Meeting Attendees:

Summary:

The following information represents the changes/comments made by the Committee Members on October 4th and 18th, 2007. Additions were added as underlined text and deleted items are noted as strikethrough text. All changes are also highlighted to assist with your review. This document represents the final recommendations of Issues, Principles and Solutions from the Environment Committee to be considered by the Task Force.

Agenda

• October 4, Part 1: Present all Development Patterns Strategies for discussion and understanding
  • Review Issues
  • Adopt Principles for Environment
  • Discuss Strategies and Solutions
    
    
• October 18, Part 2: Modifications/ Deletions/ Additions to Strategies

Environmental Issues

1. Unplanned growth in Taylor County may cause water quality and/or water quantity degradation.
2. Unplanned growth along the coast of Taylor County may affect coastal integrity including changes to water quality, salinity, and clarity, which could negatively impact seagrass beds and water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.
3. Taylor County’s agricultural and forest resources will be adversely affected as new development occurs throughout the County.
4. Unplanned growth will reduce critical habitat (wetlands and uplands) and fragment corridors for wildlife.
5. Unplanned growth in Taylor County could decrease water quality in the springs, sinks, and rivers (e.g. nutrient loading from septic tanks and fertilizers).
6. Low density development in rural areas will often rely on on-site (well & septic), rather than the centralized services.
7. Unplanned growth in the Coastal High Hazard Area could increase impacts to natural systems and the potential for flooding from hurricanes and other weather related emergencies.
8. Unplanned growth in Taylor County may encroach into recreational lands and existing hunting leases, reducing opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities.
9. Taylor County does not have incentives to encourage or promote a viable recreation and eco-tourism based industry.
10. Taylor County lacks facilities (e.g. campgrounds, boardwalks, piers, horse trails) in state owned lands, and access is limited.

How Do We Address These Issues?

• Create Principles for Development Patterns
  • A Principle is a broad objective for the Vision to achieve.
  • The Principles are implemented by a variety of Strategies and Solutions.
  • The Strategies and Solutions will be used to create the Shared Vision Alternative maps.

Principles for the Environment

1. Protect water quality and quantity.
2. Protect critical habitats and corridors.
3. Provide access and facilities in natural areas.
4. Promote multiple uses and sustainable agriculture/forest resources.
5. Protect coastal integrity

Strategies and Solutions

• Protect water quality and quantity
  • Identify and map the limits of all springs and the associated springshed (those areas that contribute to the health of the spring).
  • Develop land use recommendations and incentives to protect the springshed area.
  • Develop standards for all new urbanized developments/communities to be on centralized water and sewer services.
  • Develop incentives and/or funding mechanisms to migrate older developments and/or homes from well and septic systems to a centralized water and sewer system.
  • Work with the Department of Health to develop criteria for an Advanced Wastewater Treatment system, with monitoring requirements, for older septic systems.
  • Create incentives for communities to utilize stormwater and/or waste water reuse for all irrigation needs.
  • Work with the Suwannee River Water Management District to create a “coastal line” beyond which no septic systems should be used.

Corresponding issues: 1, 5, 6, 7

• Protect critical habitats and corridors.

• Utilize the Integrated Wildlife Habitat Ranking System, developed by FWC, to identify and map areas that have the potential for high outdoor recreational use value to ensure that recreational use is considered when land use decisions are made.
• Partner with landowners and public land trusts to place valuable areas with high environmental significance under conservation easement and allow for public or private access/uses.
• Create land use incentives to encourage the conservation of natural areas for open space/recreational uses.
• Create a wetland map using the best available data and include this in the Comprehensive Plan. Utilize this map when making land use decisions.
• Investigate funding mechanisms to assist in the conservation of environmentally sensitive areas such as:
  • Conservation Easements
  • Environmental Education Grants (EPA)
  • Coastal Partnership Initiative (FDEP)
  • Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FDEP)
  • New Florida Forever and the successor land acquisition program (FDEP, WMD)
  • Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative (FWC)
  • Forest Legacy Program (FDOF)
  • Bonds
  • Trusts
  • Education Facilities District
  • Tourism taxes
  • Impact fees
  • Public-Private Partnerships
• Create a Conservation Priority List to identify environmentally sensitive lands.
• Establish partnerships with groups and organizations and create a “Task Force or Committee” to create the Conservation Priority List.
• Require all new developments to identify and map wetlands and conduct habitat surveys (vegetation and wildlife) to help identify areas of high value or pristine habitats for conservation.
• Work with the Department of Forestry (DOF) to development Best Management Practices (BMPs) for development activities as they relate to wetland protection. This recognizes the BMPs that are already being applied by the DOF in regard to wetland and watershed protection. A focus group may be needed to compile these BMPs for development activities.
• Work with the Suwannee River Water Management District to use and promote available environmentally sound practices to maintain the quantity of freshwater flow into the coastal systems.
• Utilize the natural resources to guide the location, design and character of all new communities.
  • Create a balance between new communities and the natural resources.
  • Encourage the creation of wildlife corridors.
• Adopt principles for Firewise concepts (as described by the Division of Forestry) and defensive defensible spaces.
• Establish design criteria for the wildlife/urban interface.
• Create a county-wide map that establishes the location of critical wildlife roadway crossings
• Create design standards for wildlife roadway crossings. These criteria could include some of the following elements:
  • Reduced lighting
  • Reduced speed limits
  • Signage
  • Criteria for size and location of the crossings.
  • Corresponding issues: 4, 8, 9, 10
• Provide access and facilities in natural areas.
  • Create a county-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan for environmentally sensitive areas that could be used for ecotourism. Specify appropriate uses in public lands.
    • Update and revise the Level of Service standards for parks and recreational facilities, based on the county-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan. (reworded this sentence)
  • Identify and establish a connected system of greenways and trails to provide or enhance recreational opportunities.
  • Review the state greenway and trails system for the Big Bend region (including the neighboring counties) and incorporate the identified trails into the Recreation Master Plan. (reworded this sentence to include the recognition of identified trails)
  • The trail system in the public lands should be based on use, such as :
    • Horse trails
    • ATV trails
    • Primitive camp spots for paddling trail
    • Bird watching opportunities
  • Establish a coalition to create and implement an Environmental Education Program for Taylor County schools.
  • The coalition could include, but is not limited to, the following resources: Florida Division of Forestry, FDEP, SRWMD, Project Learning Tree (Florida Forestry Association), 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Taylor County School Board, Florida universities, FWC, Audubon, Florida Trail Association, Florida National Scenic Trail, Council on Aging, and/or The Nature Conservancy.
  • Utilize state-owned lands as a living laboratory
  • Partner with the local and state agencies to identify and develop a plan for ecovillages (or low impact communities) to serve as a focal point and to facilitate ecotourism along the coast and rivers.
    • Maximize adjacency to the water.
    • Distribution of ecotourism activities.
    • Expand awareness and use of the Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail.
    • Provide places and opportunities for wildlife viewing areas.
    • Provide places and opportunities for hunting.
    • Encourage private interests and public-private partnerships to develop and maintain facilities.
    • Identify groups or organizations that are able to maintain conservation properties.
    • Develop incentives to encourage the use of Low Impact Development (LID) Practices.

Corresponding issues: 9, 10

• Promote multiple uses and sustainable agriculture/forest resources.
  • Adopt Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program to create “sending areas” designated for conservation and “receiving areas” designated for development.
  • Promote the conservation and sustainable use of forested uplands to protect water quality.

Corresponding issue: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

• Protect Coastal Integrity
  • All new marinas should be part of the Clean Boating Partnership.
    • Federal and non-federal funding sources are available for these facilities.
    • Adopt Florida P2 standards (Pollution Prevention) for all new marinas.
    • Coordinate with the Taylor County Boat Ramp Committee to prepare a Boating Siting Plan (DCA) to target location of marinas, boat ramps and other facilities.
    • Establish a Seagrass Protection Plan to ensure that new developments/communities do not harm these resources.
    • Clearly define the types of development that may occur within the Coastal Management Area.

Corresponding issues: 2, 7

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