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The Staff Report (see LPA Agenda) notes the FLUM (Future Land Use Map) amendment change and the CGMP (Comprehensive Growth Management Plan) text amendments were accepted by the BOCC on DECEMBER 5, 2023. Yet at the time SFWMD comments were pending, it appeared the Martin County Growth Management Director, Paul Schilling, had not made similar requests on behalf of his department on behalf of the County? On 1/23/2024 SFWMD submitted comments and requests for information to Martin County and the applicant regarding the stormwater management system, SFWMD also requested details of how Calusa would be evaluated and incorporated into the Martin County CIE (Capital Improvements Element) and CIS (Capital Improvement Schedule) which are required as a part of the Comprehensive Plan (and its amendments). These later two items received a reply covering revenue allocations on behalf of the applicant from Fishkind Litigation Services (above), although Martin County Growth Management did not include a CIS implementation schedule, which is something many existing taxpayers would like information about. (Not only regarding Calusa, but the cumulative effect on services by the higher level of development we are seeing, including medical, personal services, and other non-county facilities.). Additionally, there doesn’t appear to have been any County response to SFWMD's note regarding the potential impact to CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) or the IRL-S (Indian River Lagoon South) project, although on behalf of the applicant, Fox McCluskey noted they "strongly believed.." "it would not impact" either.
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A personal opinion of this writer is that Growth Management is premature in making any staff recommendation to the Commission for approval. The CIE, CIS, CERP and IRL-S are all important factors that affect the overall population of Martin County residents. Again, one must recall the initial RLS (Rural Lifestyle) land use proposal for the Discovery Project when Growth Management did not know the extent of potential land mass in the county that could be affected by the proposed RLS land use change.
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Ginny Sherlock, Esq. made comments on the current LPA submission. She notes that the issue of transparency in our government is paramount for public participation
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- Is this contingent upon approval of the Comp Plan amendment? That is: Is it an extension of RLS?
- Absent a Comp Plan amendment how do we know what the cumulative effect is on all needed services?
- Where is the PUD Zoning Agreement for public review?
- Where are the disclosures of beneficial interest, i.e. the Disclosure of Interest Statement, without it how are conflicts known? This is required by development regulations.
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Despite what appears to be happening in Community Development, Martin County has a Great Track Record on acquisition of land for public benefit and conservation. We strongly support this initiative and thank all those involved.
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- Citizens voted on several occasions to tax themselves to support acquisition efforts.
- In 2006, a voter-approved half-cent sales tax generated $27 million of which 90% was for acquisition of 71,000 acres and 10% was for management of those lands.
- The Sales Tax has since expired. An additional $30 million was obtained through state and federal sources
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~ New Loxa-Lucie Brochure
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Help support our efforts to protect the headwaters of the Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers!
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Summaries and posts provided herein are abbreviated interpretations by its writers of various content and should not be considered as legal opinions.
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Please forward to those you may think interested in reading this and subscribing. Our intent is to send periodic notices to call attention to matters that affect and promote conservation issues.
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