At the meeting for the Hernando County Comprehensive Plan Update last month, County Planner Patricia McNeese announced that this was not a steering committee meeting, but a kickoff meeting. It was an opportunity to present the plan to those who could help make connections in their communities.
Under the Growth Management Act of 1985, local development plans must be certified by the state. According to McNeese, the local plans can be divided into three main parts: protecting natural resources, how the land may be used, and ensuring that the infrastructure will support those uses.
In 2011, the Community Planning Act placed more control into the hands of local government. Administrative Rules, which provide more explanation of requirements and have the same effect as a law, were largely included in the new statute. Development plans still undergo a review every seven years.
The current Comprehensive Development Plan for Hernando County was adopted in 1990 and will expire in 2025. The last review was in 2011. McNeese stated that the Planning and Zoning Commission and the BOCC decided it was time to essentially overhaul the current plan, though the “meat” of the plan and the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) will remain the same.
In its present form, the plan is “unwieldy” and unorganized. The goal is to make the plan “more user-friendly” by including a mission statement and guidance document, and by streamlining the number of elements from 15 to 11 as part of the reorganization process.
Some infrastructure plans are already set more than 20 years from now, including transportation, water supply and other utilities. The updated plan will have a 2040 goal date to bring land use in line with those time frames and with a projected population increase of 41%.
The FLUM, McNeese stated, serves as a guide for planning where and how much development takes place. The P & Z makes determinations according to the FLUM. There are currently 10 categories that make up the land use map.
In many ways, the current plan is working well and little change will be needed. Two areas impacted by the plan update are tourism/economic development and rural/ecological needs. The rebranding of the county as the Adventure Coast means a greater focus on ecotourism. Conservation subdivisions called “countryside communities” in rural and agricultural areas is another focus.
Ecological linkages provide pathways for wildlife to move naturally from one area to another with connections between state forest and refuge lands. This also provides areas for recreation, which includes hunting and fishing. According to McNeese, the greenways and wildlife corridors are only on public lands, though the map provided shows access through private property.
As explained by Assistant County Administrator Ron Pianta who was also present, “The exhibits are not designed to be regulatory.” As part of the FLUM, new developments will need to adhere to the plan and provide for open spaces. Neither the County nor the State has any intention to purchase land or force current landowners to conform to those standards, Pianta said.
McNeese advised that updates are planned for Spring Hill and Brooksville (outside the city limits) to direct development to areas where services already exist, and to fill up the vacant lots. Flexibility in mixed use areas is also expected. Another strategy includes “complete streets”, an initiative which allows for pedestrian, cyclist, and motorized traffic if it is appropriate for the area.
Redevelopment and community design will address some of the older sections of the county, including Masaryktown, part of Hernando Beach, and the Kass Circle/Spring Hill Drive CRA that is already in the planning stage. It will focus on “corridors” and activity centers, preserving the identity and character of the communities, she said. Another strategy is Low Impact Development, which takes advantage of the natural development and drainage characteristics of the land, McNeese stated.
Some attendees at the meeting expressed concern that, regardless of Pianta’s statements, there is a potential for land to be seized under eminent domain if doing so would suit the County’s purpose. The United Nations Agenda 21 was also mentioned, which was adopted in 1992 and in part promotes “sustainable human settlement development” and encourages government to obtain private land.
From the 2011 review, County staff began to identify what needed to be updated and where changes should be made. While the first draft of the plan available for public viewing on the County website, at http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/2040.asp, McNeese asked for the community’s participation, but admitted that new admissions to the draft are not anticipated. Residents and landowners should feel free to provide input but keep in mind that the new plan will keep the framework of the current plan.
While much of the plan is dictated by Florida Statutes, public comments are invited and workshops are expected with homeowners’ associations, community service groups, and others. Additional drafts and reviews will be made upon consideration of public comment, but strike-through copies will not be provided due to the massive restructuring of the document.