan amendments to recognize the Mid-Bay RAC expansion. If you have any questions relating to this review, please contact Mark Yelland, AICP, at (850) 717-8517, or by email at mark.yelland@deo.myflorida.com. Sincerely, Ana Richmond Comprehensive Planning Manager AR/my cc: Terry Joseph, Executive Director, West Florida Regional Planning Council Terry Jernigan, Planning Manager, Okaloosa County Ken Gallander, AICP, City of Destin Community Development Director Ashley Grana, AICP, City of Destin Planning Manager Hank Woollard, AICP, City of Destin Planner Bob Apgar, Law Office of Robert C. Apgar, Tallahassee Virgie Bowen, AICP, Growth Management Specialist, Florida Department of Transportation, District 3 Florida Department of Economic Opportunity | Caldwell Building | 107 E. Madison Street | Tallahassee, FL 32399 866.FLA.2345 | 850.245.7105 | 850.921.3223 Fax www.tlloridajobs.org | www.twitter.com/FLDEO | www.facebook.com/FLDEO Rick Scott GOVERNOR Jesse Panuccio EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FLORIDA DEPARTMENT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Mid-Bay Regional Activity Center Proposed Expansion 30-Day Deadline: February 20, 2014 On January 21, 2014 and pursuant to Rule 28-24.014(10)(a), F.A.C., the Okaloosa County Department of Growth Management submitted a request for the Department’s review of a proposed 23-acre expansion to the Mid-Bay Regional Activity Center (RAC). The 187-acre Mid-Bay RAC is currently bounded on the north by Choctawhatchee Bay, on the east by the Regatta Bay subdivision, on the south by US Highway 98 and on the west by State Road 293, the Destin Middle School and the previously permitted Mid-Bay Marina Development of Regional Impact (DRI). The Mid-Bay RAC was approved in September 2000 for high intensity development, for which adequate infrastructure either existed or was planned. As proposed the County’s ordinance would add the existing 13-acre Mid-Bay Marina DRI, a six- acre parcel along the southeast boundary of the Turnberry Harbour Planned Unit Development (PUD), two acres along Legendary Marina Drive and five other parcels totaling two acres. The 23-acre RAC expansion is part of the County’s overall strategy to unite the existing Mid-Bay Marina DRI and Turnberry Harbour PUD into a unified PUD within the RAC (see attached aerial photo and map). The proposed RAC expansion does not include any changes to the land uses that have already been approved and for which supporting infrastructure has or will be provided as previously agreed upon as part of the current DRI and RAC development plans. According to an infrastructure agreement between the County and the Developer of the RAC and as described in the proposed ordinance, a number of vehicle trips remain vested for development within the RAC. The proposed ordinance extends the vesting period for these trips from September 2015 to September 2035 or until the trips are used, whichever occurs first. On January 8, 2014, staff attended a teleconference with representatives of Okaloosa County and the City of Destin to discuss the proposed RAC expansion. It was agreed that subsequent to adoption of the ordinance expanding the boundary of the RAC that a Comprehensive Plan amendment would be necessary to recognize the limits of the RAC. This could be accomplished by either amending the future land use map or providing a site-specific policy (or both). The proposed RAC expansion is consistent with the adopted Okaloosa County Comprehensive Plan and the incorporation of the various parcels described will advance several goals of Okaloosa County’s Land Development Code. Staff has not identified any issues with the proposed RAC expansion. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity | Caldwell Building | 107 E. Madison Street | Tallahassee, FL 32399 866.FLA.2345 | 850.245.7105 | 850.921.3223 Fax www. floridajobs.org | www.twitter.com/FLDEO | www.facebook.com/FLDEO