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Although the number of plan amendments that a local government may consider is not limited, the <br />frequency with which local governments can amend their comprehensive plan is regulated by state <br />law. According to Florida Statutes, plan amendments are limited to twice per calendar year. For that <br />reason, the county accepts general plan amendment applications only during the `window" months <br />of January and July. In this case, the subject application was one of four applications submitted <br />during the January 2000 window. <br />The procedures for reviewing comprehensive plan amendments involve several steps. First, the <br />Planning and Zoning Commission, as the Local Planning Agency, conducts a public hearing to <br />review the request. The Commission has the option to recommend approval or denial of the <br />Comprehensive Plan amendment request to the Board of County Commissioners. Also, the Planning <br />and Zoning Commission may recommend approval of or deny any associated rezoning request. If <br />the rezoning request is denied, only the land use amendment request is forwarded to the Board, <br />unless the denial to rezone is appealed. <br />Following Planning and Zoning Commission action, the Board of County Commissioners conducts <br />two public hearings. The first of those hearings is for a preliminary decision on the land use <br />amendment request. At that hearing, the Board determines whether or not the land use amendment <br />warrants transmittal to the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for further <br />consideration. A Board of County Commissioners decision not to transmit the land use amendment <br />to DCA constitutes denial of both the land use amendment and rezoning requests. <br />If the land use amendment is transmitted, DCA conducts a review which includes soliciting <br />comments from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, several state agencies, and <br />neighboring local governments. After its review, DCA compiles its objections, if it has any, in an <br />Objections, Recommendations, and Comments (ORC) Report, and transmits that report to the <br />county. After staff addresses any issues that were raised in the ORC Report, the second and final <br />Board of County Commissioners public hearing is conducted. The Board takes final action to <br />approve or deny the land use amendment and rezoning requests at that time. If the Board approves <br />the requests, the effective date of the adoption ordinances is when the land use amendment is found <br />"in compliance" by DCA - <br />Planning and 7.oning Commission Action <br />On May 11, 2000, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6 to 0 to take the following actions: <br />1) Recommend that the Board of County Commissioners deny this request to redesignate the <br />subject property; and <br />2) Deny the request to rezone the subject property. <br />The Planning and Zoning Commission denial of the rezoning portion of the request has been <br />appealed. <br />At this time, the Board of County Commissioners is to review the subject request and determine <br />whether to transmit it to DCA for review, or to deny the request. <br />F.xistingLand Use Pattern <br />The subject property is zoned A-1, Agricultural District (up to 1 unit/5 acres), and consists of citrus <br />groves and a residence in the northwestern part of the site. West of the subject property, land is <br />zoned A-1 and contains residences on 10 -acre, heavily wooded lots. South of the subject property, <br />land consists of citrus groves and is zoned A-1. East of the subject property, across 58" Avenue, <br />JULY 119 2000 <br />BK 1 14 PG 13 8 <br />