6/22/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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M M M It is also anticipated that impacts on adjacent agricultural areas will be minimal. As required by Future Land Use Element Policy 6.3. urban uses which encroach on active agricultural areas must provide adequate buffers. For these reasonsp staff feels that the proposed Rural land use designation will be compatible with surrounding areas. Potential Impact on Environmental Quality As indicated in the Existing Land Use Pattern section of this report-, much of the subject property has been altered for residential or agricultural development. Since most of the land has been disturbed, few natural areas remain within the bounds of the subject property. Therefore,, the proposed change will not have a significant effect on environmental quality. With respect to the natural area within the subject property's limits, it should be noted that any residential development will need to comply with the * county's land development regulationsr including its environmental provisions. Various environmental permits, including land clearing and tree removal permits'r must be obtained prior to development. In addition, the county's native upland plant community set-aside requirement will apply to properties at least five acres in size. The,proposed amendment will not result in an increase in potential adverse environmental impacts on the subject property. Agricultural use is largely exempt from county permitting,, and therefore is not required to obtain the above mentioned permitst and is exempt from the county's native upland plant community set- aside requirement. For these reasons, the county,, has more opportunity to regulate impacts associated with residential development than impacts associated with agricultural use. Need for USA Expansion and Land Use Redesignation In order to efficiently and economically expand the county utilities system to serve approved development,, density along programmed and existing lines must be increased. The most feasible action to increase density along new lines is to allow development on both sides of roads that serve as USA boundaries to connect to the system and to redesignate land adjacent to lines. TO accomplish this the USA must be expanded. Of particular importance with this request in the impact of the land use change on the county's residential allocation ratio. A residential allocation ratio is the measure of total residential units allowed under the land use plan compared to the number of residential units expected to be needed through the plan's planning horizon based on population projections. The following formula is used to calculate the residential allocation ratio: Total number of units allowed - Existina units Projected number of units needed (1990-2010) When Indian River County and DCA entered into a stipulated settlement agreement, to bring the county's plan into compliance with state requirements,, both parties agreed to a residential allocation ratio. Given the agreed upon ratio,, the county's residential land use designations were acceptable to DCA. Subsequently, the stipulated settlement agreement was implemented through an amendment to the county's comprehensive plan. That amendment,, which was found in compliance by DCA,, formally established an acceptable residential allocation ratio for the county. 19 JUN 22 1993 89 893 -A