DCA QUARTERLY REPORT - SECOND QUARTER 2007-2008

ATTACHMENT A-1

REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL - GENERAL REVENUE FUNDING

PART I

1. Areas of Critical State Concern: Upon request, provide assistance to DCA or to local governments.

Accomplishments:

· Staff continues to monitor ACSC issues and, upon request, provide assistance to DCA and local governments.

2. Ten-year Site Plans and Site Certification: Upon request, provide assistance to the Department, DEP and the PSC in performing review, and act as a clearinghouse for such projects.

Accomplishments: Staff has evaluated two transmission line siting applications and found no issues of regional concern.

3. Dispute Resolution: Make available a dispute resolution process to reconcile differences between local governments on planning and growth management issues pursuant to Section 186.509, Florida Statutes.

Accomplishments: No Dispute Resolution activity this period

4. Data Uniformity:

· Coordinate with the Department to achieve uniformity and consistency in land use information and data collection efforts in the state, and to provide a usable and accessible database to assist local governments and the private sector, pursuant to Subsection 186.507.

· Within 60 days following adoption of a SRPP amendment, provide a computer file copy of all maps used in the amendment.

Accomplishments:

· Staff continues to cooperate with the Department as requested.

· There have been no amendments to the SRPP this quarter.

5. Emergency Preparedness Planning: Provide a representative to participate as a review team member during the reviews of local comprehensive emergency management plans in accordance with Rule Chapter 9G-6.006 and 9G-6.007, Florida Administrative Code, and local post-disaster mitigation and redevelopment plans.

Accomplishments:

Staff continues to assist the counties as requested. Staff attends meetings and assists DeSoto County and Polk County as they develop their Local Mitigation Strategy Plan. Staff attends meetings, reviews documents, and makes comments as requested.

6. Intergovernmental Coordination and Review: Carry out the functions of a regional clearinghouse as designated by the Executive Office of the Governor. Review and comment as appropriate on federal, state and regional plans that may impact the region.

Accomplishments: There were eleven (11) IC&R requests reviewed during this quarter with no comment letters issued for all of them.

7. Hazardous Waste:

· Advise local governments with regard to the hazardous waste site verification program pursuant to Section 403.723(2), Florida Statutes.

· Assist, to the extent possible, DCA with implementation of the state multipurpose Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Act, Sections 403.78 - 403.7893, Florida Statutes.

Accomplishments:

· No local government within the region has contacted the Council about determining a site for a hazardous waste site pursuant to Section 403.723(2), F.S.

· DCA has not requested assistance with the Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Act.

· Staff has completed the Hazards Analysis inspections for Okeechobee County for FY 07-08 and has submitted their report. Second quarter 2008 inspections under the Small Quantity Generators of Hazardous Waste (SQG) program are complete for Okeechobee, Hardee and DeSoto Counties.

9. Assistance to Citizens and Local Governments:

· Provide assistance to DCA in the accomplishment of its objectives as set forth in Section 163.03, Florida Statutes. Conduct activities as necessary to implement appropriate provisions of Section 186.505, Florida Statutes.

· Provide assistance to interested parties relating to any activities conducted pursuant to this or past Agreements with DCA.

Accomplishments:

· Staff received and responded to approximately 664 requests for assistance from citizens and/or representatives from local government, in person and by phone, during the last quarter.

· The Council’s contractual DRI administrator received and responded to 37 requests for assistance from citizens or representatives from local government concerning current or historical DRI activities. The 37 requests involved approximately 28 hours.

· Staff administering DCA related activities this past quarter utilized a total of 650 hours.

· The Council has identified specific technical assistance needs in local governments in the region. This quarter 11 (eleven) municipalities are making use of Council staff to provide basic planning administration and training available to their governing bodies, boards and permitting and code enforcement staffs. Chief among the tasks delineated in Standard and Specialized Planning Advisory Services (PAS) contracts are; (a) planning and zoning administration, (b) concurrency management systems design and maintenance, (c) GIS mapping, (d) comprehensive plan maintenance (which includes amendments), (e) land development regulation design and maintenance, (f) large-scale development review, (g) Capital Improvement Elements (CIEs), and (h) Evaluation and Appraisal Reports (EARs), (i) Community Redevelopment Planning, (j) Joint Land Use Study – Avon Park Air Force Range, (k) Joint Planning Agreements for City of Auburndale and Polk County.

· Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA): The Council Staff continues to assist two CRAs and is assisting in the creation of one other. The Council Staff continues to assist the City of Bartow as consultants to their CRA, and to support the administration of the Bartow CRA. The Council is now developing the CRA Plan for the City of Fort Meade and the City of Bartow. The Council is also providing support to the Northridge CRA in Polk County in planning for their infrastructure.

· This quarter the Council Staff assisted the Cities of Davenport, Mulberry, Polk City, Wauchula, Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs in the processing and preparation of Comprehensive Plan amendments.

· This quarter the Council Staff also assisted the Cities of Bartow, Davenport, Polk City, and Frostproof, in decisions relating to annexation.

· A total of 165.9 hours of staff time was spent in administering PAS contracts this quarter.

· Council staff participated in the development of a modified Transportation Proportionate Fair Share memorandum of understanding/interlocal agreement, and ordinance for the use of local governments. The Council is assisting Polk, Okeechobee, Highlands, Desoto, and Hardee Counties, and the Cities of Arcadia, Auburndale, Bartow, Bowling Green, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Lakeland, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales, Mulberry, Okeechobee, Polk City, Wauchula, Winter Haven and Zolfo Springs.

To date, Polk, Okeechobee, and Hardee Counties, and the Cities of Arcadia, Auburndale, Bartow, Bowling Green, Davenport, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Lake Alfred, Mulberry, Okeechobee, Polk City, Wauchula, Winter Haven and Zolfo Springs have adopted the Ordinance.

· Council staff is participating in the adoption of an updated interlocal agreement and Schools Facilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan for Polk County and municipalities within the County.

· Council staff is completed technical reports on three potential school sites for the Polk County School Board.

· Hardee County School Board used Council staff to prepare an Impact Fee Study to determine the appropriate fees for future Capital Improvement budgeting and establish procedures for implementing the fees.

· Hardee County is using Council staff to assist in the preparation and adoption of the School Concurrency requirements and documents by the cities of Wauchula, Bowling Green, and Zolfo Springs.

· The City of Frostproof is using the Council staff to prepare an Impact Fee Study to determine the appropriate fees for future Capital Improvement budgeting.

· The Council has helped form a Polk Lands Stewardship Alliance with environmental groups, agricultural groups, and builders groups.

· The Council is a founding member of the Polk Attainable Housing Alliance, which is committed to planning new partnerships to solve the growing concern for affordable housing in the Central Florida Region.

· Staff has reviewed and commented on comprehensive plan issues proposed by three counties (Polk, Highlands, and Hardee), developed as a result of scoping meetings for review by DCA as part of the Evaluation and Appraisal report and plan update process.

· The Staff is assisting 13 small, rural cities in planning and conducting the required public meetings to develop the issues list for study during the Evaluation and Appraisal Report and comprehensive plan update process.

· The Council hosted two in a series of Rural Land Stewardship Program Rulemaking Workshops on July 19, and September 24, 2007. The purpose was to establish minimum criteria for RLS review. They were both well attended by local governments and interested citizens, with approximately 90 people attending both workshops.

· The Council held the first of its Regional Visioning effort referred to as “Heartland 2060 Where Do We Begin” on September 19, 2007. Citizens and local governments pondered what the region will look like in the year 2060. Approximately 120 people were in attendance. A second organizational meeting of the Heartland 2060 initiative was held on November 28, 2007. It was attended by 26 public, private, and community representatives who had indicated their interest in serving on the “Leadership Team”.

PART II

Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)

1. Carry out all applicable DRI and FQD procedures as required by Chapter 380, Florida Statutes; Rule Chapters 9J-2, 9J-3, 9J-28, and 28-24, Florida Administrative Code; and other pertinent rules which are adopted during the contract period.

Notify the Department about any objections to NOPCs or any objection to a Development order resulting from a NOPC within 35 days of receipt.

SUMMARY OF CFRPC DRI ACTIVITY

CF South Pasture: The formal pre-application meeting for a 7,000 acre addition to the South Pasture mine has been conducted and all applicable methodologies approved. The applicant is currently performing environmental monitoring and survey work for inclusion in the Application for Development Approval.

Mosaic Ona Mine DRI: Work on this application has been temporarily suspended.

Mosaic South Ft. Meade Mine Extension: The ADA was submitted in May 2006 and sufficiency comments provided in August. The second sufficiency response has been received and reviewed. The application was found sufficient in December, 2008. The CFRPC hearing will be held on February 13, 2008.

Clear Springs Sector Plan: This application has been terminated and the applicant has submitted a request to be named as a Sector Plan demonstration Project. Several pre-scoping meetings were held with the applicant and the City of Bartow. A scoping meeting was held on May 3, 2007 and a public workshop was held on May 29, 2007. CFRPC submitted a report to the DCA on June 19, 2007 recommending the application as an appropriate use of the Sector Plan Process. The Conceptual Plan Overlay was received October 24, 2007 and Comments were received from review agencies. The Detailed Specific Area Plan was received on November 21, 2007 and is under review.

Lakes at DeSoto: The pre-application meeting for this project was held on August 8, 2005. This roughly 6,000-acre development is proposed in DeSoto County on SR 31, east of Arcadia. The applicant is proposing to develop 17,000 housing units and over 1,000,000 sq. ft. of retail service over a ten-year period. To date, no ADA has been provided. The applicant recently indicated their interest in proceeding with the development and will schedule another pre-application meeting.

The Lakes at Valencia: This 3,840 acre DeSoto County project is located 9 miles east of Arcadia on a site that is presently a citrus grove. This is an age-targeted development that is proposed to contain 12,517 dwelling units and 747,402 square feet of non-residential development. A pre-application meeting was conducted in December and an Application for Development Approval was provided on October 29, 2007. Initial sufficiency comments have been provided.

The Grove: The Grove is proposed to be a self-sufficient new town set in the northeast corner of Okeechobee County on approximately nine square miles. This is envisioned to be an age-targeted active adult community. A pre-application meeting was conducted in June 2006 and a number of methodology meetings followed. The applicant revised the development concept and submitted the ADA on March 30, 2007. The applicant provided the second sufficiency response on October 29, 2007 and sufficiency comments have been provided.

Eagle Ridge Mall: A pre-application meeting has been conducted and a Substantial Deviation Application is in preparation for the purpose of extending the build out of this existing facility. A NOPC has also been submitted and is under review. The ADA was submitted in July, 2007 and sufficiency comments have been provided.

CSX ILC: CSX Railroad has proposed development of a 330 acre Integrated Logistics Facility in Winter Haven. The pre-application meeting was held on October 24, 2007. The ADA was submitted on December 19, 2007. Sufficiency comments are due February 1, 2008.

Polk Commerce Center Substantial Deviation: Polk County as the CRA is proceeding with a substantial deviation to the Polk Commerce Area-wide DRI. A pre-application meeting was conducted on October 18, 2007.

Hatchinehaw Lakes DRI: