In June of this year, the Glen Lakes Partnership approached the BOCC with a petition to revise the Master Plan. The developer wanted a 25-foot buffer at the north and west property lines, but Commissioner Nick Nicholson was firm in his recommendation for a 100-foot buffer. The applicant requested that the BOCC postpone the decision to allow time for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Forestry Service to provide testimony about the Firewise Community. The Planning and Zoning Commission heard an amended petition in October.
Assistant County Administrator Ron Pianta provided the BOCC with an overview of the requirements that P & Z recommended, which include the following: the developer will provide information on becoming a Firewise Community to future residents, the buffer will be 30 feet wide for lots on the north and west boundaries, and no structures can be built/placed in the buffer.
The Forestry Service and FWC routinely maintain the Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) with prescribed burns to remove potential fuel sources for fires. According to a letter from FWC, this practice is expected to continue along the Glen Lakes property lines to minimize the effect of wildfires.
Commissioner Nick Nicholson remained adamant that the buffer should be no less than 100 feet, and asked FWC and the Forestry Service to explain why they were comfortable with 30 feet.
“Thirty feet is the minimum amount with radiant heat directly from adjacent that could cause fires on houses,” said Michael Penn, Operations Manager for Withlacoochee Forestry Center. While he agreed that a larger distance would be best, Penn advised that 30 feet would provide sufficient room for vehicles and fire lines. FWC’s prescribed burns with an additional fire break would help as well, he said.
“You’re comfortable with this?” asked Nicholson.
“Yes,” replied Penn.
Commissioner Diane Rowden broke in, saying, “You don’t look real convinced to me.” With dry conditions, she said, the danger in allowing just the minimum distance between the houses and the trees is cause for concern.
Pianta brought the discussion back to the heart of the matter, stating the project had already been approved at P & Z, and the advisory plan for the defensible space includes the additional buffer of a minimum of 100 feet where the property abuts unmanaged lands.
FWC already routinely manages the adjacent property and has a 15-foot wide fire break already in place, said Steve Brinkley, manager at Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area, so the 30-foot buffer is sufficient. The fire break is turned under twice a year, but checked periodically. Prescribed burns are scheduled every two to three years, Brinkley said.
Fire Chief Scott Hechler advised that county/local fire departments are secondary responders in situations where fires occur on state-managed lands, but operate in conjunction with the Forestry Service and FWC. “Codes are…typically developed…reactively after a major incident and they never catch up to exactly what the potential may be,” said Hechler.
A recent fire was a wind-driven event. Hechler stated fires have “hopped” US 19 when the winds have been strong enough. “No matter what you do, Mother Nature’s going to have something a little bit bigger and stronger.”
Brinkley stated there is currently three years’ worth of vegetation build up (called “fire load”) since the 2013 fire in Glen Lakes. FWC plans to burn again during the winter of 2017. He said that there had been no burn history on that property previously, so the forest contained a lot of fire load.
FWC District Biologist Victor Echaves stated, “The perimeters are all weather-dependent…not effort related.” While on paper FWC can schedule burns, several years of drought or consistent rains may make a difference.
Nicholson proposed a motion for a 100-foot buffer, with Rowden offering the second. Commissioner Wayne Dukes asked Richard Matassa, Managing Director for the project, what impact this would have.
“I believe they would file a lawsuit against Hernando County,” Matassa said. The defensible space of 30 feet of property, plus the 15 feet of fire break, is designed to protect the homeowners from the neighbor (FWC’s wildlife area). The proposed development does not provide the danger in the situation, Matassa said, so the requirement for 100 feet would be considered “a taking.”
Both Nicholson and Rowden voted for the 100-foot buffer. Adkins and Dukes voted for the proposed 30-foot buffer. Because the vote was a tie, Adkins returned to the applicant and staff for additional clarification. Matassa conferred with the developer, who suggested having discussions with FWC for a private/public partnership to increase the width of the fire break.
The final vote was postponed for two months, as Matassa stated they would need to travel to Tallahassee to meet with FWC. The next hearing on the project will be held 01/10/17.