10/30/2024 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Peer Jurisdictions To gain additional perspective on Urban Service Boundaries and how they are addressed by comparable jurisdictions, Inspire studied the USBs located in Martin County and Manatee County. Both of these coastal counties have experienced development pressure to expand their USBs inland, similar those being felt by Indian River County. The case studies of those counties and how they addressed the challenges associated with their USBs can be found in Appendix C of this report. Summary and Recommendations Indian River County has experienced significant growth since the adoption of the USB in 1990. This growth is anticipated to continue both within municipalities and the unincorporated portions of the County through the updated comprehensive plan's horizon year of 2050. While capacity is available within the existing USB to accommodate the projected growth through 2050, there are other factors that need to be considered by the County when considering an expansion of the USB. First, the County does not have an Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement (ISBA) or Joint Planning Area (JPA) Agreement to address annexation or land uses within the enclave areas with either Sebastian or Fellsmere. Those municipalities form the border of the central enclave area that is outside of the USB, between 69th Street and 26th Street. There is a considerable liklihood that these cities may continue to grow through annexation, which will further expand the USB, outside of the County's control. Additionally, there are environmental constraints within the southern enclave area that is outside of the USB, between 16th Street and the Indian River County / St. Lucie County line. A significant portion of this enclave is within the 100 -year floodplain, which will pose challenges for development. Through the project's public engagement efforts, residents expressed concerns related to environmental impacts, infrastructure readiness, and traffic congestion. Attendees stated that the preferred locations to accommodate future growth in the County were Downtown Vero Beach and the 85th Street corridor, which are both within the existing USB. The only location identified outside of the USB was the area west of the new Olso Road interchange. Attendees also stated the desire to accommodate affordable housing within the County. This was the top priority identified by the community from the Idea Wall, a community engagement tool on the project website. Finally, the new interchange at Oslo Road and 1-95 has the potential to be a development catalyst for the area. The section of 1-95 adjacent to Oslo Road currently experiences 56,000 average daily trips, and the new interchange will provide access to the southern portion of the County. Once opened, it is anticipated that the County will experience significant development pressure west of 1-95, within the interchange's influence, and eastward throughout the Oslo Road corridor to U.S. 1. Based on the compiled quantitative data, analysis of the USB, and qualitative citizen feedback, Inspire recommends the following strategies be integrated into the overall Indian River County Comprehensive Plan update: 1. Targeted USB Expansion: Evaluate a selective USB expansion near the Oslo Road/1-95 interchange. While the current USB can support projected 2050 populations, expanding the boundary in this area could address potential growth due to increased development pressures. Analyze property ownership patterns, environmental constraints like wetlands, and infrastructure capacity to accommodate growth without compromising natural resources. Recommendation Report 43