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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final September 9, 2025 <br />evacuation. It stated that through 2040, Indian River County aimed to maintain an <br />estimated evacuation time of 12 hours or less for a Category 3 Hurricane. Notably, <br />this timing has remained unchanged since 2008. Commissioner Moss expressed <br />concerns about whether this timeframe was still adequate, considering the population <br />growth and development observed since then. Administrator Titkanich noted that <br />improvements to evacuation routes, such as widening County road 510 and 512, <br />could enhance evacuation times, especially for residents on the northern Barrier <br />Islands. Commissioner Earman added that while evacuating the entire County within <br />12 hours may be unrealistic, it was achievable to move people off the Barrier Islands <br />in that timeframe. <br />Recreation and Open Space Sub -element <br />Commissioner Moss raised concerns about Policy 1. 1, which previously set a <br />standard of 6.614 acres of recreational space per thousand residents. She questioned <br />why the County was adopting a lower national standard of 3.13 acres per 1,000 <br />population, particularly given the County's emphasis on open and recreational space. <br />Ms. Powell clarified that the proposed new standard was actually four acres per <br />1,000 residents, which was higher than the National Recreation and Park <br />Association's (NRPA) standard. She explained that the previous calculations had <br />included a weighted seasonal population, which was difficult to ascertain. By focusing <br />solely on permanent residents in the unincorporated area, she indicated that the <br />revised standard would be more straightforward and of equal value. <br />Mr. Sweeney supported this by confirming that the updated policy would insert the <br />new standard of four acres for every 1,000 permanent residents, aligning the County's <br />goals with a more manageable metric. <br />Intergovernmental Coordination Sub -element <br />Administrator Titkanich confirmed that the comment made earlier in the meeting <br />regarding the City of Fellsmere was relevant. He referred to Policy 2.7. The policy <br />stated that the County shall coordinate with local municipalities to evaluate the <br />financial and operational viability of consolidating or revising existing Utility Service <br />Areas. The findings from this assessment would be presented to the Board for <br />consideration. As part of this process, the County will also review its Interlocal <br />Agreements regarding the provision of utility services. He believed this addressed <br />some of the concerns that were raised that the Board was willing to meet. <br />Public School Facilities Sub -element <br />Indian River County, Florida Page 30 <br />