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of roof peak no higher than 65). As discussed and recommended by the Professional Services Advisory Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission, this provision will ensure conformance of the existing Disney Resort main building with the proposed changes. Staff's research indicates that the few buildings that have been approved over the years under the weighted mean roof height averaging policy would conform to the proposed amendment. Therefore, the amendment would be consistent with past practice but would not allow "abuses" where taller portions of buildings would otherwise be possible if no absolute threshold were proposed. In summary, it is staffs opinion that the county should continue to use the mean roof height approach on sloped roof structures because that approach limits building mass and has seemed to work well for years. The proposed amendment is consistent with that approach. Staff Recommendation: Approve the proposed amendment PSAC Recommendation: Voted (6-0) for the same recommendation as staff PZC Recommendation: Voted (6-0) for the same recommendation as staff 6. Half -Streets In past decades, subdivision developers platted standard grid subdivisions that sometimes resulted in half -streets platted at an edge of the subdivision. Such half -streets were approved with the intent that, when the adjacent property was platted, the half -street would be made whole by dedications and improvements from the second developer. In that way the grid pattern would simply be extended. Staff s research indicates that there are 42 half -street segments in the unincorporated area of the county. Almost all of these segments are in the south county and around Vero Beach. Right or wrong, the county no longer requires the street grid to be extended. Instead, the county subdivision ordinance allows creation of private streets and cul-de-sacs that are not required to integrate with or "extend" public streets. Since 1983, however, the county subdivision ordinance has required half -streets to be made whole by developers whose projects abut existing half -streets. Through a recent legal review of the county's half -street requirement, staff has determined that an LDR amendment is needed if, in all cases, the county is to successfully ensure that half -streets can be made whole by developers of projects that abut existing half -streets. Re -enforcing the county's half -street requirement is necessary becauseif a property abutting a half -street is platted without contributing toward making the street whole, then the community can be forever saddled with a substandard half -street that should function as a whole street. Under current legal theory and existing subdivision regulations and policy, a developer who is not required to design his or her subdivision to access an abutting half -street cannot then be required to contribute toward making the half -street whole. Making it whole at the very least involves dedication of right-of-way. To maintain the county's long-standing requirement and policy, the proposed LDR amendment would require a developer to contribute toward making a half -street whole, even if the developer is not required to access and upgrade the half -street or otherwise integrate it into his or her project. Under the proposed LDR amendment, the developer would have the following options: 1. Apply for and obtain abandonment of the half -street. If the half -street is abandoned, then no requirements would apply regarding making it into a whole street. 2. Design access to and integrate the pre-existing half -street into all or a portion of his or her project. Contribution toward making the half -street whole would be required, and the improved half -street would directly serve lots in the new subdivision. April 19, 1999 7 BOOK 100 FAGS OO