The Manatee County Comprehensive Plan Rewrite Draft 2045 Comprehensive Plan: “Envision Manatee” is now available for public review. Citizens have until August 6 to comment on the update.
The Comprehensive Plan Update should not serve to encourage inappropriate development and short-term economic gain at the expense of long-term environmental protection. Manatee County's ability to remain an attractive place to live and work is directly related to its ability to preserve its natural resources. Several new policies and improvements to the Comprehensive Plan are needed:
Natural Habitat and Wildlife
Emphases should be given to the establishment of environmental corridors and the protection of habitat for endangered threatened, or species of a special concern. Gopher tortoise protection should be strengthened.
An inventory of those lands held in conservation easements to determine their status of compliance needs to be done. Conservation Easements should require identification of environmental systems, habitats, wildlife, and their protection.
The Coast
The Coastal Setback Code should protect lateral public pedestrian access, decreases coastal armoring, protects dune systems and beachfront vegetation, and provides for greater disaster preparedness. The Coastal Setback Code should also require the disclosure of specific hazardous conditions during property transfers.
Water Quality
An Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) designation requires that water quality must not be degraded below the level that existed at the time of the OFW designation. The OFW rule is intended to prohibit direct discharges of effluent that would degrade the water quality of OFW's such as Sarasota Bay.
Any development proposed within the Sarasota Bay Estuarine System must meet federal antidegradation requirements. The Comprehensive Plan needs to recognize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requirements for protection of an Outstanding Florida Water.
Involve other area governments, such as adjacent counties, in the review process regarding ordinances and policies that affect surface and ground waters and environmental features shared by other counties.
Establish a program to monitor aquifer groundwater quality, clean-up of the aquifer in cases of contamination resulting from their use, and financial responsibility for the clean up by the polluter.
Establish a penalty fee system to discourage improper hazardous waste disposal.
Establish a groundwater quality-monitoring program, which will include establishing monitoring wells in abandoned landfill sites and other potential hazardous sites.
The water quality of the bays of Manatee County should be restored and improved to a minimum level that allows shellfish to be harvested.
In specifying land uses, the County should require the investigation of all subsurfaces conditions for land uses which have the potential for contamination of groundwater and prohibit such uses which have a significant potential for contamination and which cannot be fully mitigated.
Clean Air and Transportation
Manatee County's Land Development Regulations do not address air quality impacts for new development.
The collection and analysis of ambient air quality data is important and should be made a requirement for land use changes proposed in Manatee County. Clean air is an important part of our economy. Increases in pollution will erode the prosperity of our coastal communities, which depend greatly on tourist, retirement and other health- related recreational-oriented activities.
Ambient state and federal air-quality standards are standards that do not protect our health but rather are standards designating the maximum tolerable concentrations in the ambient air of substances identified as pollutants. These national and state standards are minimum guidelines designed to be applicable to all areas in the state or country and reflect the nation's most congested, industrialized and polluted urban areas.
Meeting only the minimal FDEP and EPA air quality standards does not protect the health of Manatee’s at-risk groups. There are tens of thousands of residents in Manatee County that are in the at-risk groups for those suffering from asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.
Adopt comprehensive plan policy concerning the location of federally subsidized housing in relation to known toxic waste sites and toxic air pollution emissions. Neither Manatee County nor any of the municipalities have any comprehensive plan policies that require consideration of Environmental Justice.
Agriculture
The conversion of native habitat to agricultural uses must be highly regulated for the protection of native habitats.
Review Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) permits that pertain to agriculture and review SWFWMD agricultural exemptions granted in Manatee County.
Dedicated open space and native habitat will likely be converted to open pasture, having little value as a regional greenway, wildlife corridor, or conservation area. Priority needs to be given to the protection of native habitats over the protection of agricultural lands, as native habitats are the lands that are in the most danger of being destroyed in the future.
Adopt policy and regulations that will allow for the identification of the type and amount of pesticides and fertilizers being used in agricultural activities. Additional policy that regulates such activities is necessary if the County wants to protect the remaining native habitats located on private lands.
Future Land Use
Require radon resistant construction features for all new development to prevent radon gas problems.
Provide adequate monitoring of radon levels in homes built in Manatee County.
To ensure the successful completion of wetland mitigation projects, the County should require permittees to post performance lands sufficient to cover the cost of constructing and maintaining the mitigation.
To ensure the successful completion of wetland mitigation projects, the County should also require permittees to successfully complete mitigation projects prior to the destruction of existing wetlands.
No development order should be issued which would permit development within the 100-year floodplain that would degrade existing water quality or impact the functions of the floodplain.
Mining activities should not be permitted or permissible within designated areas of special environmental significance and/or sensitivity.
Adopt a site development review sector that includes a comprehensive review of the natural environment for land development proposals as part of the development review process.
Require sellers of property to describe in writing environmental concerns or unusual environmental features to prospective land buyers.
The impact on the natural environment and neighborhood integrity shall be two of the criteria in evaluating and approving all decisions regarding the development, maintenance and improvement of the County's transportation system.
AllForOne
If approved as proposed, under Policy 2.1.2.7. which requires the review of all proposed development for compatibility... The implementation mechanism will require development conditions to be "voluntarily proffered" as opposed to being mandated by the commission. Further proof that developers are being given the upper hand in the land use decision-making process.
Sunday, July 5 Report this