7/17/1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

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James Haeger, 1865 Garden Grove Parkway, concurred with Dr. Baker about saving one of the few remaining coastal tropical hammocks in the county, and urged the Board to deny this rezoning request. Attorney Bruce Barkett, representing the Vista Civic Association, which represents homeowners in Vista Royale, Vista Gardens and Forest Park Subdivision, spoke in opposition to the proposed rezoning because of traffic, impact to wetlands, and inconsistency with the Comp Plan with regard to the detriment to the entomology lab and the incompatibility with Forest Park Subdivision. He emphasized that the applicant is not here asking for something that he is entitled to. The applicant is not here with a site plan where he simply comes in and you have to grant him site plan if he meets the rules. Nor is this a case where the County is initiating action which it must justify. The applicant is here to ask the County Commission to do something, but you have no obligation to accommodate him if you don't think it is a good idea. You do not have to move off dead center, and as long as your decision is fairly debatable, and that is the standard, you have complete discretion to decide this matter. The only caveat is that your decision must be consistent with the Comp Plan. This rezoning is not a good idea because the RM -6 zoning could allow as many as 585 units if there is a density transfer from the adjacent wetlands. The impacts of that high a density would be significant with respect to stormwater runoff, wastewater capacity, and traffic volumes. Attorney Barkett pointed out that Objective #5 in the Conservation Element of the Comp Plan requires you to protect the functions of the wetlands so that even if a proposal doesn't include the filling of wetlands, it should be denied if it endangers the functions of t'he wetlands with harmful drainage. Attorney Barkett concluded his arguments against the rezoning, and urged the Board to deny this rezoning request. 42SI1 u JUL 1 �: r