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conference with staff, and obtain approval from the county attorney's office, Public Works Department, and Community Development Department for the affidavit of exemption documents. Those documents include a survey depicting the parcels, any right-of-way dedication, and covenants and restrictions. Thus, the affidavit of exemption process is less extensive and less costly than the platting process which is required for conventional subdivisions and P.D.s. Taken together, the development requirement exemptions and less extensive process for affidavit of exemptions make creation of ± 5 acre parcels less costly and usually less time-consuming than other residential development. • Experience with Affidavits of Exemption and Agricultural P.D.s Since 1983, relatively few parcels have been created through the affidavit of exemption process (a total of 64 approved or pending), and relatively few parcels have been created through the agricultural P.D. process since 1991 (a total of 54). There is, however, a large potential for creation of± 5 acre parcels, if there is an increase in the availability of lands fourierly used for citrus and demand for ± 5 acre parcels increases. Such changes could be in the making, as evidenced by the relative jump in affidavit of exemption parcels/applications now in process (24 parcels) that were received during a 5 month window. The attached statistics chart and maps (see attachment 4 and 5) indicate that most recent affidavit of exemption requests have been for sites located just outside of and within one mile of the Urban Service Area, usually on former citrus grove sites. Based upon these data and conversations staff has had with owners of land outside the Urban Service Area, it appears that there is a significant interest in creating + 5 acre parcels east of I-95, accessed off of the county's Thoroughfare Plan road grid system. Staffs experience to date is that affidavit of exemption "projects" have not caused significant adverse impacts on unpaved county maintained roads. No adverse impacts have been experienced for three reasons. First, no new unpaved county roads are created through the affidavit of exemption process. Rather, parcels are created with frontage on existing county roads or new private road right-of-way is created via a plat. Therefore, no new unpaved public roads result from the affidavit of exemption process. Second the total number of parcels created via affidavits of exemption is relatively small. Third, affidavit of exemption projects are very low density, twenty (20) times less dense than the areas of Vero Lake Estates that contain 75' x 130' lots. Thus, impacts on unpaved roads have been small, gradual, and spread -out due to very low density. ALTERNATIVES: The existing LDRs require the use of either the agricultural P.D. or conventional subdivision process to subdivide properties located outside the Urban Service Area. Agricultural P.D. projects may utilize water and/or sewer services if such services are made available, and may be approved with waivers from certain conventional requirements Agricultural P D regulations limit lot sizes to a 1 acre maximum, require the clustering of lots, and require creation of large permanent green (e.g. agriculture, conservation) common areas. In staffs opinion the agricultural P.D. process is the best option for ensuring large green open spaces, preserving overall rural character, and creating lot clusters that can be more easily served with infrastructure improvements and services. Conventional subdivisions outside the Urban Service Area are not allowed to have water and/or sewer service, and require conventional infrastructure improvements (e.g. paved roads and formal drainage system). Unless there is a change to the LDRs, the subdivision of agriculturally designated lands will continue to be available through these two processes only. JANUARY 22, 2002