Agenda Item Name:
Title
Public Hearing on amendments to Unified Land Development Code Subdivision Regulations for rural residential subdivisions
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Presenter:
Ken McMurry, Planner, Growth Management, (352) 374-5249
Description:
This item is a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) to implement the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan policy amendments adopted by the Board in October 2020, which became effective in December 2020, related to the requirements and standards for residential developments in the rural area. The proposed changes to the Unified Land Development Code are contained in the attached ordinance.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
That the Board of County Commissioners:
1. Convene as the Land Development Regulation Commission, and find the proposed ULDC amendments consistent with the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan as provided in the staff report; and
2. Reconvene as the Board of County Commissioners and adopt the ordinance amending the Unified Land Development Code.
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Prior Board Motions:
On October 27, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners adopted ordinance approving Comprehensive Plan Amendment CPA 04-20 to Rural and Agricultural policies relating to clustering and paving requirements for rural residential subdivisions.
On April 27, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners approved a motion for Commissioner Prizzia to work with staff to implement some changes to the clustered rural residential subdivision code language to better support agricultural uses in the open space and bring that back at a future meeting for request to advertise.
On June 22, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners approved a motion authorizing advertisement of a public hearing to consider adoption of amendments to the Unified Land Development Code.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The proposed amendments to the Unified Land Development Code will not have any impact on the Alachua County budget or result in additional costs to the County.
Costs to advertise public hearing are covered in 008.65.6500.554, sufficient budget exists to cover advertising costs.
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Background:
In October 2020, the County Commission adopted amendments, which became effective in December 2020, to Section 6.0 Rural and Agricultural Policies of the Future Land Use Element of the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan: 2019-2040. These policy amendments came out of consideration by the County Commission of issues and strategies related to promotion of the Local Foods initiative during the Evaluation and Appraisal of the Comprehensive Plan, starting in 2018. In the course of that Evaluation and Appraisal, in addition to new policies relating to local foods in the Economic Element of the Comprehensive Plan, there was extensive review by the County Commission of policies in the Future Land Use Element of the Plan relating to clustering of rural residential developments, and the Board directed changes to the policies in the Plan that were adopted in three categories:
1. Lowering the threshold for requiring rural residential subdivisions to utilize clustered design from 25 lots to 10 lots; clarifying the permitted and prohibited uses in the open space and clarifying management plan requirements;
2. Increasing the incentive for inclusion of agricultural uses in the open space of clustered rural residential subdivisions to further the local foods initiative, by providing for 1 additional unit per every 10 acres of such agricultural area instead of 1 additional unit per every 20 acres;
3. Increasing the maximum number of lots from 6 to 9 for rural residential subdivisions where the lots may have access from an internal unpaved private easement road.
The proposed amendments to the Unified Land Development Code are to implement these adopted Comprehensive Plan Policy changes (which are attached for reference) and clarify and reorganize the related Code provisions.
On April 27, 2021, staff presented to the Board draft ULDC changes and the Board directed Commissioner Prizzia to work with staff on changes to better support agricultural uses in the open space of clustered rural residential subdivisions and to bring those changes back to the Board for request to advertise. Additional changes resulting from staff’s discussions with Commissioner Prizzia are now included in the draft ULDC amendments.