Lee BOCC Workshop
on DR/GR and Mining issues
August 9, 2007 at 9 AM in
the Commissioners’ Chambers
2120 Main St., Fort
Myers.
Workshop notes:Wayne
Daltry & Mary Gibbs presented summary of stakeholder's workshop and
staff recommendations & alternatives.
Commissioner Comments:
Judah:
- Recognizes location of rock
- There will be mining in the DR/GR - where appropriate
- More pressure is coming
- Need an overlay - TDR's / clustered dev - either as comp plan
amendment or otherwise
- Need incentives to protect agriculture
Janes:
Bigelow:
- Concerned about the dominos falling in DRGR
- Stop the mining applications coming before us
- Buy ourselves some time - two years for election cycle
- dire situation
- conflicts
- put public interest before special interests
- consider moratorium
- suggested $5 million to Gibbs to build team to study the mining
situation
Mann:
- Thanks to Jack Luft
- Not ready for moratorium at this time
- Task is going to be difficult than suggested by Judah
- landowners have right to mine, but county has obligation to
protect pubilc interest
- Look at Transfer of Development Right's
- But what if we leave the DR/GR planning alone? - Everything gets
mined and we have lots of fresh water we can use in the future.
Judah:
- Rebuts Mann's assertion that mines could serve as fresh water
reserviors
- Public is relying on us for guidance & leadership
- Respond in a proactive way to the proliferation of mining apps
- Set aside env sensitive lands
- Don't back-burner this issue
- Recognized Erwin/Spikowski plan as valuable
Janes:
- Direct staff to continue to develop overlay - top priority
- Work on truck traffic issue
Gibbs:
- We can create action plan in 3-4 weeks
Hall:
- Look at maps / ownership with an eye toward acquisition
- Fill the gaps in science recognized in McLane compilation
- Lee needs to be a leader, or this issue will be taken from us by
legislature
- Wants concensus among stakeholders
Daltry:
- 3 weeks
- comp amendments
- policy path and concensus path in parallel
Judah:
- Include Estero's Erwin/Spikowski grant initiative in action plan
- Incorporate Ag incentives
- Reclamation
Bigelow:
- Critical to pursue a master planning effort
- Hire professionals that can help us plan
- Won't sign off on a little bitty action plan
Judah:
- Direction is not "little bitty". This is master planning
- Can't wait two years as suggested by Bigelow
Gibbs:
- Probably can't do this in house. Need professional consultant
help.
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