From Walton Sun
A number of changes were made to Walton County?s Comprehensive Plan before a standing room only audience Monday.
The Walton Board of County Commissioners adopted text amendments that were recommended by the Department of Community Affairs. A public hearing was held for each text amendment.
One amendment dealing with building in flood prone areas had the audience?s attention. To build in an A rated flood zone, developers have either built on pilings or used fill. By using fill the developer is just raising the land higher to get out of the flood zone in order to qualify for flood insurance, said Greg Scoville, process systems senior manager for the Walton County Planning Department.
Many people in attendance were concerned with the practice saying that it increased the flooding of surrounding areas. Building with pilings, which FEMA recommends, decreases the risk of additional flooding caused by new development.
Commissioner Larry Jones came up with an incentive plan to push people to comply with FEMA guidelines. He proposed if someone chooses to use fill in their development then that development will only get half the density allowed in that area. If they build on pilings then the developer can build out to the maximum density allowed.
The motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Ro Cuchens was absent.
Approved
These text amendments were adopted for the Walton County Comprehensive Plan at the Nov. 28 BCC special meeting.
? Future land use element policy L-1.A, North Walton County to include a new land use category, the North Bay Neighborhood Planning Area (NB/NPA).
? Future land use element policy L-1.A., North Walton County Land Use Categories and L-1.C., North and South Walton County land use categories, to include Borrow Pits as a special exception in the Large Scale and General Agriculture land use categories.
? Future land use element policy L-1.1.4 and various policies with in the Conservation Element to make the Comprehensive Plan consistent with Florida Statutes and FEMA regulations as they relate to flood damage prevention, to adopt the Northwest Florida Evacuation Study (1999) as the basis for hurricane evacuation standards, and adopt new hurricane clearance standards.
? Housing element policies H-2.1.11-12 and transportation Element policy T-1.5.3 to add an affordable/workforce housing traffic concurrency exception under certain conditions.
? Transportation element and capital improvements element to add a transportation improvements schedule and projects map, and adopt new levels of service for transportation facilities.
? Historic resources element policy L-1.3.5.3 to change the buffer requirement for historic and archeological sites from 25 feet to 50 feet, making the Comprehensive Plan internally consistent and consistent with Florida statutes.
? Transportation element to adopt right of way dedication standards for future transportation corridors.
A number of changes were made to Walton County?s Comprehensive Plan before a standing room only audience Monday.
The Walton Board of County Commissioners adopted text amendments that were recommended by the Department of Community Affairs. A public hearing was held for each text amendment.
One amendment dealing with building in flood prone areas had the audience?s attention. To build in an A rated flood zone, developers have either built on pilings or used fill. By using fill the developer is just raising the land higher to get out of the flood zone in order to qualify for flood insurance, said Greg Scoville, process systems senior manager for the Walton County Planning Department.
Many people in attendance were concerned with the practice saying that it increased the flooding of surrounding areas. Building with pilings, which FEMA recommends, decreases the risk of additional flooding caused by new development.
Commissioner Larry Jones came up with an incentive plan to push people to comply with FEMA guidelines. He proposed if someone chooses to use fill in their development then that development will only get half the density allowed in that area. If they build on pilings then the developer can build out to the maximum density allowed.
The motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Ro Cuchens was absent.
Approved
These text amendments were adopted for the Walton County Comprehensive Plan at the Nov. 28 BCC special meeting.
? Future land use element policy L-1.A, North Walton County to include a new land use category, the North Bay Neighborhood Planning Area (NB/NPA).
? Future land use element policy L-1.A., North Walton County Land Use Categories and L-1.C., North and South Walton County land use categories, to include Borrow Pits as a special exception in the Large Scale and General Agriculture land use categories.
? Future land use element policy L-1.1.4 and various policies with in the Conservation Element to make the Comprehensive Plan consistent with Florida Statutes and FEMA regulations as they relate to flood damage prevention, to adopt the Northwest Florida Evacuation Study (1999) as the basis for hurricane evacuation standards, and adopt new hurricane clearance standards.
? Housing element policies H-2.1.11-12 and transportation Element policy T-1.5.3 to add an affordable/workforce housing traffic concurrency exception under certain conditions.
? Transportation element and capital improvements element to add a transportation improvements schedule and projects map, and adopt new levels of service for transportation facilities.
? Historic resources element policy L-1.3.5.3 to change the buffer requirement for historic and archeological sites from 25 feet to 50 feet, making the Comprehensive Plan internally consistent and consistent with Florida statutes.
? Transportation element to adopt right of way dedication standards for future transportation corridors.