Palm Beach
County Green Initiative Update
By Joanne Davis, Community
Planner
Through the Palm Beach County Green Initiative,
1000 Friends of Florida is committed to improve the quality of life
in the county and adjoining areas through focusing on planning, education,
and advocacy. Over the last few months, a number of key planning issues
have kept us busy!
Palm Beach County is selecting a planning
team to work on the sector plan for an approximately 57,000 acre area
in the central western part of the county. This land is home to thousands
of acres of citrus groves and The Acreage, a sprawling rural community.
1000 Friends has reviewed the planning applicants' qualifications to
evaluate their understanding of and support for smart growth principles.
Due to the area's close proximity to several large, publicly owned natural
areas, familiarity with water issues is also essential. We anticipate
hot debates as the sector plan evolves.
On another planning issue, in December
of 1999 1000 Friends and Audubon of Florida presented a joint letter
to the County Commission stating concerns regarding the draft Agricultural
Reserve Master Plan. The Commission concurred, asking that revisions
include enhancing the potential for continued agriculture, reducing
the overall number of houses that could be built, and coordinating the
planning effort with the land acquisition program. The revised plan
will be brought to the Commission in a workshop on March 28, and 1000
Friends continues to monitor its progress.
1000 Friends and the FAU/FIU Joint Center
for Environmental and Urban Problems are continuing to work in collaboration
with the Limestone Creek Community to formulate a "tool box" to help
redevelop the neighborhood without displacement of current residents.
Limestone Creek, a semi-rural minority community next to Jupiter, has
about 360 lower- to moderate-income residents. Fearing gentrification
as development pressures increase, the community is seeking information
on how to keep the fabric of the community intact.
1000 Friends and the Joint Center have
begun compiling information and meeting with local officials and community
members to help coordinate a successful transition. The tools we develop,
including land assembly and affordable housing strategies, will be applicable
to other communities facing similar pressures. 1000 Friends is monitoring
the effort to identify secure, long-term funding source for Everglades
restoration. Faced with the plan from the governor's office for $125
million per year in restoration costs to be borne by the South Florida
Water Management District, local environmental groups and policymakers
are viewing the governor's plan as challenging for the district to bear
out of its revenue base without impacting existing programs such as
canal and pump maintenance, flood protection, and education programs.
Two proposals from the legislature have been filed session to address
the funding issue. Meanwhile, environmental groups insist that the funding
issue must be addressed this year to begin work on the restoration.
Department of Community Affairs Secretary
Steve Seibert heard south Florida loudly and firmly embrace stronger
growth management oversight at the state level during public workshops
in the area. About 300 citizens spoke at the meeting held in Palm Beach
County, many of whom stated they did not trust local government to provide
strict enough guidelines for growth, and encouraged the state to strengthen,
not weaken the role of regional planning councils and state oversight
of the process. 1000 Friends continues to hear this message across the
state.
