Community Steward Award

Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard--Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard received 1000 Friends of Florida’s 2011 Community Steward Award at the December 13 meeting of the Martin County Board of County Commissioners. Commissioner Heard was honored for her strong advocacy and leadership on maintaining the integrity of the Martin County comprehensive plan, explains 1000 Friends President Charles Pattison. She was nominated by Al Forman, editor of the Martin County Defender. 

Martin County’s second longest serving commissioner, Sarah Heard has served since 2002.  She is noted for her consistent advocacy for maintaining the integrity of Martin County’s comprehensive plan, keeping the Primary Urban Service Boundary intact to prevent sprawl, and promoting fiscal responsibility regarding the expansion of infrastructure. 

Commissioner Heard has been an assertive advocate for implementation of Everglades Restoration projects, reflecting her strong understanding of the linkage between protection of wetlands and the quality of surface waters. She worked out a mutual agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration and the County regarding the operation of the County’s Witham Field airport.  To promote community dialogue in the sunshine, she oversaw moving planning rules from the “Consent Agenda” to public discussion. 

Commissioner Heard also is a conservation voice on regional committees.  She serves on the Loxahatchee River Management Coordinating Council, the Marine Resources Council, the multi-county Coalition for the Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie River Estuaries, and the Pal-Mar Water Control Board of Supervisors.

“Commissioner Heard is a consistent voice on behalf of conservation and smart growth,” notes Pattison.  “She always keeps the community’s adopted comprehensive plan in the forefront in her decision making.”

Better Community Awards

"Viridian" in the City of St. Petersburg--A 188-unit apartment building in downtown St. Petersburg has received 1000 Friends of Florida’s 2011 Better Community Award.  “Viridian is an outstanding example of energy-efficient redevelopment that retains affordable housing for seniors and the disabled in a prime downtown location,” 1000 Friends President and CEO Charles Pattison, FAICP, explains.  Pattison presented the award at a St. Petersburg City Council meeting on December 8, 2011.

Built in 1971 and substantially rehabilitated in 2010 under the guidance of architect Tim Clemmons of Mesh Architecture, the 11-story high rise is located in a prime downtown waterfront location. The Viridian had the potential to be rehabilitated as a high end property, but its purchase by Sage Partners allowed it to retain the federal Section 8 subsidies and retain use for affordable housing.  Approximately 30 percent of the funding came from the Sadowski state and local housing trust funds and the Pinellas County Housing Trust Fund.  Financing partners included the City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County Housing Finance Authority, PNC Real Estate, Bank of America, and Florida Housing Finance Corporation. 

The building is home primarily to seniors and disabled residents, with 70 percent Section 8.  It has 10 full ADA units and four others accessible for sight and hearing impaired.  The building was rehabilitated one floor at a time to avoid displacement.  Each unit was renovated with environmentally friendly flooring, Energy Star appliances and light fixtures, and no VOC paint.  The owners have also instituted a no smoking policy.  The property also has a new computer lab, a library, a fitness center and a community garden that is used for community meals.

“Sage Partners is very proud of Viridian,” says President Debra Koehler.  “We are very honored to receive this award from such a prestigious organization as 1000 Friends of Florida.

“Sage Partners are to be commended for their work on this project,” notes Pattison.  “Not only did they retain the Viridian as affordable housing,” he continues, “but they also worked to limit inconveniences for existing residents while striving for a high level of energy efficiency.  He explains that 1000 Friends felt this project to be an outstanding model of how to retain affordable housing downtown.

Town of Yankeetown--The Town of Yankeetown in Levy County received 1000 Friends of Florida’s “Better Community Award” for its use of comprehensive and other planning tools to protect the community’s unique coastal small town character and scenic natural beauty.  “Yankeetown has adopted an outstanding plan to protect its many amenities, and has given citizens a strong role in approving changes to the plan and local development,” explains 1000 Friends President Charles Pattison.  The award was presented on Tuesday, October 11 at a community picnic.

In 2008, Yankeetown began the process of amending its comprehensive plan and land development regulations to protect its unique character and ensure that its sense of place was preserved and enhanced by any future development.  The town adopted policies and land development regulations for riparian and nutrient buffer zones, protection of wetlands, community character, parking and the Coastal High Hazard Area.  The town has a walkable pedestrian and bicycle oriented layout as well as abundant wildlife, birds, marshlands, coastal hammocks and natural resources.

When the comprehensive plan was challenged by a development group, Yankeetown defended it.  The plan was upheld at all levels, ultimately by the First District Court of Appeals in 2010.  The Town immediately adopted implementing land development regulations to give further legal authority for the protections contained in the comprehensive plan.

Trusting its voters, Yankeetown also adopted Charter Amendments requiring voter approval of plan amendments and 4/5ths votes to adopt rezonings.  The town also defended multiple lawsuits against the town and its planner brought by the development groups.  When the 2011 Legislature passed the state Community Planning Act prohibiting communities from allowing local referenda, Yankeetown again filed suit over the legislation to uphold the rights of citizens to participate more fully in the local planning process.  The suit is still pending.   

"It is nice to have someone recognize the hard work that many of our citizens have done, mostly as time given freely, to help keep the community a pleasant place to live," says Dawn Marie Clary, Mayor of Yankeetown.

“Yankeetown has gone out of its way to empower local citizens to have a meaningful say in the community planning process,” says Pattison.   “This has resulted in an outstanding plan and land development regulations to protect Yankeetown’s distinctive small town character.” 

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Gadsden County--Gadsden County received 1000 Friends of Florida’s Better Community Award for its passage of the Citizens Growth Management and Planning Bill of Rights (ordinance #2010-05), which provides citizens with enhanced opportunities to participate in the local planning process.  “Gadsden County is to be commended for giving its residents a more meaningful role in shaping the future of their community,” 1000 Friends President and CEO Charles Pattison, FAICP, explains.  The award was presented at a County Commission meeting on November 15, 2011.

Adopted in May of 2010, the Planning Bill of Rights was adopted to provide the citizens of Gadsden County the opportunity to have a voice in development and its impact on their enjoyment and investment in their community, says Gadsden County Planning Commission Chair, Diane Sheffield.  She explains that long-time planning board member John Yerkes would always ask applicants if they had communicated with citizens surrounding a proposed development.  “The Planning Commission voted unanimously to require this communication,” Sheffield continues.  “Affected property owners have the right to know about and have input in proposed changes to land use where they live.”

Among other things, the Planning Bill of Rights provides that the developer of a new project prepares a citizen participation plan, notifies nearby property owners and neighborhood, and conducts citizen workshops to obtain public input.  In the event of proposed comprehensive plan amendments or new or revised land development regulations impacting unincorporated areas, the affected neighborhood associations will be notified and two community or neighborhood meetings will be held. 

The Planning Bill of Rights also institutes several procedural changes.  Plan amendments cannot be revised in the seven business days prior to the advertised public hearing, giving all parties ample opportunity to review the document to be discussed.  It also requires a supermajority vote for all comprehensive plan amendments and major land development reviews, or to amend or repeal the Planning Bill of Rights.

Additionally, the Planning Bill of Rights calls for protection of the county’s environmental resources and the creation of reasonable urban service boundaries by 2014.  It also allows “no free density,” meaning that rural and agricultural lands shall only be converted to urban uses in exchange for significant public benefit.

Gadsden County’s bill was based in part on model language developed by 1000 Friends of Florida to provide citizens with more information on proposed changes taking place in their community.  “To the best of our knowledge, Gadsden County is the first in Florida to adopt many of these provisions,” says Pattison.  “This provides an outstanding model, and we hope other communities across the state follow suit.”

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