DCA land use plan explained to commission

Date: December 21, 2005
Edition: Okeechobee News
By Pete Gawda,

The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners heard a presentation on a program adopted by the state legislature in 2000 and administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) that could be a lifesaver for the county’s large landowners that are facing struggles to keep their agricultural operations in the black.

Anita Jenkins of WilsonMiller, a community and regional planning organization, described the Rural Land Stewardship Program to the commissioners at their Dec. 15 meeting. The program is an incentive based strategy for a sustainable rural future. It is predicted that in the next 25 years, 10 million people will move to Florida. Each year during that time, the population will increase in a number equivalent to the population of Collier County. Agriculture is endangered in Florida since the population is beginning to shift to the interior counties.

Agriculture in Florida is under attack due to market forces, citrus canker and climates extremes. Urban sprawl is the only alternative to many rural landowners.

Rural land stewardship is an incentive-based system to encourage preservation of natural resources, retain agriculture and promote quality diversification in rural areas. The program balances natural resources and agriculture and encourages landowners to protect large parcels that retain natural habitats.

The program promotes communities at the edge of agricultural areas that are compact, mixed use, self sufficient and pedestrian oriented.

The program is iniated by private landowners. At least 10,000 acres of agriculture-designated land is necessary and the program can involve one or several landowners. The program designates areas suitable for development that balance agriculture, natural resources and growth. Natural resources are protected at no cost to the public.

Agriculture benefits by having options other than selling to a developer. Agricultural lands are kept on the tax rolls, unlike the government buyout programs to protect the environment. The program proves an economic incentive to land owners to retain agriculture and eliminates uses that displace agriculture.

New towns and villages meet specific location criteria and design guidelines. The infrastructure is planned and built in advance of demand. Sprawl is eliminated, and business is closer to the workforce housing. Compact sized neighborhoods mean that residents are less car dependent.

The current and future residents of Florida have a new choice — compact, mixed use, pedestrian-friendly new towns and villages. The program promotes economic vitality by allowing a person to live and work in the same area. Also, services are centralized.

In 2002, Collier County adopted this program that protected 27 square miles, and acquired a new mixed-use community. St. Lucie County is submitting its plan to DCA.

Okeechobee City Councilman Dowling Watford expressed concern about the decline of agriculture and said the program is a “really good option.”

Local rancher and citrus grower Sonny Williamson said the program was of great interest to him. He said a person could go to Dade County and see what will happen if we don’t adopt the program. He said it was the first program with additional credit given for protecting sensitive lands.

The great benefit, he said, is that the owner can keep his property and the public gets the benefit of environment protection.

Peter Harris of Adams Ranch said it was the first program that allowed his ranch to control their destiny. The emphasis is on keeping land on the tax rolls and keeping people on the land who can run it, he said.

Land with a stewardship easement will stay in agricultural use forever. The land can be sold but the stewardship easement will remain in effect. The land is locked to agricultural use.

Mr. Williamson said the developed land will remain surrounded by open countryside, which would increase the value of the property.

Commission Chairman John Abney suggested conducting a workshop to learn the details of the program.

County Attorney John Cassels noted that this program gives bonuses for the characteristics of the land, rather than for the size for the land.

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