City of Titusville Comprehensive Plan Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) Executive Summary

Transcription

1 City of Titusville Comprehensive Plan Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) Executive Summary On September 27, 1988 the City of Titusville adopted the Comprehensive Plan as mandated by the State s Growth Management Act. The nine-(9) elements of the plan were: Future Land Use, Traffic Circulation, Housing, Infrastructure, Coastal Management, Conservation, Recreation and Open Space, Intergovernmental Coordination, and Capital Improvements. This Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) reviews the objectives of the adopted Comprehensive Plan and evaluates our success or failure in meeting these objectives. The evaluation was prepared by: Identifying the condition of each element at the time of Plan adoption in Identifying the condition at the time the EAR was completed in November Preparing a comparison matrix for each objective of each element of the Plan. This comparison also indicates if the objectives were achieved. Evaluating the effects of Florida Statutes or Rule changes that have occurred since Addressing any anticipated Plan amendments required to further the Plan or resolve any deficiencies. The Statutes mandate that the Comprehensive Plan Amendments recommended in the EAR be adopted within one (1) year of the adoption of the EAR. If the adoption date of the EAR is 7/28/98 then the transmittal date for the first set of EAR based amendment will be 10/28/98 and adoption date 1/28/99. Pursuant to F.A.C. Rule 9J-5.005, the adoption of the EAR based amendments should be completed in one (1) year from date of EAR adoption. FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT 1. As indicated in Objective 15, an innovative mixed use PUD needs to be adopted that will allow residential, commercial and industrial uses adjacent to one another with appropriate buffers between the uses. A Comprehensive Plan Amendment is necessary to include the mixed-use PUD concept. A new land use category may be needed for this PUD. 2. A policy should be included in the future land use element that addresses public schools as an allowable use within specific land use designations and appropriate criteria for their location. vi

2 3. Goal #1,Objective #2 should be re-evaluated and specific dates added to the objective to provide a more measurable target. The need for the Historic Preservation Board should also be evaluated and a plan amendment completed. 4. Pursuant to the Florida Administrative Code Rule change, all subsequent comprehensive plan amendments will need to be reviewed against the Urban Sprawl indicators. 5. Goal #1,Objective #3 encouraging the elimination or reduction of inconsistent land uses should be amended to include specific target dates. 6. Goal #1,Objective #11 indicates that the city will provide adequate land for public and semi-public uses. An evaluation should be completed to verify if a public facilities element is appropriate. TRAFFIC CIRCULATION ELEMENT Both the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations (LDR s) need to be revised to reflect the new Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) functional classification. This will create uniformity and less confusion. The deficiencies noted will be submitted to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for approval as part of their proposed work programs. Where possible, improvements will be initiated by the City s Public Works Department and incorporated into the City s annual Capital Improvements Program Budget. 1. Rule 9J (1) has been added requiring that a Transportation Element be adopted to replace the Traffic Circulation Element of the City s Comprehensive Plan. This should be coordinated with the long-range transportation plan of the MPO. 2. Amend the Goal #1, Objective #1 relating to maximizing the accessibility between activities to provide a measurable target. 3. The scenic roadway program in Goal #1,Objective #3 should also be evaluated to determine if there is still a need. The objective should then be amended as appropriate. 4. Prepare Comprehensive Plan Amendments to change the Roadway Classifications to match the FDOT guidelines. Revise the LDR s to reflect these classifications. HOUSING ELEMENT All ten (10) Comprehensive Plan objectives have been achieved or are ongoing. The City s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Housing Department vii

3 administers numerous programs. Some of these programs are First Time Home Buyers Program, Facade Program, Demolition Program, Smoke Detector Program and Emergency Rehabilitation Program. The Department has also leveraged funds for the Space Coast Habitat for Humanity to purchase lots for affordable housing. Based on the 1995 University of Florida Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing the present affordable housing demand for the city reflects a deficit of eleven (11) affordable housing units. 1. There needs to be an amendment to the Housing Element to meet the requirements of 9J-5 relative to providing specific programs to streamline the permit process and to minimize the costs and delays for affordable housing. 2. In addition, the Historic Preservation Board addressed in the Housing Element should be evaluated to determine if this is still needed. Amendments are to be prepared as appropriate. 3. Objective #8 can be further refined by an amendment to include a specific time to eliminate all substandard units. INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENT Eight (8) of the nine-(9) objectives evaluated in the comparison matrix are accomplished, in progress, or continuing. This represents 88% of the objectives. The one (1) objective (representing the remaining the 12%), without significant achievement requires additional coordination between the 5-year Capital Improvement budget process and the Capital Improvements Element (CIE) of the Comprehensive Plan. The coordination stated in Goal #2, Objective #3 can be accomplished by ensuring that the prioritization process for funding capital projects are in conformance with the CIE of the adopted plan. 1. As indicted in the comparison matrix, one of the objectives in the Infrastructure Element should be eliminated because it has been achieved. It is Goal #5, Objective #1 codifying the Land Development Regulations, which was completed in The Comprehensive Plan should also be amended to update the projects listed in Goal #2, Objective #4. Several of the projects listed in the infrastructure element have been completed. 3. Goal#2, Objective #1 should be amended to reflect the status of the current LDR with regards to the protection of natural drainage features. The language relative to the creation of the Stormwater Utility should also be amended. 4. Goal #2, Objective #2 indicates that all the public infrastructure improvements identified in the CIE will be corrected prior to year Due to lack of adequate funding at both local and State Level this objective will need to be modified to state that By the year 2005 the listed capital projects will be completed etc. viii

4 5. Goal #4, Objective #1 this objective can be eliminated because the Land Development Regulations relating to the maintenance of the aquifer recharge areas has been completed. 6. Goal # 2, Objective #3 the Capital Improvement Financing Task force (CIFTF) was created and presented input to Council in 1989 and The need for this task force will be evaluated as part of the EAR based amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. 7. Goal #5,Objective #2 has been partially accomplished and should be amended to include the impacts of the City's water reuse program to the water conservation effort. COASTAL MANAGEMENT ELEMENT The City s Comprehensive Plan needs to be updated to reflect the changes in the City since Six (6) of the seven-(7) objectives evaluated have either been accomplished or are continuing. The Blue Heron Water Reclamation Plant has been constructed and effluent from the plant no longer discharges to the Indian River Lagoon. The Osprey Plant (North Plant) has been retrofitted and reuse water is available to parks, golf courses, commercial and some residential properties. Titusville and other municipalities in Brevard County have relied on Brevard County to prepare and develop the hazard mitigation plan and the post disaster redevelopment plan for the entire county. Titusville will participate in this process and provide assistance in the plan preparation. 1. The City of Titusville s Comprehensive Plan needs to be updated to reflect the changes in the City since The Blue Heron Water Reclamation Plant has been constructed and effluent from the plant no longer discharges to the Indian River Lagoon. The Osprey Plant (North Plant) has been retrofitted and reuse water is available to parks, golf courses, some commercial sites and some residential properties. 2. Goal #1, Objective #2 should be amended as required after evaluating the need for the smooth shoreline. 3. Goal #1, Objective #4 will need to be amended to include the marina siting plan information as appropriate. Brevard County is preparing this plan in co-operation with municipalities and the Florida Department of Protection. 4. The achieved Goal #2, Objective #3 relating to the establishing the adopted level of service should be eliminated. ix

5 5. Goal #2, Objective #2 needs to be amended to formally implement any post disaster redevelopment policies outlining immediate repair and cleanup actions needed to protect public health, removal relocation or structural modification of damaged infrastructure consistent with federal funding provisions. Brevard County is the lead agency on this plan and the city will participate as needed. 6. The plan should also be amended to include or modify policies in the future land use, coastal management, and intergovernmental coordination elements that recognize the county as the lead agency in the preparation of the post-disaster redevelopment plan and the that City will cooperate with the plan s recommendations as appropriate and financially feasible. 7. Include a policy in the Capital Improvement and Coastal Management Elements which states limiting public expenditures in the coastal high hazard area that encourages increase density or intensity. 8. Include policies coastal management, future land use, intergovernmental coordination, capital improvements element, infrastructure and transportation elements as appropriate that recognize recommendations from the local mitigation strategy plan. CONSERVATION ELEMENT The City needs to continue its efforts to implement the conservation plan. Fourteen of the fifteen objectives evaluated in the comparison matrix were achieved or are continuing. This shows the City has made significant progress in their conservation effort. This effort is very important to the City s future potable water supply. The City needs to create a process to obtain and evaluate the information on the one air quality to verify that there are no health problems being created by polluted air in the City of Titusville. This information is available on the Internet at the FDEP Web Page. 1. The City s Comprehensive Plan needs to be updated to reflect the correct names of agencies. x

6 RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT There were no substantive issues raised relative to the recreational element. The inventory of recreational facilities will be updated to reflect new facilities and the changes to some of the existing facilities. In addition, there are identified needs from the public for improvements for specific recreational activities which are currently not being provided. Skateboarding, soccer and softball facilities have recently been requested. 1. Of the eight- (8) objectives evaluated, all have been achieved or are continuing. Goal #3, Objective #3 has been accomplished and should be eliminated. The City studied the creation of a Parks and Recreation Department and decided to establish the Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) for Parks and Recreation with Brevard County. Brevard County now maintains most of the City parks. A Comprehensive Plan Amendment is needed to eliminate Goal #3, Objective #3 of the Recreation and Open Space Element. 2. A Comprehensive Plan Amendment is needed to update the parks and recreation inventory data. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION ELEMENT There were no major problems of coordination with other governmental agencies. Brevard County and other agencies usually inform the City of pending developments that may impact the City or working groups being created to address a particular problem. While this process is not a formal structured process, it has worked effectively in coordinating all the concerns of the various entities. Brevard County provides the city with agendas of upcoming County Commission meetings, Brevard County Planning and Zoning meetings and Brevard County Board of Adjustment meetings in order that the City can provide review comments. The Brevard County Emergency Management coordination effort with the City has also been very successful. Comprehensive Plan Amendments will be needed to address the following: 1. The listing of natural resources 2. Incorporation of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) Dispute Resolution Process. 3. Elimination of Goal #2 and the associated Objectives relative to the establishment of a commercial spaceport. The spaceport has been established and is currently operating. xi

7 4. The plan should also be amended to include or modify policies in the future land use, coastal management, and intergovernmental coordination elements that recognize Brevard County as the lead agency in the preparation of the postdisaster redevelopment plan and the that City will cooperate with the plan s recommendations as appropriate and financially feasible. 5. Include policies coastal management, future land use, intergovernmental coordination, capital improvements element, infrastructure and transportation elements as appropriate that recognize recommendations from the local mitigation strategy plan. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT The City has completed 10 of the 27 projects listed in the adopted comprehensive plan. They include traffic, water and sewer projects. Four (4) transportation projects are still programmed as part of the MPO 5-year plan. Two of the three sanitary sewer projects have been completed and the third is almost completed. All of the potable water projects have been completed or are underway. The 0.5 MG potable water storage tank was replaced by a 3.5 MG tank as part of the Cocoa interconnect project and is stated in Objective #4 of the evaluation matrix of the Infrastructure Element. Some of these utility improvements were financed by a $55.6 M bond issue. It should be noted that several of the projects have been started and are ongoing. Additional funding for stormwater projects was derived from the Stormwater Utility Fund, which was created in The stormwater improvement and maintenance function was originally part of the Public Works Department and there was no specific funding dedicated to stormwater projects. The Stormwater Utility Department operates and maintains the drainage system so that street and other nuisance flooding which hampers commerce is reduced and/or eliminated. The Department also provides master planning for drainage basins in the City limits and seeks to improve the water quality of runoff discharges to the Indian River. The Community Redevelopment Agency has funded, through tax increment financing, several projects in the CRA. By leveraging funds as matches the CRA has also been successful in obtaining several grants to supplement project development costs. Of the five-(5) objectives evaluated, all 5 were achieved or are continuing. Changes to the Capital Improvements Program, pursuant to Rule 9J-5, will need to be incorporated into the CIE with a Comprehensive Plan Amendment. 1. The CIE must be amended pursuant to Rule 9J F.A.C to include implementation of a Concurrency Management System (CMS). 2. An amendment is required to ensure that the Level of Service Standards for public facilities found in the Traffic Circulation Element, Infrastructure Element and xii

8 other parts of the Comprehensive Plan is now included in the Capital Improvements Element. 3. The 5-year schedule of capital improvements should be updated using the analysis for the amendment stated for the CMS to ensure that the public facilities are available for proposed developments concurrent with the impacts of such developments. The City should also ensure that the adopted 5-year CIP budget is coordinated with the CIE projects. 4. If the evaluation of the need for the Capital Improvements Financing Task Force (CIFTF) indicates that it should be eliminated then the comprehensive plan should be amended to eliminate the CIFTF. (Goal #1, Objective#1) xiii