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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final October 30, 2024 <br />Joseph Paladin, Chairman of the Urban Services Awareness Committee, highlighted <br />the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity in managing growth for the Indian <br />River Neighborhood Association. He suggested that the County implement phased <br />growth by breaking it down into four or five phases for better infrastructure <br />management rather than extending the urban service line beyond I-95. Mr. Paladin <br />noted that developer agreements could ensure developments were financially <br />self-sufficient, requiring developers to cover infrastructure costs and pay impact fees. <br />However, while impact fees could fund facilities like fire stations and schools, they do <br />not cover ongoing salaries for firefighters or teachers, which was an important <br />distinction to remember. <br />The Chairman called for a recess at 4:07 pm and reconvened the meeting at 4:25 pm <br />with all members present. <br />Fly in Ranches Homeowners President Tom Cowen stated his community was <br />opposed to expanding west of I-95 beyond the USB. After 35 years in the County, <br />the residents did not want their airstrip threatened by nearby development. He noted <br />that Vero Beach and Indian River County were unique in terms of its agricultural land <br />and open space, and he feared that westward expansion would lead to unchecked <br />growth. <br />In response to Chairman Adams, Mr. Balter stated that the timeline to include a <br />recommendation for the Oslo corridor or Route 60 in the Comprehensive Plan and <br />incorporating the Evaluation Appraisal Report (EAR) based amendments would be <br />October 1, 2025. He noted that it was best to submit all amendments together, as the <br />state reviewed the Comprehensive Plan each time changes were submitted. The <br />reviewers could suggest restrictions or modifications with each update. <br />The five recommendations were further discussed between the Board and staff in the <br />following order. <br />Recommendation 4: Addressed 15 bisected properties where the USB was drawn <br />through the center. The boundary should be adjusted to include the entire property. <br />The primary concern was that most of these properties were located on the eastern <br />side, which may lack effective alternatives. It was important to avoid sacrificing <br />someone's livelihood or housing affordability for the sake of expansion and growth. <br />Staff was requested to provide a detailed list, an initial policy, and a map that included <br />the bisected properties within the USB. <br />Recommendation 1: Addressed the proposed targeted USB expansion; the Board <br />discussed conducting a specific analysis in the corridor to evaluate industrial versus <br />Indian River County Florida Page 6 <br />