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FEB I � 1990 <br />v � <br />BOOK F"uE 1. <br />me to be inappropriate, if not unlawful. Additionally, <br />Babcock Street is a significant street and to restrict <br />properties bordering on Babcock Street to a one unit per <br />forty acres AG -1 zoning classification would appear to impose <br />an unreasonable and impractical classification. <br />3. It is my understanding that the major reason for the <br />revisions in the Future Land Use Map and the classifications <br />thereon was to make the Land Use Map and the potential <br />developed -out density as reflected thereon consistent with <br />the projected population of Indian River County as reflected <br />in other elements of the Plan. Apparently, this required the <br />one unit per forty acre classification and possibly required <br />the inclusion of property into an agricultural category that <br />would be more reasonably and properly "planned" in another <br />category. I question this approach to planning and the <br />necessity or logic being applied. <br />4. Although the Future Land Use Element under Objective <br />6 entitled "Agricultural Protection"---indicates--the-desire and <br />goal to protect, promote and conserve agriculture, it is our <br />opinion that Objective 6.12 under the Conservation Element, <br />which essentially requires 25% of uplands to be preserved and <br />undeveloped, would be directly contrary to the;stated goals <br />of promoting agricultural development and opportunity to <br />develop a citrus grove. From a very real and practical <br />viewpoint, there is virtually no undeveloped land in Indian <br />River County suitable for agricultural purposes which does <br />not already have substantial environmentally sensitive lands <br />and wetlands which are required to be preserved under the <br />authority of various Federal, State and local bodies. <br />Typically, lands environmentally sensitive and wetlands will <br />eliminate 10 to 25% (and in some cases a great deal more) of <br />the gross property proposed for citrus development. <br />Application of the 25% of remaining uplands pursuant to <br />Conservation Objective 6.12 provides a very real obstacle to <br />the ability to develop citrus groves. Relating these general <br />comments specifically to the Platt Estate properties, a <br />contract is presently being consummated which would call for <br />a citrus development on most of the land (designated as <br />parcel 111" on the attached sketch), an approximate 1800 acre <br />tract lying West of Road 507. We know that we are faced with <br />environmental issues and application of Conservation <br />Objective 6.12 will reduce the developable acreage to a point <br />that it may not be economically feasible for the project to <br />go forward. The provisions for an alternative impact fee <br />affords no relief and in fact requires a landowner to pay the <br />county for the privilege of exercising ownership rights to <br />the landowner's own (not the County's) property. This <br />appears to me to be contrary to basic American private <br />property rights. <br />5. The points, comments and concerns expressed in <br />Paragraph 4 above concerning Conservation Objective 6.12 as <br />it relates to agricultural lands are also applicable, from a <br />legal and property rights viewpoint, to non-agricultural <br />developments. <br />The thoughts and comments which I have expressed above <br />are to some extent general but also are specific to the <br />Carson Platt Estate properties. Please be advised that <br />Darrell McQueen, of McQueen & Associates, and Bruce Barkett, <br />of Collins, Brown & Caldwell, plan to appear and address the <br />Board of County Commissioners at -the--meeting- on Tuesday. <br />They have been authorized and engaged to speak on behalf of <br />58 <br />