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BOOK 103 FADE 254 Grant Gilmore, 5920 ? Street SW, had a question about an earlier statement of Mr. Keating that 1 -unit per acre increases urban sprawl and L-1 (3 -units per acre) does not. Chairman Eggert explained that the Florida Department of Community Affairs favors more dense population, which Indian River County does not. Director Keating added, for example, that the county is expecting another 50,000 people in the 20 -year time horizon in the plan. If that were 50,000 households it would take 3 -times as much land area to accommodate them at 1 -unit per acre, than at 3 -units per acre. None of the concepts today involve extending the urban service area. So, what is being said is that we have an outer boundary and we would like to make sure that the area within that boundary is used efficiently, instead of sprawling out further. Mr. Gilmore thought that the cost per acre (1 -unit vs 3 -units) would slow down the growth. Nevertheless, he has watched the parcel adjacent to his go from Agriculture to Rural and now it is proposed to go to L-1. He wondered if staff has considered the association of the property with major drainage systems to the Lagoon, such as the Lateral D canal, which is adjacent and is a major tributary to the Lagoon. He was concerned about pesticide runoff from more units next to that canal. He suggested that homeowners needed to change their tactics in the use of pesticides. He wondered if staff was aware that continued increase in housing densities had a long-term impact county -wide to the entire Lagoon system. Chairman Eggert assured Mr. Gilmore that staff looks carefully into all the concerns. Mr. Gilmore had just returned from China where agricultural land is extremely dear. He felt it was ironic that this most valuable land in coastal Florida is disappearing so rapidly, particularly for a crop (Indian River fruit) which is very dear in the Orient. There was a brief discussion about the prior Rural designation on this property and Director Keating explained that when the Comprehensive Plan was approved an intervenor (Mr. Feldman) went to Tallahassee. A negotiated settlement was reached in order to avoid an administrative hearing. It was explained that if it were changed to AG -1 (like the surrounding property) that it would probably end up in court and staff is trying to be more efficient in the urban service area. Commissioner Tippin liked it much better as he was growing up in the county near Lateral A. SR -60 had only grapefruit trees and cows. He told about shooting cottontail 10 OCTOBER 29, 1997 M M ■r