Meeting Called to
Order
Reid Hughes,
Chair, called the meeting to order at 3:05p.m.
Roll Call
Reid Hughes,
Chair, instructed the Recording Secretary to record the roll of the
Members in attendance.
Approval of
Minutes
Chairman Reid
Hughes requested approval of the July 11, 2001, and July 24, 2001,
minutes. Member Gordon Kipp made a motion to approve the
July 11, 2001, and July 24, 2001, minutes, as
prepared. Chairman Reid Hughes declared the July 11, 2001, and
July 24, 2001, minutes approved, as prepared.
Discussion of
Letter to County Council
Chairman Reid
Hughes presented two (2) letters addressed to the Volusia County Council
from the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee regarding the Volusia
Conservation Corridor, which are dated July 27, 2001, and August 1, 2001.
The letter dated July 27, 2001, requested assistance in lobbying the State
to have the project known as the Volusia Conservation Corridor moved up to
the "A" list from the "B" list. The letter dated
August 1, 2001, requested assistance with protecting of the
Volusia Conservation Corridor by urging the County Council and PLDRC to
resist any rezoning or Comprehensive Plan changes in this geographic area.
Member Carrie
Stewart requested that a copy of the July 27, 2001, letter be sent to Mr.
Troy Rice, Executive Director of the Indiana River Lagoon National Estuary
Program, to render further assistance in the lobbying efforts with the
Volusia Conservation Corridor being moved up to the "A" list.
Member Carrie Stewart indicated that she would be addressing the next
IRLNEP Meeting.
Frank Gummey, Jr.
explained that it would not be permissible for Member Carrie Stewart, as a
representative of the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee, to
lobby/petition for support according to Resolution 2001-69, Section XI,
last sentence, which states; "Members of the Committee are prohibited
from representing the Volusia Forever Program or the County interests to
any public or private land acquisition or preservation support entity
including the St. Johns River Water Management District, the State of
Florida and the United States of American unless otherwise directed by the
County Council or County Manager or designee."
Member Carrie
Stewart explained that she was not representing the Volusia Forever
Program with this request, but was representing Volusia County within the
IRLNEP Program. She further explained that this letter could be utilized
as leverage with the IRLNEP Program’s Committee in the lobbying efforts
for the Volusia Conservation Corridor being moved up to the "A"
list.
Discussion of
Resolution-01
Sub-Committee
Chairman Doug Daniels presented the latest Sub-Committee version of
Resolution-01, and explained that after much comparing and discussing of
the following documents, the Sub-Committee compiled the resolution, which
incorporates procedures for land acquisition, and addresses issues such as
bonding and ranking criteria:
1: Resolutions
2000-155 (Forever) and 2000-156 (ECHO) – Defines what each Committee
is charged with doing. The ranking criteria was developed from language
in Resolution 2000-155.
2: Florida
Statute 253.7825 (Recreational Uses) – Definition of
"Resource-Based" Activities. The term
"resource-based" recreation was incorporated to assist in the
definition of outdoor recreation.
3: Florida
Statute 259.105 (Florida Forever Act)
He further
explained that Resolution-01 was revised to follow closely with
Resolution 2000-155 and the Florida Forever Program, as this was
the intent of the public and the County Council.
Discussion
ensued with regards to the issues over whether historical and
archeological properties are to be handled by Forever.
Member Dennis
Bayer explained that historical and archeological were incorporated in
the ranking criteria to be "enhancement" criteria, which would
address any intent issue and points could be maximized when requesting
State funding. He further explained that as long as the initial criteria
of environmentally sensitive, water resource protection, or
resource-based recreation lands were met, then historical and
archeological lands could be acquired by Forever. However, if the
property was solely historical and/or archeological lands then the
property should be referred to ECHO.
After much
discussion the following changes were recommended in order to follow
Resolution 2000-155 and the Florida Forever Program, along with resolving
issues pertaining to historical and/or archeological properties:
Page 1
– 3rd WHEREAS Clause – delete the word "passively"
from the 4th line of the paragraph.
Page 2
– Section 2. Initial Authorization of Bonds. – delete the word "or"
from the last line and replace it with "of"
.
Page 4
– Paragraph "d" – add "or other non-fee
mechanisms" to the 2nd sentence, 3 rd line, which would read:
"The acquisition of conservation easements or other non-fee
mechanisms is encouraged by the Florida Forever Program…"
Page 7
– Paragraph "d" – add "application" to the
1st sentence, 1st line, which would read: "Each property application
must meet the Primary Site Ranking Criteria…" Delete the words "for
providing" from the 4th and 5th lines and replace it with "provide",
which would read: "…resource protection and resource based
recreation lands and water areas and provide public use
opportunities."
Page 8
– Site Ranking Criteria –
Primary Criteria:
Water Resources –
5th bullet
– add "aquifers and springs and" and "therein";
delete "or" and "in aquifers and springs", which
would read: "Preservation of aquifers and springs and reduction
of contaminants therein."
Primary Criteria:
Environmentally Sensitive Lands –
4th bullet
– move the word "upland" after "significant",
which would read: "Maintain or increase in the amount of forest land,
scrub habitat and/or any other significant upland communities
"
Page 9
– Enhancement Criteria
1st bullet
– add the word "significant" after "inventory
of", which would read: "Increase in the inventory of significant
historical, archeological, and cultural sites."
3rd bullet
– add the words "goals, policies and objectives" and
delete "needs", which would read: "Property meets
the goals, policies and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan."
Page 11
– 1st sentence, 2nd and 3rd lines – delete the word
"majority" and add "at least five members", which
would read: "The decision to add property to the eligibility pool
shall be made by a vote of at lease five members of the Volusia
Forever Advisory Committee…"
Page 12
– Paragraph "(a)," Group A – 2nd sentence, 3rd line – add
the word "the " and delete "this", which
would read: "Properties designated for Group A will be based on the
Site Ranking Criteria for the property."
Page 13
- Paragraph "a," Establishment of An Active Acquisition List
with Approval by the County Council. – 3rd line – add the word "the"
and delete "using the site ranking," which would read:
"A prioritized active acquisition list will be maintained….combination
of factors including the final site ranking…"
Member Carrie
Stewart made a motion to recommend that the County Council adopt
Resolution-01, as amended. Member Anne Hallum seconded the motion that
carried unanimously by voice vote.
Member Dennis
Bayer made a request for clarification regarding sole purchaser of
property; " Do we have to partner on all purchases or can we be the
sole purchaser?"
Member Doug
Daniels explained that according to Resolution 2000-155, Section X,
Page 8, 4th sentence, (It is the intent of the county to use the
funds approved herein to apply for matching grants awarded under the
Florida Forever Program, set forth in Chapter 99-247, Laws of
Florida, and any amendments thereto and any similar federal funding
program, to maximize the use of public monies to benefit Volusia County)
sole purchasing should be permissible. However, the Committee would
request clarification from the County Council as to the intent of this
Section.
Update on Projects
Submitted by August 13, 2001, Deadline
Chairman Reid
Hughes requested that Bill Gardner present an overview of the Florida
Community Trust (FCT) Projects that were submitted by the August 13, 2001,
deadline in Tallahassee.
Bill Gardner
explained the three (3) projects submitted to FCT, which are as follows:
North Peninsula Inholdings –
This project included three (3) different land owners and seven (7)
parcels. At the recommendation of FCT staff, this was a re-submittal from
the 1998 application.
Spruce Creek Inholdings – This
project contains several significant parcels which run along Spruce Creek
and which were part of the original CARL boundary submitted back in 1988.
In 1998, St. Johns River Water Management District staff handled the
appraisal work and subsequently faced property owners with high
expectations. County staff believes this is a good project and should rank
well in this FCT review cycle.
New Smyrna Beach – Esther Street
Project, f/k/a Graffiti Wall - This project contains significant
beachfront property and is approximately 1.07 acres.
He explained that
the County is eligible for $6.6 million for these projects. However, the
projects came to $5.1 million. In November or December, an update on the
ranking of these projects should be provided by FCT.
Chairman Reid
Hughes requested an update on the Volusia Conservation Corridor from Bill
Gardner.
Bill Gardner
explained that Mr. Lynn Freeman, St. Johns River Water Management
District, Land Acquisition, and he would be reviewing the Hart property
located in Cape Atlantic Estates which is between Edgewater and Brevard
County. He referenced the map provided several weeks ago, which depicted
the properties acquired by Mr. Hart. He explained that these properties
are a high priority with St. Johns Water Management District.
Chairman Reid
Hughes explained that St. Johns River Water Management District has taken
the lead role in the land acquisition process with regards to properties
in the Volusia Conservation Corridor. He further explained that St. Johns
River Water Management District and Volusia County are working together to
acquire properties in the Corridor.
Discussion ensued
with regards to the property in which the Happy Whale Condominium was
located.
Doug Weaver
explained that the Happy Whale Condominium was demolished to resolve a
Code Enforcement case with significant fines. He further explained that
there would be restoration of the restaurant but not the condominium.
Member Dennis
Bayer proposed the potential utilization of this property for beach
access.
Discussion of the
Process for Potential Applicants
Chairman Reid
Hughes explained that any potential applicant would need to 1) obtain an
application from staff, 2) complete it and return it to staff, 3) staff
will review, evaluate and rank the property, and 4) staff will submit
recommendations to the Committee.
Discussion ensued
with regards to creating an Agenda Item for County Council to approve the
Application, Work Plan, and Resolution-01.
Frank B. Gummey,
Jr. asked if the previously approved Site Ranking Criteria had now been
superseded by the Site Ranking Criteria contained within Resolution-01.
Chairman Reid
Hughes responded that the Committee has replaced the originally approved
Site Ranking Criteria with the Site Ranking Criteria contained within
Resolution-01.
Member Carrie
Stewart made a request to change the meeting time from 3:00p.m. to
3:30p.m., due to work conflicts.
The Committee
agreed to change the time to 3:30p.m. starting with the
September 5, 2001, meeting.
Public Comments
Jay Bushnell, a
member of the public, explained that he was actively involved with the
development of the Volusia Forever Program, which was patterned after the
Florida Forever Program that includes language for "heritage
endangered lands." He agreed that historical and archeological
criteria should be included in the ranking criteria to maximize points
with State funding.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 4:45p.m.
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