From Walton Sun
Walton County may be growing too fast for infrastructure to keep up.
In a letter received last week addressed to the Planning Department, the Department of Community Affairs said Walton County should refrain from making any more land use amendments until the Evaluation and Appraisal Report, which outlines progress in the county?s Comprehensive Plan, has been approved by DCA officials.
The DCA expressed concerned about Walton County?s residential development. With increased urban sprawl, the county does not have the ability to provide urban facilities. ?This is a huge roadblock for land use issues in the next six to 18 months,? Blackshear said.
Blackshear believes that the DCA was not referring to small-scale amendments, 10 acres or less.
However, the county could not process any large land use amendments until EAR has been completed, explained Tita Sokolff, long-range planner, said.
Blackshear will discuss the matter further with DCA and return to the board with more information at the BCC?s Feb. 14 meeting at the South Walton Annex.
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At least every 7 years, counties are required by state law to do an
EAR. The purpose of the EAR is for the County to assess how its
Comprehensive plan is working and to amend the Comprehensive Plan
as necessary. The new Comprehensive Plan should incorporate a
vision for the future.
Walton County?s EAR was due in August of 2006. According to the
State, it takes, on the average, 15 to 24 months for counties to do an
EAR and submit it to the State for review. Walton County, however,
has not even gotten started on the evaluation process. At this point,
the County cannot do a comprehensive EAR and make the deadline of
August, 2006. Therefore, the County has received permission from
the State to do a ?mini Ear? to be followed by a full EAR at a future
date. The mini EAR will result in proposed additions to or deletions
from our existing Comprehensive Plan. It will not be an exhaustive
revision of the law. Instead, the County will choose certain topics
which it feels need immediate attention and process those issues
through the mini EAR.
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Beach FanaticAuthor
The Department of Community Affairs found four policies not in compliance in the Walton County comprehensive plan.
According to a Jan. 11 letter addressed to Commission Chairman Scott Brannon, the DCA determined that the future land use element, the coastal zone/conservation, housing element policy and the transportation element policies do not meet Florida Statute requirements.
?We?re aware of the issues and trying to address them,? County Administrator Ronnie Bell said.
According to Paul DiGiusippi, regional planning administrator for DCA, the agency is working with the county to identify problems and recommend solutions.
?My suggestion is to work with the Department of Community Affairs on a settlement agreement that will allow modifications to adopted ordinances and bring them in compliance,? Planning Department Director Pat Blackshear said.
A settlement agreement provides cities and counties the opportunity to resolve ?not in compliance amendments,? Blackshear said. However, the Board of County Commissioners must authorize the measure first.
?We want to try to reach a settlement agreement with DCA and make good decisions for the citizens of Walton County,? Bell said.
The Planning Department will make recommendations regarding the comprehensive plan to the Board of County Commissioners at its Feb. 14 meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
According to a Jan. 11 letter addressed to Commission Chairman Scott Brannon, the DCA determined that the future land use element, the coastal zone/conservation, housing element policy and the transportation element policies do not meet Florida Statute requirements.
?We?re aware of the issues and trying to address them,? County Administrator Ronnie Bell said.
According to Paul DiGiusippi, regional planning administrator for DCA, the agency is working with the county to identify problems and recommend solutions.
?My suggestion is to work with the Department of Community Affairs on a settlement agreement that will allow modifications to adopted ordinances and bring them in compliance,? Planning Department Director Pat Blackshear said.
A settlement agreement provides cities and counties the opportunity to resolve ?not in compliance amendments,? Blackshear said. However, the Board of County Commissioners must authorize the measure first.
?We want to try to reach a settlement agreement with DCA and make good decisions for the citizens of Walton County,? Bell said.
The Planning Department will make recommendations regarding the comprehensive plan to the Board of County Commissioners at its Feb. 14 meeting at the Walton County Courthouse.
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