GROWTH MANAGEMENT

 
                                                                                     Trudy Dickinson
                                                                                     Lake Panasoffkee, Fl 33538

                                                                                     December 22,2001

            The Department of Community Affairs has completed its review of the proposed
            Comprehensive Plan Amendment for Sumter County for the Expansion of the Villages.

            Some of the objections that are listed in the review are : 

  •  “ The proposed amendment is not supported by data and analysis to demonstrate the need for additional land uses in order to accommodate the County’s projected population growth within the planning timeframe. The proposed plan amendment is not adequately supported by data and analysis regarding the need for the purposed residential development and associated facilities and infrastructure.  Therefore, the proposed Amendment 02-Di is not consistent with Future land use Element Policies. 
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  • “ The subject amendment parcel is located in a karst sensitive area, characterized by permeable sandy soil over limestone and is a high recharge area with an unconfined aquifer. Because of the karst nature of the parcel, the proposed land uses have the potential to contaminate the Floridan Aquifer. The Floridan  Aquifer is designated as a regional resource by the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council and its protection is critical as Florida’s demand for potable water grows with its population.  The proposed amendment is not adequately supported by site-specific information describing the existing geologic and hydrogeologic conditions of the parcel. Therefore, the proposed amendment is not supported by adequate and relevant data and analysis to demonstrate the subject parcel is suitable for the proposed land uses and that development of the proposed land uses will not adversely impact the quality of groundwater.  The proposed amendment is not consistent with the groundwater quality protection requirements.”
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  • “ The proposed land uses will withdraw a significant amount of groundwater for potable water and non-potable water that has the potential to cause an adverse draw down in the surrounding groundwater and surface waters and to increase sinkhole activity.  The proposed amendment is not consistent with the groundwater, surface water and wetland protection requirements.”
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  • “ (Aquifer Recharge) Amendment 02-D1 proposes to delete Utilities Element Policy 4.6.1.1 which requires the County to maintain approximately 90% of its land area in uses such as agriculture, conservation, and open space for planning period. The proposed amendment to Policy 4.6.1.1 is not supported by data analysis demonstrating that the deletion of the policy ensures the protection of aquifer recharge areas and groundwater quality consistent with the requirements . The proposed deletion of Policy 4.6.1.1 has not been demonstrated to be consistent with utilities Element Goal 4.6 and objective 4.6.1 regarding the protection of aquifer recharge areas.”
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  • “ Amendment 02-D1 has the potential to adversely impact the approximately 825 acres of wetlands on the FLUM amendment parcel. The proposed Amendment 02-D1 does not insure the protection and conservation of wetlands consistent with the requirements.
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  • “ The proposed FLUM amendment parcel contains 13 listed animal species and the species habitat.  Amendment 02-D1 has the potential to adversely impact the listed species and habitat.”
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  • “ The proposed Amendment 02-D1 is not supported by adequate and relevant data and analysis regarding the impact of the proposed amendment on public facilities (potable water, sanitary sewer and solid waste facilities) demonstrating the availability of public facilities necessary to support the increased amounts of land use densities and intensities of development and maintain the adopted level of service standard for such facilities.  The proposed FLUM amendment will generate the need of approximately 5MGD of potable water and 20MGD of non-potable water; approximately 4.5MGD of wastewater treatment and over 200 TONS/Day of solid waste. Private facilities do not have the existing capacity to accommodate the proposed FLUM amendment. Amendment 02-D1 is not consistent with the requirements.”
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  •     “ The proposed Amendment 02-D1 is not supported by data and analysis demonstrating coordination with adjacent local governments where the proposed amendment will create impacts on public facilities and transportation system and demonstrating consistency with the intergovernmental coordination requirements of the Sumter County Comprehensive Plan.”
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  •        " The proposed Amendment 01-D1 seeks to rename the Planned Unit Development land use category to Mixed Use. The initial 4,677 acres of the Villages has a land use designation as PUD, and the proposed expansion of 7,001 acres will have a new land use designation of Mixed Use; this will create an internal inconsistency within the plan as to the land use designation and the contents of the FLUM. Because of the internal inconsistency, the amendment is not consistent with Future land Use Element Policies.”
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  •       “The Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council staff has commented that proposed development allowed by Amendment 02-D1 may impact groundwater and surface water quality and that excessive water withdrawals will increase the risk of sinkhole activity especially if relic sinkholes are used for stormwater basins or ponds.  The WRPC commented that the proposed comprehensive plan Amendment 02-D1 has not yet demonstrated consistency with groundwater and surface water quality policies 4.3.1, 4.3.5, and 4.3.7 of the Withlacoochee Strategic Regional Policy Plan.”
    •  I believe it is absolutely necessary to disseminate this information to the public so that they can make the necessary plans to react accordingly.

                                                                Sincerely,

                                                           Trudy Dickinson