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• Economic Development A final issue to be considered in reference to the Kiiiie proposal is economic development. Ln the past, statements have been made that providing access to the Kirrie tract will allow the property to be redesignated as industrial and that this will provide economic development benefits for the City of Sebastian and the County as a whole. Since Mr. Kirrie declined to provide detailed infotniation regarding his proposed use, definitive assessments cannot be made. Based on his statements that the property will be used for a styrofoam operation. however. several conclusions can be made. Because a styrofoam operation does not require many skilled workers, it can be assumed that the wages to be paid will be lower than the county average of $25,622 per year. According to the recent Fruth report, adding jobs where the annual earnings per worker are less than the county's average results in a deterioration of the economy. Of course, other higher paying industrial uses may eventually locate on the fifteen acre tract. More uses, however, will require water and sewer service, infrastructure that Mr. Kirrie does not propose to provide. Currently, the County has far more commercial/industrial land than projected to be needed through the county's 2020 planning horizon. Even the City of Sebastian has a substantial amount of industrial land available at its airport Although the Sebastian Airport industrial land does not have infrastructure (water, sewer, roads. drainage) in place. neither does the Kirrie tract. CONCLUSION: As structured, the Kirrie proposal, if accepted and implemented, would impact environmental resources in a County owned conservation area, would make conservation area management more difficult, and would produce land use incompatibilities. The proposal would not address the unresolved Mensmg land claims within the conservation area and does not include provisions for adequate infrastructure provision to a prospective fifteen area industnal site. On the other hand, the proposal would result in a use on the Kirrie tract that would not be adversely impacted by aircraft overflight noise. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners reject the Kirrie proposal. If, however, the Board opts to approve the Kirrie proposal, staff recommends that the Board attach the following conditions: • That Mr. Kirrie install water and sewer lines at his expense with the Gibson Street and access road construction. • That any industrial development on the Kiiiie tract connect to the County water and sewer system. FEBRUARY 5, 2002