Lee plan would restrict DR/GR development
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Lee County planners didn't use the "M" word but two suggestions in a proposed plan for environmentally sensitive land could place a temporary moratorium on development.
In a 14-part plan designed to figure out what uses should be allowed in the county's 90,000-acre Density Reduction/Groundwater Recharge area, planners propose limiting rezonings and comprehensive plan amendments while a review of the area is under way. The review of the property to determine which areas are suitable for mining and development and which should be preserved for water resources could take up to a year.
Lee County Commissioners will be asked to approve part or all of the action plan and hire a consultant to conduct the review at their meeting Tuesday.
At least seven proposed mines that are going through the county's zoning process and one major development "” The Fountains "” could be affected by a moratorium.
But limits could be necessary so the county is not determining uses for land that is going through the rezoning process, said Mary Gibbs, director of community development for Lee County.
"If you don't limit what applications you're taking in, it limits you for planning purposes," Gibbs said. "Pretty soon there will be nothing left to work with."
Commissioners set aside land for the DR/GR in the late 1980s to meet state requirements for protecting the area's groundwater and reducing density. Development was reduced to one unit per 10 acres, with other uses, such as mining and agriculture permitted.
In the 1980s, development had not yet reached eastern Lee County. But as other areas of the county get developed, the focus begins to shift to the DR/GR. Recent mining interest in the area has sparked opposition from residents.
"It's a feeding frenzy," said Bill Lytell, a resident of east Corkscrew Road who has been trying to get county commissioners to rethink permitable land uses in the DR/GR for years. "We had two mines approved in the last 20 years. Now we've got five in the application process with more on the way."
Lytell believes poor planning in the 1980s is allowing mining companies to destroy the area's groundwater.
If the action plan is approved by commissioners, county staff will evaluate several aspects of mining, including the permitting process, traffic enforcement and road damage caused by trucks entering and leaving the mines.
Planners will also consider comprehensive plan amendments for the DR/GR, which would designate areas for preservation, mining, residential uses and agriculture. Development could be clustered in areas that are less environmentally sensitive.
"The choice is between turning the DR/GR into one open pit mine or having mixed use and some agriculture," said Mark Preston, an east Corkscrew resident who opposes mining. "I think a moratorium is essential because you have to completely and thoroughly understand the hydrology of the area."
A representative from SouthStar Development Partners, the developer of The Fountains, could not be reached for comment. The Fountains is a 4,000-home, 2,700-acre development proposed for the DR/GR near Daniels Parkway.
Commissioner Brian Bigelow said he is in favor of a temporary moratorium, but he may have problems getting others on the board to agree.
"At a workshop, I was not afraid to use the 'M' word," Bigelow said. "I think there are plenty of folks pleading for that. Without it, it's just a race and you can't do effective planning when you have so much bearing down on you that limits your alternatives."
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Posted by jim09091 (anonymous) at 9:12 a.m. on September 7, 2007 (Suggest removal)
Good.
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