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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:

  • Reclamation important

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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