County still discussing comp plan

 

SEAN KINNEY

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

The Monroe County Commission is expected on Tuesday to put off transmitting a redrawn comprehensive development plan to state officials for comment and feedback.

Growth Management Director Christine Hurley told Konk Life that a number of points in the plan, which guides land use and future development on the 1,700 islands of the Florida Keys, are still under discussion.

“There are still a lot of policy questions we think the board is going to discuss,” Hurley said, primarily whether to extend rate-of-growth-ordinance (ROGO) allocations until 2023 or 2033.

ROGO is a building permit allocation system mandated by the state, which ties development in the Florida Keys to the ability to evacuate everyone on the island chain within 24 hours in case of an impending hurricane.

Essentially, ROGO assigns allocations to a development or redevelopment project. Different types of structures—single family homes compared to hotel rooms—receive a different type of allocation that’s affixed to a number of vehicles that would be on the road for an evacuation.

Hurley explained that, based on current projections of the existing number of buildable lots and available allocations, the county will reach a 24-hour evacuation time by 2023. That would curtail the need for new allocations.

“Assuming no other changes,” she said, “We would be built out.”

But that could change. For instance, the county could totally rethink evacuation strategy to shave time or the population decrease in the Keys could continue on its current trajectory or even increase.

Hurley said extending the system past 10 years would allow for the results of the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau to be included in an updated analysis.

“It’s a huge issue and I think it’s going to be debated,” she said. “A lot is riding on the allocations.”

Another part of the comp plan still under consideration are building height limits. A current model allows for one foot of elevation above flood level to correspond to an additional foot of height up to five feet.

The genesis of comprehensive planning came in 1979 when the state designated the Keys as an Area of Critical State Concern, which requires many development decisions to go through Tallahassee for approval.

From back-up materials for the Tuesday session: “The designation is intended to protect environmental or natural resources of regional or statewide importance…”

Broad goals of the pending comp plan are to eventually continue without state oversight; protect shorelines and marine resources; protect upland resources; sound economic development; limit water quality impacts; enhance natural scenic resources; protect historical heritage; create affordable housing; and manage public safety in the event of a disaster.

In terms of guiding future development, plan goals are prevent encroachment into native habitat; continue and intensify existing programs; focus on redevelopment and infill; and increase efforts to manage the resources.

Hurley said Growth Management staff is considering two dates in January for transmission of the comp plan to the Department of Economic Opportunity, the successor of the Department of Community Affairs.

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