2010-252A (17) - Laserfiche WebLink

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for approximately 3,557 acres of commercial/ industrial designated land. That means that, if none of the municipalities within the county had any commercial, office, and industrial uses, the county would still have an excess of 1,980 acres of commercial/industrial designated land by the year 2030. The projections of future commercial/industrial needs are based on the assumption that historical county employment and demographic trends will continue. Since 1980, approximately 40% of the county's overall population has remained employed, a figure that is somewhat low when compared to other area counties. That percentage has remained relatively constant and is relatively low because the county's economy is predominately service based and because the county has a high percentage of retired people. Although the county has enough commercial/industrial designated land to meet 2030 demand based on current assumptions, the county intends to increase its economic development efforts in the future. With the objective of attracting more basic industry, the county recently increased its jobs grant incentive amounts and is currently pursuing adoption of an economic development property tax abatement program. Coupled with the county's participation in the regional Research Coast economic development program, those initiatives could increase demand for industrial land around the county's interstate interchanges. Consequently, the county should maintain the current commercial/industrial designations in most areas of the county. In recognition of the county's enhanced economic development efforts, however, the county should consider expansion of the I-95/SR 60 commercial/industrial node. That expansion will provide a greater opportunity for growth in basic industries (businesses that export a majority of their products), consistent with the policies of the Economic Development Element. ➢ Changes in Commercial/Industrial Node Acreage Since 1998, several commercial/industrial node boundaries have been revised, in some cases reducing the overall size of a node. For instance, the U.S. 1 from 69th Street to 57th Street node acreage was reduced by 147.65 acres, and the developed acreage for the node was reduced by 57.52 acres. That was due to reallocation of developed and vacant land associated with property splits and recent development approvals. In addition, the U.S. 1 from 57th Street to 49th Street node had its developed acreage reduced by approximately 84.59 acres. That was due to the swapping of residential and commercial/industrial designated land. In that case, the former Whispering Lakes Golf Course on 53rd Street at the end of Indian River Boulevard was converted to residential development. The commercial/industrial designation of that land was then shifted south of 53rd Street and west of Indian River Boulevard. Overall, those commercial/industrial node changes increased the county's land use efficiency by putting C/I land where it is needed. In the future, the county should support land use designation swaps where such swaps are appropriate and increase land use efficiency. Future Land Use Element 95