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The BOCC voted Tuesday, December 15, 2021, on the Redistricting scenarios and chose scenario #2. The commissioner for South Hutchinson Island will be Commissioner Dzadovsky
Hutchinson Island The Regency condo invited Leslie Olson, Director and Kori Benton, Senior Planner from SLC Planning & Development Services to make a presentation about this proposed amendment on December 8, 2021. The meeting was very well attended and there were many questions from both the in-person audience and the zoom participants.
On December 13 & 15, members of the PC Board and the NBA (North Beach Association) Board met with four of the five SLC Board of County Commissioners to discuss this proposed amendment. We wanted to present a united front as, if passed, this amendment would impact both North & South Hutchinson Island developments. We have another meeting on January 3, 2022, with the last County Commissioner and then plan to continue our communications opposing this amendment with all parties at SLC that are involved in working on this topic. Both SHI and NHI will continue to monitor and work on this issue. More information forthcoming. CLICK HERE to review the document presented by Leslie Olson, and Kori Benton, from SLC Planning & Development Services
December 2, 2021
Ms. Leslie Olson, Director SLC Planning & Development Services 2300 Virginia Avenue Ft. Pierce, FL 34982 RE: Hutchinson Island Proposed Amendment to Building Height Overlay Zone Ms. Leslie Olson: The President’s Council (PC) sincerely appreciate the time you and members of your department have spent with us and our membership discussing and explaining the proposed amendment referenced above. While we now have a more thorough understanding of this amendment, we cannot support it for the following reasons:
Thank You for your support. President’s Council Board of Directors CC: Board of County Commissioners; Howard Tipton, County Administrator; Mark Satterlee, Deputy County Administrator; Kori Benton, P&DS Sr Planner; Presidents Council Board. Update includes: NOTE - PC November Member Meeting Cancelled
(PC Website links will be populated soon.) SLC Redistricting Process – Your Action Needed The County’s redistricting process is underway. As you may recall, PC board has expressed our desire to be reunited with NHI in District #5, as was long standing precedent until redistricting in 2010. The County has been working through the Redistricting Process since the 2020 census results were made final. PC board has attended BOCC meetings to better understand the “scenarios” being considered. Scenario #3 clearly achieves the reunification objective, by reuniting SHI with NHI in District #5. A letter was sent to the SLC Commissioners expressing our scenario preference #3. At the December 7th BOCC Adoption Hearing, the Commissioners will make the final decision. (PC Letter to BOCC is attached to this email and available on the PC website. The description of the SLC Redistricting Process is also available on the PC website. PC website – https://www.pcofhi.com/updates/category/governmental-affairs ) No later than December 7th, all members are encouraged to either send a note or email to the SLC Communication Director Erick Gill ([email protected]) voicing your desire to reunite with NHI in District #5….Redistricting Scenario #3. Friends of the Everglades - Request for Your Action to tell the Army Corps: LOSOM must protect the estuaries The Army Corps is in the final stages of deliberation on the selection of the model to govern the amount of discharges from Lake Okeechobee - Lake Okeechobee System Operating Plan (LOSOM). We hope that the selected alternative will minimize the amount of harmful discharges to the St Lucie River. The Army Corps will make the selection on November 16th and your voice is important to protect our waterways. The following link provides details and a prepared letter for you to send to the Army Corps by November 16th. https://friendsoftheeverglades.salsalabs.org/LettertotheCorpsFinalizedLOSOMplanfeedback/index.html Presidents Council Membership Renewals The PC 2022 Renewal notices will be sent out November 15th via email (to the Association property manager and the primary representative). Pls follow the instructions included in the renewal letter. Thank you for your continued support for the PC efforts! (https://www.pcofhi.com/updates/category/communication ) Upcoming meetings There will be no membership meetings in November or December. The year-end PC Update (scheduled distribution by mid-December) will provide the schedule for the 2022 meetings. October 19th Meeting Summary Guest Speaker Discussion Topics: New SHI Development Projects and Proposed Changes to Hutchinson Island Building Height Zones. The guest speakers for this meeting: Leslie Olson, SLC Director of Planning & Development Services (P&DS) and Kori Benton SLC Sr Planner P&DS. Kori Benton provided the following update on development projects: (see PC website for detailed information on all properties https://www.pcofhi.com/updates/category/governmental-affairs ) Active/Pending South Hutchinson Island Projects:
Leslie Olson provided background on the proposed SHI height zone amendment that is currently being developed. (see PC website for the Hutchinson Island – Building Height Overlay Zone as it is currently drafted https://www.pcofhi.com/updates/category/governmental-affairs In response to changes in the development environment two concepts are included in this proposal: 1) transitioning the height regulations from height in feet to stories (with a maximum height per story); 2) addition of a Zone C proposal, which would allow consideration by the BOCC, on a site-by-site basis, for sites adjacent to Zone A (120’/12 stories) to be considered for a Zone C: 5 story designation. Leslie indicated her interest in collaborating with PC and listening to our concerns regarding these changes. PC board is continuing to meet with P&DS as this proposal moves forward. Beach & Dune Update (Harvey Alligood and Joshua Revord, SLC Coastal Engineer) A brief update was provided on the progress and status of the Federal Beach Preservation Program. Though construction will not start in November, the goal is before Turtle Season. Turtles will be protected throughout the project with extra monitoring and other protocols including the moving of viable nests within 24 hrs. and other measures. From start to finish, primarily depending on weather and the number of dredges 1 or 2 working, the Corp expects the work time frame to be 8-12 weeks with completion before the 2022 Hurricane Season that begins June 15th. Joshua further indicated with maybe as few as 4 weeks with 2 or more 24/7 dredges and ideal conditions. The scope, activity, interruption to beach access will be very similar to the 2013 project, which for most beach walkers only required some adjustments for a couple of weeks. The awarded $11.3M construction contract confirms around $1.8M in further savings reducing the CORPs contract or agreement to around $15.3M from the previously reported $17.1M. Additionally, there are pre and post construction and other costs that are not part of the CORPs contract. Already, pre-construction costs approach $500k. Joshua further clarified the above during his comments, with no update or mention about the funding of the "local share". Requested and pending are current cost projections from the CORPS and County. (NOTE: Since this meeting, update on the initial construction start dates indicates that it will most likely begin in March. The planned meeting with the CORPs tentatively in February/March. As further confirmation is received, the membership will be updated. Emergency Responder Communication Legislation The requirement that hi-rise buildings must have a radio frequency (rf) survey completed by the end of this year has been changed to January 1, 2024, and the BDA compliance by January 2025. This eases the immediate time crunch to get the radio frequency survey completed. The feeling is there will be more changes and extensions to the statute in the future. The Fire Marshall will be sending out an email blast announcing these changes. (Letter from the Fire Marshall is posted on PC website https://www.pcofhi.com/updates/category/governmental-affairs ) Have a safe and happy weekend. Presidents Council Board of Directors Emergency Responder Communication Legislation
Deadline for all HI Rise buildings to have a Radio Frequency Survey has been extended to January 1, 2024. SLC Fire department will be making contact soon with all hi-rise condos with more information. If you have any questions regarding this notification, please contact the St. Lucie County Fire District’s Office of the Fire Marshal at 772-621-3322 or via email at [email protected]. Emergency Responder Communication Legislation - BDAS New Development on SHI
Property Rights Property Rights Comprehensive Plan required by recent state legislation was brought before SLC Commissioners. The intent of the proposed amendments is to ensure that local government respect judicially acknowledged and constitutionally protected private property rights. The intent is also to ensure that private property rights are considered in local decision-making. More information will be forthcoming after the next county meeting. 9/16/21 Planning & Zoning approved proposed amendment to the county Comprehensive Plan to include a new element entitled Property Rights as required by recent legislation. The language for the amendment has been provided by the state. Amendment requires 2 advertised public hearings before BOCC. PC is requesting meeting with Planning department to better understand local application. Land Development Code (LDC) Proposed Height Zone Amendment PC has requested a meeting with the Planning & Development Staff to better understand the implications of the proposed height zone amendment on undeveloped island parcels and Sand & Sea property. Property Rights Comprehensive Plan required by recent state legislation was brought before SLC Commissioners. The intent of the proposed amendments is to ensure that local government respect judicially acknowledged and constitutionally protected private property rights. The intent is also to ensure that private property rights are considered in local decision-making. More information will be forthcoming after the next county meeting.
9/16/21 Planning & Zoning approved proposed amendment to the county Comprehensive Plan to include a new element entitled Property Rights as required by recent legislation. The language for the amendment has been provided by the state. Amendment requires 2 advertised public hearings before BOCC. PC is requesting meeting with Planning department to better understand local application. Deadline for all HI Rise buildings to have a Radio Frequency Survey has been extended to January 1, 2024. SLC Fire department will be making contact soon with all hi-rise condos with more information. If you have any questions regarding this notification, please contact the St. Lucie County Fire District’s Office of the Fire Marshal at 772-621-3322 or via email at [email protected]. Emergency Responder Communication Legislation - BDAS
Federal Beach Project
On Sep 29 the CORPs announced the construction contract was awarded in the amount of $11.3m. Part of the evaluation in the awarding of the contract is scheduling considerations that may provide for a start date after November 2021, but still in time for its completion before the 2022 Hurricane Season. More details to follow. The CORPs and county have postponed their planned Oct 19th presentation about the project until a future date ideally 2-4 weeks before the actual start of construction pending finalization as above. The county's Sep. 27th Final Budget Hearing confirmed a millage rate of 0.6613 for the SHI Erosion Control MSTU instead of the previously recommended 0.7445. A reduction of approx. 11.16%. It is still more than 3x last year’s rate of 0.2131 and much more than 1/8 of any ultimate, genuinely expected real or "local share" (absent a highly unlikely significant erosion event) laying the foundation for significant decreases in keeping with the county's "remember this is worse-case and it can, should only go down from here." Further the awarded contract confirms a much-anticipated substantial savings. It fulfills the county’s long-held preference to know the “real” or “actual” costs to make any meaningful commitment of county-wide funding sources. This sets the stage to resolve the still outstanding and remaining issues to fund the projects “local share”, cost after state and federal funding over the remaining 2-8 or more years. A “blueprint” and timeline to advocate and advance a fair and reasonable funding plan for the “local share”, including county-wide funding sources, will be forthcoming. More to follow. |
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PRESIDENTS COUNCIL OF HUTCHINSON ISLAND | MISSION STATEMENT
The President’s Council, working together, seeks to maintain and enhance the lives of the owners and residents of Hutchinson Island. President’s Council serves St Lucie County, Hutchinson Island resident concerns, such as beach & dune, island safety & beautification, roads, future development and County services affecting us. |