K. Commissioners' ItemsBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: July
18, 2007_
Division:
BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes _
No x
Department:,
Neugent — District 2
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Terri Marble X4512
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Acceptance by the Board of County Commission of the "Operation Seamless" Action Plan for
Affordable Housing as proposed by the Department of Community Affairs which was designed
by a multi -division agency team concept as a plan to guide future Affordable Housing decisions.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
After years of Affordable Housing Task Force efforts with some, but limited, success DCA provides us
with a clear action plan to accomplish future success by protecting existing Affordable Housing while
building new projects for Affordable Housing.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST:
COST TO COUNTY:
na
na
BUDGETED: Yes
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
No
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included X Not Required
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 11/06
OPERATION SEAMLESS
Action Plan for Affordable Housing
in the Florida Keys
Department of Community Affairs
October 2000
L Introduction
Operation Seamless is an agency initiative for improving coordination among the Department's
three divisions and various programs. One component of the initiative is to establish cross -divisional
teams for addressing critical state issues that require a high level of interaction and cooperation across
divisions and programs. The teams will consist of experienced managers and staff from each division
and will be organized on a temporary basis to develop and implement prioritized agency strategies for
issues which require an intensive multi -divisional approach. Affordable housing needs in the Florida
Keys is the first project selected for Operation Seamless.
The Affordable Housing Team met in September and on October 6, 2000 to develop a
coordinated, inter -division approach to addressing affordable housing needs in the Keys. The team
included staff from DCP, HCD, DEM, FHFC, OGC, OS, and EOG. The team evaluated factors
affecting affordable housing, reviewed our programs which assist in providing affordable housing,
identified obstacles and opportunities for improved coordination and developed an Action Plan to
implement strategies which should improve our ability to assist local governments and the private
sector in meeting affordable housing demands in the Keys.
II. Housing Problem
Chapter 380, F.S., includes the provision of adequate affordable housing among the Principles for
Guiding Development which the Area of Critical State Concern designation must address. Yet,
affordable housing continues to pose a major challenge for public agencies and the private sector in the
Florida Keys and Key West. This occurs primarily due to the tourist -based economy and unique
geography of the Keys. The service and retail industries generate high demand for affordable housing
from low income workers, while the limited land area and linear geography of the Keys severely limit
the potential supply of housing. As a result, a severe imbalance exists between supply and demand,
resulting in escalating housing prices. This imbalance is worsened by a number of other contributing
factors, including:
strong demand for second homes which reduce the supply of housing for permanent residents;
conversion of permanent housing for transient use as vacation rentals which reduces housing
supply and increases affordable demand from service workers attending the units;
high construction costs due to transportation costs of goods, limited labor market, and caprock
conditions;
higher costs due to regulations, including FEMA elevation standards, County wind -load standards,
and environmental restrictions (density limits, open space, setbacks, etc.);
limited permit allocations due to hurricane evacuation standards and water quality objectives; and
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limited non-profit and private sector capacity for funding assistance and housing production.
III. Multi -division Approach
As noted, the ability to provide adequate affordable housing is a function of supply and demand,
which determines market price. Government cannot change the physical characteristics of the Keys
which limit supply, and the State of Florida highly values the tourist economy that drives demand.
Therefore, affordable housing inherently poses a difficult challenge for the public and private sector in
the Keys. However, government does impact on supply and demand through policy. The Legislature
has set forth broad policy objectives for the Keys as described by the Principles for Guiding
Development.
The Principles require planning and regulations to ensure protection of the environment and water
quality and to maintain acceptable hurricane evacuation clearance times. In response to these
requirements, Monroe County has adopted a Permit Allocation System to limit the annual number of
permits as necessary to maintain hurricane evacuation clearance time at 24 hours or less. The
comprehensive plan also requires wastewater improvements and removal of cesspits as a condition for
issuing new permits. These requirements limit the ability of the private sector to build new housing to
meet affordable housing demands.
A multi -division approach is required to ensure affordable housing strategies work in concert with
evacuation and environmental policies. Close coordination is required between DEM which is
responsible for reviewing the update to the hurricane evacuation model and DCP which must ensure
that the permit allocation system is consistent with the results of the model. The model will describe
operational strategies and infrastructure improvements which could potentially reduce clearance time.
The State of Florida and local governments must reach a consensus on which strategies and
improvements to implement in order to maintain clearance time at 24 hours or less. These decisions
will affect the timing and potential permitting capacity available for affordable housing. The
Department should facilitate these discussions with both DCP and DEM participating in the meetings.
It is also evident that the affordable housing deficit cannot be corrected solely through new
permitting. Actions must be taken to preserve the existing housing stock and expand supply through
redevelopment. The Department must work with local governments to preserve existing housing stock
by upgrading substandard housing and by preventing further conversion of housing to the transient
market. Similarly, we must work with local governments to identify opportunities for adaptive reuse
of existing projects, such as outmoded transient projects, for use as affordable Single Room
Occupancy projects. These strategies require that we optimize our current housing programs to
provide targeted funding and other effective incentives for such activities. This approach requires
close coordination between HCD, FHFC and DCP to achieve these goals, while ensuring that such
activities are consistent with the Principles and the local comprehensive plans. These efforts also
require facilitation with local governments to reach consensus on such strategies, particularly
concerning possible funding strategies that were discussed by local governments in the Monroe
County Affordable Housing Joint Task Force Report.
The Action Plan presented in the following section is based on this approach and incorporates
specific tasks for each division and program with proposed time frames for completion. Two primary
strategies are recommended. First, we must comprehensively examine all our programs to determine
how we can more effectively assist local governments in meeting affordable housing needs. Several
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potential recommendations have already been identified as noted in the appendix. Second, we must
engage the local governments in discussions to develop a local consensus on a unified affordable
housing strategy which would then be implemented at all levels of government. This approach will
require strong facilitation by the Department, clear objectives and the involvement of elected officials.
We recommend that the Secretary participate personally in these discussions along with staff from
each of the divisions. However, we emphasize it must be the local governments, not the Department,
that acknowledge both the constraints and opportunities which exist in the Keys in developing a
workable affordable housing strategy.
IV. Action Plan
Overall Department Approach: To provide local governments in the Keys with state resources,
facilitation skills, and the partners necessary to develop a unified, multi jurisdictional affordable
housing strategy.
Action Steps:
1. Complete a first draft of this action plan by 10/11/2000 for review by involved parties by
10/16/2000. Provide the final draft of the action plan to Secretary Seibert by 10/18/2000, and
meet with to him to finalize it by 10/20/2000. [Responsible Units: DCP, with assistance from all
units; Completion Date: 10/20/2000]
2. After Secretary Seibert approves the plan, immediately discuss it with the following partners:
local governments in the Keys, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, the Monroe County
Housing Authority, the Monroe County Land Authority and 1000 Friends of Florida.
[Responsible Unit: DCP; Completion Date: 10/27/2000]
3. Complete the hurricane evacuation restudy and, based on its findings, develop an implementation
plan. [Responsible Units: DEM, Intergovernmental Coordination, DCP, working with local
governments, DOT and others; Completion Date: 12/2000]
4. Determine how DCA programs can be enhanced to increase the likelihood of local governments in
the Keys of obtaining assistance. Consider ideas Attachment 1 as part of this process.
[Responsible Units: DEM, HCD, FCT, DCP, FHFC, Public Information Officer (PIO);
Completion Date: 30 days from adoption of plan]
5. Identify statutory and rule changes. [Responsible Units: All entities as part of (1) above;
Completion Date: 30 days from adoption of plan]
6. Identify possible funding sources for use in the Keys from programs, external sources and at the
local level. [Responsible Units: All entities as part of (1) above; Completion Date: 30 days
from adoption of plan]
7. Develop a communication plan to assist in the implementation of this action plan [Responsible
Units: PIO, with assistance from other units; Completion Date: Mid -November]
Hays 3 o� 11
Schedule dates for one or more facilitated intergovernmental meetings with elected officials from
all local governments in the Keys to occur in January/February 2001. Provide strategy paper for
consideration by local elected officials and staff prior to the first meeting. [Responsible Units:
DCP, PIO; Completion Date: Meeting date(s) set by 11/22/2000, strategy paper completed by
12/8/2000]
9. Meet to determine actions to increase inter -divisional coordination. See Attachment 2 for
preliminary ideas. [Responsible Units: one person from each division, and the Chief Information
Officer; Completion Date: 30 days from adoption of plan]
10. Ensure that the Post -Disaster Redevelopment Plan for Monroe County includes an affordable
housing component. [Responsible Units: DCP; Completion Date: mid -November]
11. Research other resort areas in the country to see how they are addressing affordable housing
needs. [Responsible Unit: DCP; Completion Date: 12/1/20001
12. Obtain more data on the affordable housing need in the Keys. [Responsible Unit: DCP;
Completion Date: 12/l/2000]
13. Contact nonprofit housing developers about developing housing in the Keys. [Responsible Units:
HCD, DCP, FHFC; Completion Date: 12/l/2000]
14. Hold another Affordable Housing and the Keys team meeting in early December to assess where
we are and prepare for meetings with the local governments. [Responsible Unit: DCP, HCD;
Completion Date: 12/15/2000]
15. Hold the first intergovernmental meeting in the Keys in January/February 2001. [Responsible
Units: All]
Hays 4 o� 11
Attachment I
Meeting Affordable Housing Needs in the Florida Keys
Strategies for Discussion
The three pronged approach below outlines possible strategies for discussion at DCA and FHFC. Florida
has traditionally focused its approach on the third tier, building new units, but this will have to change in the
comingyears with the aging of Florida's housing stock. Some of these ideas were outlined in writing at the last
meeting, but new ideas were discussed at the October 6 meeting and added to this list. As each DCA/FHFC unit
examines how its programs can be reoriented to assist the Keys, each of these ideas should be considered.
Ultimately, a final version of this list will be developed for presentation to elected officials in the Keys.
I. Preserve Existing Units
This is a multi -faceted approach. The focus is on rehabilitating units that are already affordable;
purchasing and rehabilitating affordable properties (e.g., mobile home parks) that are for sale or are substandard;
and not allowing any conversions/gentrification of currently affordable properties.
Strategies:
Increase state and/or local funding for maintenance and rehabilitation of affordable units.
Create and fund a program to be administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation that focuses on
rehab of single family affordable owner and rental units or those located in small developments (e.g., under
30 units).
Ensure that no conversions of currently affordable properties occur. This includes conversion to guest
houses, hotels, commercial establishments or gentrified housing. One way to implement this would be to
prioritize these properties for purchase by the Monroe County Land Authority.
Create through legislation a dedicated, recurring revenue stream for the Monroe Housing Authority to pay
for gap costs associated with pre -development construction activities. (The PLP program at FHFC
currently provides these funds throughout the state.)
Propose to the local jurisdictions an increase in the local tourist bed tax of one penny (the current total tax
is 4 pennies, '/2 cent of which goes for Land Authority use) to be solely for affordable housing purposes.
To provide greater development capacity and promote long term affordability, facilitate the development of
more relationships between the Land Authority and additional nonprofit housing providers. Talk to
existing nonprofits with a proven track record about taking on development/management opportunities in
the Keys.
Increase the flexibility for nonconforming units.
Promote long term affordability through land use restriction agreements of 50 years.
Provide flexibility to transfer density and development rights (e.g., destroyed mobile home parks rebuilt
elsewhere as affordable condominiums).
Determine whether the Urban Infill Revitalization program can be used by Key West.
Determine how a high cost of living can be considered in grant criteria.
Determine the state's role in relocating illegal enclosures.
Create more community land trusts to keep the cost of housing lower in perpetuity.
Revise the small cities CDBG program to award points for being located in an Area of Critical State
Concern.
II. Reclaim Market Rate Units/Lands for Affordable Housing
This approach would require purchase and construction or rehab of various types of properties. For
instance, instead of a hotel chain purchasing a locally owned, 20-unit motel that is up for sale, this would be
prime property to purchase and rehab to create small rental units. Another important option is platted lands.
This is the most expensive tier, yet the most promising in light of the need to balance build out with the need for
Hays 5 o� 11
affordable housing.
Strategies
Seek funding to acquire some of the development rights of vested residential and transient projects not built
to date or sold. Allow these development rights to be transferred elsewhere for infill development of
affordable housing.
Encourage the local jurisdictions to adopt an employer housing program that would require certain
employers (e.g., hotels) to provide onsite rental housing for employees and/or fund a local housing trust
fund. (The current tourist bed tax supposedly carries out this function, but is so limited that it cannot cover
the need).
Provide incentives/regulation for converting from transient/non-residential to residential.
Provide incentives/regulation to convert market rate units to affordable units.
Find funding for government/private sector purchases for conversion or reuse.
Create ROGO equivalency factors for redevelopment.
Develop a strategy for converting older, small motels to affordable housing.
Expand the capacity and functions of the Monroe County Land Authority to provide or support the
provision of affordable housing.
Adopt a land banking strategy to buy property at current prices and hold for future use.
Develop a strategy to purchase market rate units as they come up for sale.
Look for ways to tie the incentives of the market to the provision of affordable housing; e.g., allow
expansion of a hotel if an adjacent small, older motel is purchased and converted to affordable housing.
III. Build New Units
This is as simple as it sounds. The focus is on new construction on vacant land. In the Keys, it requires
application through ROGO.
Strategies
Encourage the local jurisdictions to increase the proportion of ROGO units now allocated to affordable
housing.
Provide more ROGO units to the County and cities only for affordable housing.
Implement linkage (commercial related), inclusionary (residential related) and employer housing programs.
Reclaim affordable ROGO allocation now in market rate allocation.
Reduce evacuation potential (vehicle limits, day-trippers, alternatives, military options)
Modify ROGO to provide equivalency factors by unit type and location.
Construct affordable housing with higher wind load standards, thus allowing these inhabitants to remain in
the Keys during high winds.
Expand the ability to build more units by capacity improvements to the transportation network related to
hurricane evacuation.
IV. Reduce the Demand for Affordable Housing
This focuses on decreasing the demand/need for affordable housing.
Strategies
Limit transient/commercial development that employs low income service workers.
Reduce household income expenditures (cars, taxes, fees, etc.).
Diversify the economy.
Provide job training.
Impose a moratorium on new commercial enterprises in Key West.
V. Other Ideas
Enforce tenure on rentals and owners vis a vis CDBG.
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Combine the Monroe County Housing Authority and the Monroe County Land Authority.
Use Section 8 vouchers for mortgages.
Develop a plan for increased demand when the leadership changes in Cuba.
Consider allowing mobile homes constructed according to current bldg standards more widely throughout
the Keys.
Create an affordable housing coalition in the Keys to promote affordable housing, assess demand and
supply, and develop conceptual plan.
Implement a Main Street Program in the Keys.
Enhance the capability of the Monroe County Land Authority to manage land after purchase; e.g., by hiring
a private management firm.
Ensure that the operations of the Monroe County Housing Authority are being optimized and diversified to
the extent possible under law.
Develop a strategy to respond to recommendations and findings of the hurricane evacuation restudy; e.g.,
operational responses, capital improvement response, and regulatory response as necessary.
Ideas from the Draft Report of the Monroe County Affordable Housing Joint Task Force
(February 1998) sponsored by Rep. Sorenson and Sen. Jones
The ideas below were part of a list of recommendations generated by Task Force subcommittees and
consulting staff which were, as of the date of the report, not endorsed by the full committee. DCA staff
comments are provided.
Locate a tollbooth on US 1, and use a portion of the funds to support affordable housing for Monroe
County. This is a possibility, but is controversial. The State would have to pay the federal gov't for all
road improvements, then could keep the rest of the tolls. Concern about the nexus of using these funds for
affordable housing.
Change existing legislation to provide '/2 cent of the 3-cent Tourist Development Council tax for the next 5
years to be allocated for affordable housing, including but not limited to land acquisition, infrastructure,
and other subsidies. Currently the 3-cent tax goes primarily for tourist promotion, although as a result of
pressure, some funds have been used for infrastructure improvements, such as beach renourishment.
Create legislation to allow the use of 30 percent of the county -wide infrastructure sales tax for affordable
housing purposes for the next 5 years. Without legislation, the County could decide to allocate this money
for infrastructure related to affordable housing.
Provide legislation to provide an additional tax exemption equivalent to the amount of the homestead
exemption for owners of rental housing to limit rent charged to that determined by the local formulas for
affordable housing. Currently statute allows nonprofit owners to be exempt from paying tax on affordable
rental housing, but this does not apply to for profit owners. This is an interesting idea statewide, but no
research has been done to determine the fiscal impacts.
Restructure Monroe County Housing Authority to require participation of at least one elected member from
each municipality and unincorporated Monroe County for the purpose of creating mechanisms for adequate
staffing to monitor affordable housing created and assure that housing remains affordable. DCA staff is
trying to find out from the Housing Authority if this continue to be a concern.
Create legislation to clarify that existing laws prevent the application of land development regulations that
discriminate against affordable housing. For a long time, this idea has had the support of many who are
concerned about NIMBYism. A simple statement in Ch. 163, F.S., could be a powerful tool in some cases.
Hays 7 o� 11
The important thing would be to make sure such a statement does not pit affordable housing against
protecting environmentally sensitive lands.
Cesspit credits - remove affordable housing proposals from the memorandum of understanding between
Monroe County and the Florida Department of Community Affairs requiring cesspit removal for every unit
constructed. (Staff is looking into this: already in place through DCP and DOH funding (how much?) is
funding to assist w/ these costs; do we do this for ALL units or just affordable? If all units, maybe we need
to change our orientation and fund affordable first and most)
Require the property appraiser's office to collect more accurate, comprehensive data so that there is an up-
to-date accounting of the number of housing units needed in the County. (Staff currently looking into this
issue.)
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Attachment 2
Inter -Divisional Coordination
ideas from 101612000 meeting
Obstacle
Possible Solutions
DCA's current organizational
1. Email pool/groups by functional area and region or location
structure
of interest in Florida.
2. Put HCD and DEM employees in the DCA Keys field office
3. Better grants coordination; focus on specific projects as a
pilot, like affordable housing in the Keys, taking advantage of
current technology, with the objective of expanding to other
issues throughout DCA
No existing housing policy team
Formalize an existing affordable housing team within DCA
Rule/statutory constraints
Programmatic rulemaking, e.g., Florida Forever
Hays 9 0� 11
July 9, 2007
Affordable Housing
By George R. Neugent
District 2, Monroe County Commissioner
For eight years I've witnessed and participated in countless discussions about
"affordable housing," — a complex problem with few easy answers. Hours have
been spent just trying to define the categories of affordable housing —
"Workforce", "Low", "Moderate", "Low —low", "Section 8". Making resolution
of the problem even more difficult are exacerbating elements such as a paucity
of developable land due to geography, high cost of construction, restrictive
building rights, a 24-hour hurricane evacuation clearance time limit, and being
designated an Area of Critical State Concern —which mandates the protection
of environmentally sensitive lands.
Over the years I've learned that government and private sector are analogous to
the two different hull designs of a vessel; Displacement and Planing. The
private sector being the planing hull and government being the displacement
hull. By design, with more horsepower, planing hulls go faster, on the other
hand, displacement hulls — no matter how much horsepower provided go no
faster and becomes less efficient.
In an attempt to put more horsepower into the "government hull" the BOCC
established an "Workforce" housing task force with folks who were to speed up
the process, but were sadly only interested in development with little regard for
community character issues. "Fix the mistakes of others with simple and
convenience -based solutions" - was the demand by a previous County
Commissioner.
The world is full of cities with high-rise buildings, unbearable traffic and all
those wonderful things associated with development — and we, too, could easily
become one of those areas without cautious planning by professionals, guided
by informed elected officials. Half-baked convenience -based solutions by
laymen on a development mission could destroy all that we hold dear.
Contrary to what some would like you to think, Affordable Housing is still
Development; and should be treated as such. Affordable housing delivers all
the same impacts that market -rate housing while poor planning and design, can
mean that the adverse impacts of Affordable Housing development are much
worse. In an attempt to provide affordable housing we should not take the easy
course by promoting solutions of increased height limits, reduced parking
spaces, increase density (except in specific areas), etc. Key West chose that
kind of planning and is now paying the price for those ill-conceived decisions.
A strong majority of our residents and visitors — rich, poor, renter, homeowner
and the state, clearly oppose the "poor planning" options above and they have a
$6M dollar carrying capacity study endorsed by the National Academy of
Science to support their position. Referenda after referenda throughout the
county reveal overwhelmingly public support for retention of our existing
height and density limits. I challenge anyone running for elected office to run
on a platform of increasing building height. They won't make it through the
primary.
Some members of the Workforce Housing Task Force have sadly chosen to
compromise hurricane -evacuation public safety to achieve their ends. They
attempted, through the use of smoke & mirrors, to produce a phony hurricane
clearance time to satisfy their desire for more building permits. This scam has
been rejected by the State.
I support the Florida Department of Community Affairs' position advocating
the protection of existing affordable housing. Effort and funds spent to retain
existing affordable housing will produce greater results than the much more
time-consuming, new -development approach, which depends on the
availability of scarce building permits. I believe we would be best served by a
combination of saving some of the mobile home parks and most of the existing
affordably priced "fixed" housing.
The County Commission has no legal obligation to facilitate developers in
destroying mobile home parks through zoning changes. Indeed, there are more
constituents in those mobile home parks than in the Corporate Board rooms,
and I believe my responsibilities should lean accordingly. The transfer of
development rights from these parks into working waterfronts without
providing for the people they displace must stop. If developers want to develop
under the existing land development regulations on site, county staff should do
everything within reason to assist them. However, when they ask us to come to
the table to facilitate a project that would reduce existing affordable housing,
we should do everything we can to stringently negotiate on behalf of those
residents being displaced. We have an obligation to all of our residents — be
they renters or landlords.
The displacement of residents from truly affordable housing should come at a
steep price. The protection of working waterfronts, community character and
the environment are paramount; we must quit allowing affordable housing to be
destroyed while being transferred into working waterfronts. Commissioners, we
have an opportunity to make a difference. Our constituents are watching.
[Note: I'm not supportive of giving a bonus value to owners of those uniquely
dense sites. Those higher densities were intended only for the mobile -home
site, and were not intended to be parlayed into an equal number of much -higher
value permits - like for example single family home permits. Ed Davidson is
well versed on this subject, as he was on the Zoning Board at the time. In
addition, Ron Miller has some good ideas on the subject. I believe the slow,
methodical program of retaining existing housing advocated by the Monroe
County Land Authority (Mark Rosch) is the most viable means to provide
affordable housing, and that new construction should be relegated to a
secondary role.]
Solutions for protecting existing affordable housing
The Principles guiding development in an Area of Critical State Concern
ensure the protection of the environment, eco-system, water quality and
maintain acceptable hurricane evacuation clearance time at 24 hours or less;
this should be held as sacrosanct parameters to work within.
Having said that, it then becomes obvious that we cannot build ourselves out of
our predicament solely through new permitting. Therefore, as stated in DCA's
Action Plan we must protect the existing truly affordable housing, which
includes mobile home parks. To achieve our objective of providing appropriate
amounts of housing at all levels in the appropriate locations we have to make
some difficult choices.
The missing piece to the puzzle that will provide new, code compliant
affordable housing without displacing residents, while working within the
parameters of Principles for Guiding development lies with The Existing
excess density within mobile home parks.
Almost all RV & Mobile home parks have more density than would be
currently allowed onsite under our present land development regulations;
they're referred to as legal non -conforming use. Within these existing parks
there is what is referred to as, excess "out of ROGO" density/development
rights. These rights, however, under the existing LDRs of Monroe County can
only be developed at 70%. 70% of the units can be redeveloped as market rate
on site with all due respects to height limitations, set back requirements and
open space with the other 30% mandated as affordable. However, in most
instances, the desirable sight is not where they sit but somewhere else on the
water — like a *marina, a boatyard, etc.
*in our infinite wisdom of trying to protect existing affordable housing,
working waterfronts and public access to waterfronts we've painted the biggest
target on the backs of these two huge Monroe County assets by allowing the
transfer of development rights into the working waterfronts. We're allowing the
transference of development within and from mobile home parks to these water
fronts — thereby, eliminating public access and the needed working waterfronts,
which is a huge component of our overall economy. We have no legal
obligation to allow this to happen — yet we do; it must stop.
Rehabilating Mobile Home Parks through attrition
When I propose acquiring a mobile home park, I propose doing such at fair
market value from a willing seller. Through acquisition and perhaps a
partnership with the owner, we could work to protect the existing affordable
housing and with existing affordable allocations (about 50 per year
countywide) and/or borrowing from out -years — future allocations — we could
work collaboratively to protect the existing and develop new affordable
housing. I propose that, so as to not displace any of our residents, we redevelop
through attrition. That is when people leave the park for whatever reason
(move, die, etc.) that unit would be replaced with a code compliant affordable
unit. The existing market rate allocation the unit is on would be replaced with
an affordable housing allocation, allowing the county or municipality to capture
the market rate allocation for beneficial use.
For example: On Big Pine Key there is an identifiable number of Tier 3
buildable lots — approx. 275 — we have a limited number of available Market
Rate allocations for development on these lots — approx. 200 — a clear shortfall
of 75, the buildable lots have a value of approx. 200$K each, do the math; in
this particular example the county cannot afford not to buy mobile home parks
in the Lower Keys & BPK.
Attachment
BOCC meeting Key West
July 18, 2007
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AFFAIRS
"Dedicated to making Florida a better place to call home,,
CHARLIE CRIST THOMAS O. PELHAM
ODvemor
July 17, 2007
Mr. Thomas J. Willi
Monroe County Administrator
1100 Simonton Street
Key West, FL 33040
Dear Mr. Willi:
This is to provxlc our comment on the following agenda item scheduled for the Monroe County
Board of County Commissioners meeting on July 18, 2007:
K. COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
I. COMMISSIONER NEUGENT - Acceptance by the Board of County Commission of
the "Operation Seamless" Action Pow for Affordable Housing as proposed by the
Departineat of Community Affairs which was designed by a mu ti-<hvision agency team
concept as a plan to guide future Affordable Housing decisions and development.
The Department is encouraged that Monroe County has scheduled this item to consider further
steps to address the serious and complex problem of affordable housing in the Florida Keys.
However, we need to note that the "Operation Seamless" action plan was prepared in October 2000
and is now outdated.
If the Board is interested in pursuing this matter, the Department can work with the County to
review the action plan and recommend appropriate steps to be taken toward possible revision and
adoption by the County. We share your desire to provide affordable housing and can assure you
that open, continual communication will continue to be our goal.
Sincerely yours,
c` -�-
Charles Gauthier, AICP
Director, Division of Community Planning
cc: Mayo Mario Dt Gennaro
Jerry Coleman, Esq.
Robert Shillinger, Esq.
2655 SHUMARD OAK BOULEVARD TALLAHASSEE, FL 32309-2100
Phone: 850-488-848a/SUNCOM 278-8488 Fax: 850-921-0781/SUNCOM 291-0781 1
WeDaite: www dca.atate 11 us
COMMUNITY HAraarl0 AM" OFCMr1CAL STATE CONCMU FIELD OFFICE NDUaetl AaD r�mrerry revs, errerr � .
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: July 18, 2007
Division: BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes _ No x Department:, Neugent — District 2
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Terri Marble X4512
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Approval of a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida
urging the National Park Service to consider an Alternative E for the General Management Plan
for Everglades National Park; providing for transmittal of this resolution to the National Park
Service; and providing for an effective date.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: na BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: na SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management _
DOCUMENTATION:
DISPOSITION:
Revised 11/06
Included x Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
Commissioner Neugent
RESOLUTION NO. - 2007
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
URGING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE E FOR THE GENERAL
MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR EVERGLADES NATIONAL
PARK; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Everglades National Park is a public park for the benefit and enjoyment of
the people and was set apart as a permanent wilderness, preserving essential primitive conditions
including natural abundance, diversity, behavior and ecological integrity of the unique flora and
fauna; and
WHEREAS, a six step process to develop a new 15-20 year General Management Plan
("GNP") for Everglades National Park was kicked off in January 2003; and
WHEREAS, the main function of the GMP is to clearly define the park's purpose and
management direction and provide a foundation to guide and coordinate all subsequent planning
and management; and
WHEREAS, four preliminary alternatives, Alternatives A, B, C and D, were submitted
by the National Park Service (the "NPS") in May 2007; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida ("Monroe
County") does not believe that any of the four preliminary alternatives presented by the NPS are
acceptable for the public benefit of Everglades National Park; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Bay portion of Everglades National Park provides enormous
recreational and financial benefits to the residents and businesses of Monroe County, and
WHEREAS, these benefits will be severely limited by the enactment of any of the
alternatives proposed by the NPS; and
WHEREAS, public awareness and mandatory boater education are the keys to
preserving the Everglades National Park while maintaining access to the public; and
WHEREAS, improved signage, buoys and markers would allow safe and harmless
access to frequently visited areas; and
WHEREAS, Monroe County supports the Alternative E "Everglades for the Educated"
position paper as prepared by our local residents and backcountry guides and the
recommendations contained therein as a guideline for the GMP for Everglades National Park;
and
WHEREAS, implementation of Alternative E which supports boater education,
improved channel marking and responsible access to the back country flats for both motorized
and non -motorized vessels would provide outstanding resource protection and improve visitor
experiences without significantly restricting access to educated and responsible park visitors;
now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA as follows:
Section 1. Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated
herein by this reference.
Section 2. Proposed Plan. The Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida urges the National Park Service to consider the locally prepared
Alternative E, attached as Exhibit 1, for the General Management Plan for
Everglades National Park.
Section 3. Iransmittal. The Clerk is directed to forward a certified copy of this
resolution accompanied by a copy of the Alternative E Plan to the
National Park Service.
14
Section 4. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon
its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED, by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida at a regular meeting of said Board on the 1 e day of July, A.D., 2007.
Mayor Mario Di Gennaro
Mayor Pro Tem Dixie M. Spehar
Commissioner Charles "Sonny" McCoy
Commissioner George Neugent
Commissioner Sylvia Murphy
(SEAL)
ATTEST: Danny L. Nolhage, CLERK
By:
Deputy Clerk
MONRO OUNTY
APFIROVED AS 1
�zANNE A. FtUTTUIV
// ''COUNTY A O0R N
Date
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By:
Mayor Mario DiGennaro
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: July 18, 2007 Division: BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes _ No x Department:, Neugent — District 2
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Terri Marble X4512
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Direct legal to propose necessary action/legislation so that trash pick-up on neglected trash piles
could be picked up and immediately billed to property owners.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: na BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: na SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION:
DISPOSITION:
Revised 11/06
Included x Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
OARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: June 20, 2007
Bulk Item: Yes No x
Division: BOCC
Department:, Neugent — District 2
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Terri Marble X4512
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
It is in the County's best interests to sell the County owned property located at Block 19, Lot 1
Breezeswept Estates on Ramrod Key (RE:00205890-000000) through the competitive bidding
process giving direction to staff to take all steps necessary to dispose of that property with
minimum cost of demolition cost. Property would be sold with conservation easement or as a
ROGO lot.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
Presented at last BOCC meeting. Some commissioners wanted to site visit the property before taking
action.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: na
BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: na SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty
DOCUMENTATION: Included
DISPOSITION:
Revised 11/06
OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: July 18, 2007
Division: BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes _ No x Department:, Neugent — District 2
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Terri Marble X4512
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Request from appropriate Constitutional Office to provide clear identification of deed restricted
housing.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
Discussed at last June 20, 2007 BOCC meeting to address this with the Property Appraiser and staff as
to if they could provide appropriate identification.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: na BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: na SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included
DISPOSITION:
Revised 11/06
Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: Wed., July 18, 2007
Bulk Item: Yes XX No
Division: BDCC
Department: Mayor Di Gennaro, District 4
Staff Contact Person: Tamara Lundstrom
(305 289-6000)
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.
ITEM BACKGROUND: The U.S. Conference of Mayors has adopted strong policies resolutions
calling for cities, communities, and the federal government to take actions to reduce global
warming pollution. Members of the BDCC participated in the May 24, 2007 Keyswide Sustain -
Ability Project (KSAP) Summit, where all attendees voted unanimously to the requests of KSAP
including the adoption by local governments of the language of the Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement. Minutes of the Summit meeting are included as reference.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BDCC ACTION: May 16, 2007 BOCC approved $5,000 funding to
support the annual GLEE Green Living Expo.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST:
COST TO COUNTY:
BUDGETED: Yes No
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes _ No — AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included XX
DISPOSITION:
Revised 2105
Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
Mayor DiGennaro
RESOLUTION NO. - 2007
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMIWMIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
ENDORSING THE U.S. MAYORS CLIMATE
PROTECTION AGREEMENT AS AMENDED TO REDUCE
GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION; AUTHORIZING FULL
MEMBERSHIP IN THE ICLEI (LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
FOR SUSTAINABILdTY) AND PARTICIPATION IN THE
CITIES FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION® CAMPAIGN.
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has previously adopted strong policy
resolutions calling for cities, communities and the federal government to take actions to reduce
global warming pollution; and
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the international
community's most respected assemblage of scientists, has found that climate disruption is a
reality and that human activities are largely responsible for increasing concentrations of global
warming pollution; and
WHEREAS, recent, well -documented impacts of climate change(?) include average
global sea level increases of four to eight inches during the 20th century, a 40 percent decline in
Arctic sea -ice thickness; and eleven of the twelve hottest years on record occurring in the past
twelve years; and
WHEREAS, climate impacts of the magnitude now predicted by the scientific
community will cause extremely costly disruption of human and natural systems throughout the
world including: increased risk of floods andlor droughts; water shortages and significant shifts
in agricultural zones; sea -level rises that interact with coastal storms to erode beaches, inundate
land, and damage structures, more frequent and extreme heat waves; more frequent and greater
concentrations of smog; and
WHEREAS, on February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to
address climate change, went into effect in the 174 countries that have ratified it to date; 38 of
those countries are now legally required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on average 5.2
percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America, with less than five percent of the world's
population, is responsible for producing approximately 25 percent of the world's global warming
pollutants; and
WHEREAS, the Kyoto Protocol emissions reduction target for the U.S. would have been
7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012; and
WHEREAS, many leading US companies that have adopted greenhouse gas reduction
programs to demonstrate corporate social responsibility have also publicly expressed preference
for the US to adopt precise and mandatory emissions targets and timetables as a means by which
to remain competitive in the international marketplace, to mitigate financial risk, and to promote
sound investment decisions; and
WHEREAS, state and local governments throughout the United States are adopting
emission reduction targets and programs and that this leadership is bipartisan, coming from
Republican and Democratic governors and mayors alike, and
WHEREAS, many cities throughout the nation, both large and small, are reducing global
warming pollutants through programs that provide economic and quality of life benefits such as
reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air quality improvements, reduced traffic
congestion, improved transportation choices, and economic development and job creation
through energy conservation and new energy technologies; and
WHEREAS, mayors from around the nation have signed the U. S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement which, as amended at the 73rd Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors
meeting, reads:
The U.S. Mayors Oimate Protection Agreement
A. We urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and programs to
meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to 7 percent below 1990
levels by 2012, including efforts to: reduce the United States' dependence on fossil fuels and
accelerate the development of clean, economical energy resources and fuel -efficient technologies
such as conservation, methane recovery for energy generation, waste to energy, wind and solar
energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and biofuels;
B. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation that
includes 1) clear timetables and emissions limits and 2) a flexible, market -based system of
tradable allowances among emitting industries; and
C. We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming
pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as. I. Inventory global
warming emissions in City operations and in the community, set reduction targets and create an
action plan. 2. Adopt and enforce land -use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and
create compact, walkable urban communities; 3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle
trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car pooling and public transit; 4. Increase
the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing in "green tags", advocating for the
development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production,
and supporting the use of waste to energy technology; 5. Make energy efficiency a priority
through building code improvements, retrofitting city facilities with energy efficient lighting and
urging employees to conserve energy and save money; 6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment
and appliances for City use; 7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S.
Green Building Council's LEED program or a similar system; 8. Increase the average fuel
efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce the number of vehicles; launch an employee
education program including anti -idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel;
9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems; recover
wastewater treatment methane for energy production; 10. increase recycling rates in City
operations and in the community; 11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to
increase shading and to absorb CO2; and 12. Help educate the public, schools, other
jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming
pollution.
2
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors endorses the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement as amended by the 73rd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting and
urges mayors from around the nation to join this effort; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has indicated it will work in conjunction
with ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainahility (ICLEI) and other appropriate organizations to
track progress and implementation of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement as
amended by the 73rd annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County, Florida:
1. Will join ICLEI as a Full Member and will undertake the Cities for Climate
Protection Campaign's five milestones to reduce both greenhouse gas and air
pollution emissions throughout the community, and specifically:
A. Conduct a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast to determine the
source and quantity of greenhouse gas emissions in the jurisdiction;
B. Establish a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target;
C. Develop an action plan with both existing and future actions which when
implemented will meet the local greenhouse gas reduction target;
D. Implement the action plan; and
E. Monitor and report progress.
2. Requests assistance from ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection® Campaign as it
progresses through the milestones.
PASSED AND ADOPTED, by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida at a regular meeting of said Board on the I e day of July, AD,, 2007.
Mayor Mario Di Gennaro
Mayor Pro Tern Dixie M. Spehar
Commissioner Charles "Sonny" McCoy
Commissioner George Neugent
Commissioner Sylvia Murphy
(SEAL)
ATTEST: Danny L. Kolhage, CLERK
By:
Deputy Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By:
Mayor Mario DiGennaro
MONROE COUNTY ATTORNEY
AP VED AST ZnM•
3 r
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Keyswide Sustain -Ability Project (KSAP)
Inaugural Meeting - Notes
May 24, 2007
Bruce Popham, Chair, Sanctuary Advisory Council
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." Ghandi. Everyone has to participate.
Can't wait for govt. to take action — we have to be the change agent. Reef is canary in the coal
mine. We are on the forefront, impacted first. We need to protect our livelihood.
Reviewed climate change workshop on 5-22. The SAC passed three resolutions on Tuesday.
1 } Reduce or eliminate source of human causes that are harming resources of National Marine
Sanctuary.
2) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants related to energy production.
3) Specific action objecting to Glades FPL plant. We're downstream from the plant. Similar to
BaCC resolution passed in April.
We're at a tipping point — depends on what we decide to be as change agents. This county
should be a leader, not follower.
Steve Smith Executive Director, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Background on SALE: regional non-profit, energy policy, southeast US, 5 states. Florida is
critical state, should be most active and vocal on this issue; most to lose. Must voice opinion on
the Glades Coal Plant. Decision will be political decision for governor to decide up or down.
Imperative to let them know we oppose.
Coastal Communities are most vulnerable to Sea Rise. Land ice in Greenland and Antarctic will
affect sea level rise. Level of melt in Greenland very scary. IPCC report is conservative as they
cut off research while much of the new data on Greenland was still coming out and therefore has
not been incorporated into report. Scientific community beginning to understand dynamics of
glaciations - how they can move and change over time.
US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement: Started by Mayor Nickels of Seattle.
In 1992 US signed on to international framework to stop climate change, and US Senate ratified
the international treaty. Kyoto was setting rules of the road to implement agreement -- trading
system for carbon, flexibility for businesses to respond to reduce CO2. When US chose not to
engage, Mayor Nickels initiated the agreement at the local level. 500 + cities have signed. Key
West and Marathon have signed on. Many mayors are in coastal communities.
Let's meet or beat Kyoto targets — reduction of Cot by 7$17c, by 2012, urge state and federal
govts to get on board. Feds need to engage. No law on the books at Federal level now that
regulates CO2. Supreme Court ruled that it can be regulated, no law has passed. Need local,
state and federal level working together. Make sure we get federal action. Senator Martinez not
supportive, Nelson better. Gov. Crist has done more — he needs to hear that we support his
stances. Challenge state and federal leaders to use their influence.
Cities are filling a void. We made the problem, we can be the solution, we need to act.
ICLEI speaker will talk about details of what local communities can do — resource to work
collaboratively. SACE is a resource also.
■ In the southeast, NC passed legislation for commission to develop strategies. Gov. of SC
initiated state level climate advisory group. Crist may be next for FL. Local action will
encourage state action. Crist wants to partner with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
• Project in Atlanta -- collecting waste grease from restaurants in a shipping container, turning it
into fuel. SACE would like to partner with Keys people. Avoid hauling biodiesel in, and
waste grease out.
Question about Nukes: federal subsidies for nuclear power. Challenges with nuclear power:
expensive way to maintain status quo — doesn't get at fundamental issues of waste, get a handle
on efficiency and renewables. Answer: Exporting nuclear technologies to other parts of the
world will not happen -- too dangerous. Spending money in one direction means not spending in
another direction. Rather focus on renewables.
Question about biodiesel — does it reduce CO2? If you're using renewable product, generated
from vegetable oil, pull carbon out in growing, converted it's released again, but much cleaner.
Taking waste product into usable school.
Wesley Loop, Program AssistantiICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability)
ICLEI is a membership organization, dedicated to network with local governments and provide a
roadmap about engaging climate action on local level. Costs of membership are based on
population. $600 a year for less than 50,000, $1200/year if population between 50,000 and
100,000.
Founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. Dropped
acronym. Expanded to US in 1995.
Over 800 members total, including 265 from US; 19 communities in southeast. Miami -Dade
County was one of ICLEI's original members and will be a great resource.
ICLEI's software is the nationwide standard for conducting greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions
baselines and inventories. The Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign was a result of
their Urban CO2 Reduction Initiative.
Five Milestones Process: Provides the tooWt and network catalysts to kick off the goals pledged
in the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. There is an initial cost, but often with great
paybacks. Budgetary question can often be answered by savings.
1) Inventory Emissions. Municipal operations. Fuel used by fleets. Waste generated. Other
section looks at all community operations.
2) Set Target/Goal. Advise on different targets. Help determine what is right for each govt.
Most common reduced 20% from 1990 levels by 2020.
3) Establish Local Action Plan. Clean Air and Climate Protection Software. Input data points,
to convert into CO2 equivalent. Comes with ICLEf membership, also support for using.
• The baseline inventory provides something to measure progress against. Itemize where
energy is being used and greatest amount of GHG are coming from. Allows municipality
to target reduction initiatives.
• Extensive list of measures that can be implemented — new construction energy codes,
commercial facilities retrofits, solar PV panels.
4) Implement Local Action Plan
• Implementation stage has buy -in from all members of community collaborative effort.
Green Teams, Task Force, Climate Action Committee, citizens, businesses, non -profits.
5) Monitor/Evaluate Progress — State to revamping local action plan and set new goals.
What can gouts. Do?
Reduce municipal operating costs. Be Recognized as a leader on the issue. Improve livability of
the community. Integrating climate action with making communities beautiful and productive.
Lots of Opportunities: energy use, transportation and land use, solid waste. Local govt.
influence all sources of global warming pollution. Solid waste sent to landfill, landfill is capped
in anaerobic environment creates methane CH4. Much higher global warming impact.
• Renewable energy
• Biofuels
• Energy retrofits, conservation
• Carshare programs
• Transit oriented development
• Infill development
• Methane capture
• Cogeneration and district
heating/cooling
• Urban forestry
Nichole Hefty, Air Quality, Miami -Dade Countv
Through mgr Harvey Ruvin, MD County one of first 12 jurisdictions to sign on to ICLEI and
established a long term urban CO2 reduction plan in 1993. One of their 5 milestone goals was to
reduce GHG by 20% of 1988 levels.
MD TASK FORCE
25 members, appointed by mayor and commissioners. b committees, to look at certain areas.
Universities, environmental organizations, regional organizations, local businesses.
Collaborative effort. Need to look at all angles. Identify priorities, and foster buy -in.
Department Liaisons. Draw upon own resources for recommendations, implementation.
Steering Committee included individuals from several areas: electric utilities, universities,
business groups, staff from departments.
Gathered data to establish baseline and identify sectors. Served as guide. Followed five
milestones, data collected and updates provided to BOCC. Plan was continually modified as
opportunities looked less feasible, new opportunities. Support and software from ICLEI staff
was critical.
Created Measures under each of 4 sectors for reduction. Transportation was 45% of their
baseline. Electrical production and use 45%, solid waste and land use 14%.
They elected to improve mass transit & fuel efficiency, Increase efficiencies in govt. operations,
alternative fuel; Recycle between 30-50% beyond state mandate.
Didn't reach goal, primarily because they anticipated CAFI✓ standards would be 45 mpg and
therefore become 80% of anticipated reductions. Taking that out of equation, MD reduced 34
million tons of CO2. They are moving forward with efforts to further reduce.
Challenges: staff turnover, keeping data together. Didn't have authority over agencies to give
data. Going to try to coordinate at a higher level. Need to move forward, crucial to take action
now. Population increase was a big issue. Urban sprawl. ICLEI helped with training.
Adaptation: we know we're going to have impact from climate change. Start identifying
impacts, start planning, what options we have for mitigation, what we can do right now.
Rob Patten, Director, Sarasota County Environmental Services
Sustainability three legged stool — social, economic, environmental. You need to have ON the
ground strategies with measures so you know you're succeeding.
How to get there? Provided Roadmap inventory of what they're doing now. Founded
coordinating office of sustainability. 17 teams were put together to develop measures.
Procurement (standards around what they buy from whom), Community design, land use,
Community engagement, health and self reliance. Internal county practices, how they conduct
business.
People on the ground make the measures - they know better how to get efficiencies. Let them set
goals then hold them accountable with annual public report, appearing before BOCC & on TV
with their report card.
Elected officials — give your managers tools to use to measure all of this, incorporated not just
environmental, but social and economic. Let own people develop measures. Start to get arms
around what has to be done to measure to tie all together.
Keys Municipalities:
■ Marathon Mayor Chris Bull: Proven that we need to do something. Mike Welber
approached with Mayors Agreement in April, which passed on April 20. Green Team
great concept. Met for Alison Higgins, Cecilia Weaver, Mike Welber and Colleen Tagle
to brainstorm on establishing first Green Team. Demographic to include realtors,
hoteliers, garden club, diverse group to hit all segments, reach out to as many as possible.
Use as springboard for other orgs coming together. Plans to pilot projects for county and
others to follow. Will join ICLEI and start a checklist of facilities for audit. Do easiest
things first. Immediate savings, return on investment (ROE). Supports GLEE quarterly
meetings for Sig Ideas. Will request $5k annually to answer county's challenge.
• Islamorada Mayor Dave Boerner: This is not rocket science — Most is simple stuff. He
came from green city within the highest energy using state in country. Florida is third
highest energy using. Plans to introduce new Incentives for recycling (Pay as you throw
process. Forces you to recycle) and green designs in their 5 new buildings. The Fire
Station has to be raised 4 ft so they will put cistern tanks under building for water supply.
This will save money because they're using economics for payback. Not signed on to
Mayors Agreement but will be bringing it up at tonight's meeting. There is always
economic incentive to go green. Show the payback. Recommended performance
contracting, and doing business by calculating payback for every cost.
• Islamorada Vice Mayor Cathi Hill: Presented her Sustainability Blueprint for Islamorada.
Yesterday staff had first meeting to discuss sustainability and start implementing. All
different components. Plan to Incorporate Blueprint in 07-08 budget. Plan ahead for
mitigation. Waste water, affordable housing. CFLs give huge savings immediately.
Sends a message to community.
• Monroe County Mayor Mario Di Gennaro: These initiatives are new to him, but he trusts
Mayor Bull and is supportive of the group effort. Saving money, protecting environment.
A few projects in county — motion sensors, energy efficient cooling systems. He pledged
to email the governor about our opposition to the coal plant.
• Monroe County Commissioner Sylvia Murphy. "I would certainly hope that we as a
commission will do everything in our power to be as green as possible. Lead by
example, perfect place to begin with county buildings and staff resources. Proposed
ongoing "Green for Green" contest with staff making suggestions for conserving
resources, award given out for best suggestion each month.
• Monroe County Cormissioner George Neugent: GLEE is catalyst to connectivity.
Recognized high numbers of interested people who came to Expo. Issued Challenge:
county putting up challenge money for Expo funding. Produce something to have
immediate effects on reduction in energy. County established transport route from
Homestead to KW & ridership is building every day. Residents going to Marathon or
Key West, Key Largo. Recycling program should become better and stronger.
• City of Layton Mayors Assistant, Skip Haring: Live inside state park. Interested in
being involved with KSAP. Brought 2 members of Layton's new Green Team to
meeting today?
• Key Colony Beach Mayor Clyde Burnett: KCG has a history of being environmentally
sensitive. Waste water plant — reuse system, water parks and golf course with re -use.
City vehicles also washed with re -use. Encourage water efficient landscaping, reduce
fertilizers, pesticides. Storm water mgmt master plan 50% complete. Highest per capita
of recycling. Looking at hybrid vehicles. Waterless urinals. Each one saves 40,000
gallons a year.
• Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District Commissioner Susan Ford Hammaker: New
plant involved in water reclamation, save transport costs for sewage brought into pellet
form. Fire Dept. Marriott, public works. Water re -use grant. At the Federal level, they
have lobbyist working for all the Keys. Talking with Army Corps. Everglades water
mgmt system, key to funding.
• World Wildlife Fund representative, Alex Score: Has projects with coral reefs,
adaptation. Working with youth important - our schools do not recycle. Not teaching
kids to be stewards.
• Florida Keys Electric Coop representative T7 Patterson: FKEC has done school projects
for recycling. Kids were educated by teachers how to recycle. Took bins home to
educate parents.
• School Board Superintendent Randy Acevedo. Going to explore recycling, Need to
resource better and educating youth as well.
• School Board Member Dr. Debra Walker: going to build new cafeteria in Key Largo,
hope to have dishwasher again. Need to talk to people not in this room. Schools built to
190 miles standard. Low maintenance materials. Newest school project Plantation Key
School. First green school cert., looking at LEED Cert. Costs money to set the example.
Help it cost less to recycle.
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Dave Score: NMS has 6
facilities in the Keys. Director has instructed to be cleaner and greener with
transportation. Nancy Foster center should get LEED silver cert. Green roof, cistern
roof, re -use water, sustainable wood products. Geothermal pilot.
• GLEE Reduce Reuse Recycle Coordinator Tina Henize: RRR Committee will hold July
meeting in Marathon to plan for its open to the public Recycling Summit in November
close to "America Recycles Day".
• Marathon Boatyard Owner Bruce Popham: First Florida Certified Clean Boatyard in
Keys: Recycle oil, antifreeze, bilge water, filters, aluminum, bronze, stainless, zinc,
bronze allies, copper wire. Engage employees in process to have motivation to do
recycling. Awards of $1500-$3000 go into employee fund.
• Marathon Vice Mayor Marilyn Tempest: Not necessarily one of the green people, but is
here to learn. Stressed the need to work with, not against the natural environment.
• GLEE Executive Director Cristina Lindley: Show your support by filling out a GLEE
membership form?
LUNCH BREAM
John Stuart Chief Operating Officer, Florida Keys Electric Cooperative:
FKEC Vision Statement sets corporate responsibility goals of being a progressive employer,
influential community partner, and setting the benchmark.
Member services: energy audits, net metering, plant the right tree, trade a tree program, natural
trimming techniques. De -coupling rates from revenues. Slight rate increase in July — rate of
return rate rider. Revenue neutral to conservation. Time of use metering, demand metering to
look at in future. Working on long range plan - determining resources for next 20 years.
Envision a demand side management program - Partnership of whole community.
Environmental Manager, Deb Shaw: Founding support of GLEE. Recently converted trucks to
biodiesel and trying to find the right blend. Up to us to work with FPL. Take co-op mentality to
them; work with them instead of against there. Coal is not cheap, destroy watersheds. Sunshine
program — contract with FPL doesn't allow them to do green program. Low sulfur fuel in
generation plants since 1998. Transformer oil — extensive training in oil spill clean-up. Near
water, use vegetable base oil. Hybrid company car. Tree trimming. Goal to use solar power.
Active in PC recycling. Michael Welber: renewable energy components? Not directly, don't
have resources to be instigator of leading edge technologies.
Member Services Rep TJ Patterson: GLEE Board Member. Give free energy audits. School
projects to educate children.
Alex Teieda Director of Member Services, Keys Energy Services
At last nights Utility Board meeting KES amended their strategic plan to include a climate
change action plan initiative. Will strive to eliminate GHG. Go green program has taken off
since GLEE efforts, etc. 1" corporate sponsor. Tree give-away program 13`h year. 29,000 trees
as of two years ago. 1800 this year. On-line energy audit. Can see how much CO2 is
eliminated with certain changes. Interconnection agreement is drafted. Every little bit helps.
Looking at siting waste -to -energy station in Key West again.
GLEE Energy Committee Rev, .Cohn Hammerstrom
DECOUPLING: How Utilities and Consumers can both benefit from reduced consumption of
Resources. Utilities lose revenues with efficiency. DOE and EPA instituted Regulatory
Assistance Project (RAP) to help utilities deal with inherent conflict and break the link between
earning and efficiencies. De -coupling reforms regulation to align financial interest with interest
of customer, and integrate into resource portfolio.
Important to embrace Energy Efficiency concepts like Amory Levins' Nega-watt. Most energy
efficient and least polluting power production that which is not needed. China — An "efficiency
power plant" is the one they didn't need to build. Nexus of next wave of vehicles with EE and
consumption will include Vehicle to Grid technologies. Plug-in hybrid coming on line very
soon. With $4 per watt rebate for solar, Coop could draw from solar battery storage. Fleet of
plug --in hybrids (3 times as efficient) connected to grid, utility could draw to shave off peak use.
Steve Grasley, Solaria Consultive and Design
In the past we always been presented with environmental reasons to spend money. Now we have
financial reasons to be environmental. Natural convergence for political and environmental
interests. Always cheaper than mainstream if you look at life cycle.
Marathon house nearing completion. Gold LEED certified
5 branches of Marine bank in Keys employ green technologies. Pay for self in 2 years 20 seer
A/C. First all new commercial construction with affordable housing.
• Wind Power production: wind, $2.50-$3.50 /watt. Microchmates okay for wind in Keys.
■ Solar Power production: No maintenance, $4-$101watt. Capacity in industry growing.
• Energy storage: DC power batteries. Self sufficient in disasters. Total building UPS.
• Water production desalinization. Can be alternative powered. 9 cents a gallon.
• Water heating. Pays for self in 2-5 years.
• Composting. Vacuum flush toilet. Very low cost, easy to retrofit.
• Gray water systems. Up to 80% of home water is gray water. Several states have very
aggressive programs. State of Florida largest user. NSF certification required for gray
water and composting toilet components.
Strategies:
• Ask hour does nature do it? Is there a better way if...?
■ Intergovernmental teams to steer policy, drive education
• Local in -use demonstrations for all technologies
• Widen scope of technologies for public utilities. Total systems perspective and "total
cost" focus.
• Policies and incentives to drive applications
■ Mandate applications on all governmental projects.
Cecelia Weaver, FK Service Center Director, South Florida Water Mmt Dist.
She is the one person representing district services at our local level. Partnerships with
municipalities and regions are highly important. The FL Keys Water Resource Initiative
partnership team of community representatives helps allocate annual SFWMD Ad Valorum
Funds, which this year will bring $4 million for Keys projects.
Other Grant opportunities:
• Alternative Water Supply Program
■ Savings Incentive Program
■ Water Conservation Program
Water shortage: Phase II restrictions (30% reduction) Never had such low water reserves.
Showed hydrologic boundary of SFWMD. Connectivity between Keys and Everglades:
Everglades giant sponge. 1.8 billion gallons a day go to sea. CERP hopes to change that.
Colleen Tagle, Public Information Director, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority
Capital improvement plan. Gallons used per capita is going up.
Seawater desal plant. Marathon, Stock Island. Upgrading those with more efficient membranes
allows more water for the same production costs.
They rarely sell to cruise ships most months.
Water Efficiency Projects — "Don't buy our product?"
• Low flow Toilet Retrofit — If you replace your high volume toilet with approved <1.2
gallons/flush ultra efficiency toilet will qualify for up to $120 rebate. Will partner with
Home Depot and anyone else who wants to teach people how to install.
• Automated meter reading
■ Cistemslrain catchment systems
• Water audits
• New LEED Green Building — Marathon Center. US Dept. of Energy. Standard to judge
whether you're meeting true sustainable goals. Third party verification. Interpretive
exhibits.
• Offers to talk to municipalities.
Alison Hi rains, President GLEE
I hope that we have impressed you with the resources available and GLEE's ability to pull them
together for you. KSAP is your tool to use.
KSAP pled.es to Ove its artners:
• Real Projects
• Resources on demand
• Green Team Support
• Economy of Scale
• Idea Sharing
• Resource Sharing
• Increased Funding Opportunities
• Unified Voice
KSAP requests of its partners:
• Adopt the language of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
• Join ICLEI and adopt its methodologies for emissions quantification
• Guide and participate in future KSAP meetings quarterly or as needed.
The Florida Keys must capitalize on our "sunny disposition". Many State and Federal
representatives would accept an invitation to tour our "show off projects" in January and
February. Together we can send a big message up the chain to be more sustainable.
I7ise11sginn
All attendees voted unanimously to the requests of KSAP. A coarse survey found the three most
popular subjects to be Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency and Reduce Reuse Recycling.
The group also voted that their first action item would be to change out the light bulbs in one
building during the month of June.
• Pam Godfrey from Clear Channel announced that they would give more Public service time to
green issues. Christi Allen from Clear Channel reiterated the link between physical, mental
and environmental health.
• John Hammerstrom offered up his one hour Cistern presentation to the group.
• Bruce Popham offered an example of possible changes to building codes for boat barns,
connecting their roofs to cisterns and solar panels. Bruce also challenged the City of
Marathon to encourage green building tied to affordable housing unit permits, citing his tenant
West Marine, as a very interested partner.
• TJ Patterson encourage recycling. All municipalities should invest in biodiesel. No cost
increase, no modification necessary. Supplier will come to Keys. 3 empty gas stations.
• Al Sullivan, President of Last Stand pointed out the "publicity and propaganda" possible to
our families through School Superintendent Randy Acevedo. Talked of Coral Shores HS new
environmental program and Last Stands freshman science course at Key West HS.
• Doug Gregory, Director at University of Florida/Monroe County Extension Service suggested
solar hot water heaters as an easy first step into solar. Municipalities should require for new
buildings. Utilities should provide rebates. Lack of installers is a challenge for PV panels.
The Meeting was closed at 3:45pm. Thank you to all!
KSAP May 24ch
RSVP's Attendees
KSAP Steering Committee
1. Alison Higgins, The Nature Conservancy
2. Michael Welber, Retired Journalist
3. Jody Smith -Williams, Healthy Start
4. Alex Score, World Wildlife Fund:
5. Steve Grasely, Solaria Consulting
Green Living Energy Education (board, steering committee, regular committees)
6. Doug Gregory, UFIMonroe County Extension Service
7. Colleen Tagle, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority
8. Cristina Lindley, Overseas Heritage Trail
9. Jane Tallman, GLEE Secretary
10. TJ Patterson, Marathon Member Service Representative
11. Cecelia Weaver, South Florida Water Management District
12. John Hammerstrom, Solar Home owner
13. Tina Henize, Reduce Reuse Recycle Committee Chair
14. Billie McGuire, Fishermans Hospital Nutritionist
15. Christi Allen, Clear Channel
16. Pam Godfrey, Clear Channel
17. Ross Williams,
Monroe County
18. Mayor Mario Di Gennaro
19. Commissioner George Neugent
20. Commissioner Sylvia Murphy
21. Dawn Acker, Project Administrator for County Administrator
22. Dent Pierce, Public Works
23. Roy Sanchez, Public Works
24. Joe Medallion, Public Works
25. Dave Koppel, Engineering
26. Andrew Trivette, Planning
27. Rich Jones, Planning
Monroe County School District
28. Debra Walker, Monroe County School Board
29. Randy Acevedo, Superintendent
Village of Islamorada
30. Mayor Dave Boerner
31. Vice Mayor C athi Hill
32, Gerald Albertson
City of Marathon
33, Mayor Chris Bull
34. Vice Mayor Marilyn Tempest
35. Mike Puto, City Manager
City of Key Colony Beach
36. Mayor Clyde Burnett
37. Vice Mayor Ron Sutton
City of Layton
38. Skip Haring, Asst to the Mayor
39. Margaret Creulich, Layton Citizen Green Team
40. Laverna Solinger, Layton Citizen Green Team
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative
41. John Stuart, Chief Operating Officer
42. Deb Shaw, Environmental Affairs Manager
Keys Energy Services
43. Alex Tejeda, Director of Customer Services
44. Julio Barroso, Communications & Marketing Coordinator
45. Sanctuary Advisory Council: Bruce Popham
46. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: David Score
47. Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District: Susan Ford Hammaker
48. Sea Air Land Technologies: Bob Williams
49. Sea Air Land Technologies: Chuck Meyers
50. Southern Alliance for Clean Energy: Steve Smith
51. Pigeon Key Board, Margie Mearns
52. Callahan Communications, Nikki Dunn
53. Kate Hendrickson, Energy Cents Coalition, MN
Virtual Presenters
54. ICLEI: Wesley Look, Program Assistant wesley.look@iclei.org
55. Miami -Dade County: Nichole Hefty heftyn@miamidade.gov
56. Sarasota County: Rob Patten rpatten@scgov.net dhunter@scgov.net Susan Gray
(sgray(Lbscgov.net, sgrey@scgov.net)
57. FKAA - Colleen Tagle ctagle@fkaa.com
Virtual Attendees
58. Karen Beal (kbealI @aol.com
59. Kim Gabel KEGABEL@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
60. Georgia Tasker, Miami Herald: GTasker@miwniherald.com
61. csmith@keysnews.com
Didn't Respond or Show
• Florida Keys Community College
• Waste Management
• City of Key West
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
** TIME APPROXIMATE REQUESTED **
Meeting Date: Wed., July 18, 2007
Bulk Item: Yes _ No XX
Division: BOCC
Department: Mayor Di Gennaro, District 4
Staff Contact Person: Tamara Lundstrom
(305 289-6000)
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of Resolution supporting a program to convert
decommissioned septic tanks to cisterns for landscape irrigation and other non -potable water
uses.
ITEM BACKGROUND: In 2005 the Department of Health (DOH), Division of Environmental
Health instituted regulations through a variance procedure to provide property owners
decommissioning septic tanks for central wastewater hookup to convert the cleaned septic tank
to a cistern. Due to a lack of promotion, the program is not well known; additionally the extra
cost and administrative processes involved for variance approval have discouraged septic tank
conversion.
Mr. Frans Wagner, a resident of the Saddlebunch Keys, was instrumental in researching
and promoting the program to DOH, and was asked by the agency to assist them in crafting the
guiding regulations in 2004. He has written DOH requesting their encouragement and
facilitation of the program, and copied other water conservation agency officials to obtain their
support in light of the recent drought conditions and water conservation measures enacted.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes _ No
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes _ No _ AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included XX Not Required
DISPOSITION:
Revised 2/05
AGENDA ITEM #
Mayor Mario DiGennaro
RESOLUTION NO. -2007
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY
SUPPORTING A PROGRAM TO CONVERT
DECOMMISSIONED SEPTIC TANKS TO CISTERNS
FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION AND OTHER NON -
POTABLE WATER USES.
WHEREAS, the State of Florida is currently under drought conditions; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida has experienced many drought years in the recent past;
and
WHEREAS, as an area of critical state concern, Monroe County is under a State rule
requiring the sewering of the Florida Keys; and
WHEREAS, owners of on -site sewage treatment systems, including septic tanks, are
required bay law to connect to a central sewerage system within 30 days of such a system
becoming available; and
WHEREAS, health regulations require the decommissioning of septic tanks when a
property is switched to a central sewerage system; and
WHEREAS, decommissioned septic tanks could be converted into cisterns for the
collection and storage of rainwater to be used for landscape irrigation and other non -potable
water uses; and
WHEREAS, the use of cisterns would alleviate the demand for ever -decreasing water
resources; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida Department of Health Rule 64E-6.001, F.A.C. prohibits the use
of a decommissioned septic tank for any other purpose; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida Department of Health has previously allowed a
variance from Rule 64E-6.001, F.A.C., to allow the conversion of septic tanks to cisterns; and
WHEREAS, in an April 2005 e-mail, the Monroe County Health Department announced
that it would consider group variances under a single application; and
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners finds that conversion of septic tanks
Septic Tanks to Cisterns
to cisterns for irrigation purposes would: save drinking water otherwise used for landscape
irrigation currently, reduces storm water runoff since rainwater which strikes the roof is
collected instead of becoming sheet flow carrying pollutants into near shore waters, reduce the
reasons to violate water restrictions; and result in a greener Florida landscape during times of
severe drought;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1: That Monroe County supports a program for converting decommissioned
septic tanks to cisterns for use for irrigation purposes.
Section 2: Monroe County encourages the State of Florida to establish a conversion
program which would encourage and facilitate the conversion of septic tanks to cisterns.
Section 3: The Clerk is directed to send certified copies of this Resolution to Florida
to Ana Viamonte Ros, Secretary of Department of Health (DOH), 2585 Merchants Row
Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL; Gerald Briggs, DOH Division of Environmental Health, Chief of
Onsite Sewage Programs, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1728, and to Bob
Eadie, Director of the Monroe County Health Department, 1100 Simonton Street, Key West, FL
33040.
Section 4: This Resolution shall become effective on the date written below.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a meeting of said Board held on the 20th day of July, A.D., 2007.
Mayor Mario DiGennaro
Mayor Pro Tern Dixie M. Spehar
Commissioner Charles "Sonny" McCoy
Commissioner Sylvia Murphy
Commissioner George Neugent
(SEAL)
Attest: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, Clerk
:
Deputy Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
Mayor/Chairman
Septic Tanks to Cisterns
83 Bay Drive
Key West, FL 33040 N AY 2 1 2007
May 16, 2007
Gerald Briggs, Chief Bureau of Onsite Sewage Programs
Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1728
Dear Mr. Briggs:
It's obvious that we have a serious drought in Florida. In many areas it is the worst on
record. Inevitably, the water shortage is going to get worse, since a tremendous number
of people continue to move into Florida, and all of them drink water, bathe, and flush
toilets. Many will also have lawns and/or gardens.
One action currently employed to mitigate drought conditions is to convert unused septic
tanks into cisterns for the collection and storage of rainwater to be used for landscape
irrigation. Here in Monroe County septic tanks become unused, for example, when
municipal sewer systems are built and existing homes disconnect their individual septic
systems and connect to the new central system. A few years ago we demonstrated to you,
Mr. Briggs, and the DOH that such conversion was safe, feasible, and had many benefits.
Conversion to cisterns:
1. Saves drinking water since landscape irrigation is done with cistern water.
2. Reduces storm water runoff since rainwater which strikes the roof is collected
instead of becoming sheet flow carrying pollutants into near shore waters.
3. Reduces incentive to cheat during times of water restrictions.
4. Results a more desirable Florida landscape in times of severe drought.
Our efforts, with your help, resulted in having the DOH craft regulations to allow such
septic tank conversion. However, even today the existence of the option to convert is not
well known and is not promoted. Worse, current Department of Health regulations cause
such conversion to cost extra money, require extra bureaucracy, and mandate extra
paperwork.
The DOH should not stand by and allow this de -facto discouragement of septic tank
conversion. We suggest that you Sir, as one of your very highest priorities, push for the
swift revision of the rule which, makes abandonment of a septic tank taken out of service,
the default or norm, while at the same time, conversion to a cistern requires a variance,
with its concomitant cost and red tape. The DOH should replace such regulation with
one which does its opposite. The DOH should mandate that the standard for septic tanks
taken out of service is to convert them to cisterns for non -potable water for garden
irrigation. If one does not wish to convert, but rather wishes to abandon, that is the act
that should require a costly variance. Quite simply, in the interest of water conservation
for Florida, the norm should be conversion, the exception should be abandonment.
Furthermore, with copies of this letter, we ask all entities in Florida which are connected
with acquiring, distributing, managing, and conserving water, first of all, to advertise
aggressively the option of septic tank conversion, and second, to join the undersigned in
encouraging Mr. Briggs to change DOH regulations as described above, as soon as
possible.
Finally, every Florida lawmaker, at all levels, should realize the current precariousness of
our water supply and the very realistic disastrous prognosis for its future. All of them
should work to making subsidies available to allay some of the costs of converting septic
tanks to cisterns. Legislators in every county should endeavor to remove existing
hindrances to cistern conversion. For example this is one area where cost of permitting
for minor plumbing or electrical work might be eased. In addition all Florida lawmakers
should work towards creating incentives to have cisterns installed along with every bit of
new construction, or better yet, mandate it. All of the recipients of this letter should
participate in encouraging such legislation.
Thank you all for yout attention,
s
trancisand AnWia M. 74;�r
frgnwme—rI@A—otnmff.com
CC. Ana. M. Viamonte Ros M.D. — Secretary, Florida Department of Health
Bobbie Sleighter — Monroe County DOH
Carol Ann Wehle — Executive Director, SFWMD
Carolyn L. Williams — District Ombudsman, SFWMD
Bruce Adams — Water Conservation Officer, SFWMD
James Reynolds — Executive Director, FKAA
Ron Saunders — Florida House of Representatives
Dixie Spehar — Mayor Pro Tem, BOCC Monroe County
George Neugent — Commissioner, BOCC Monroe County
Charles McCoy — Commissioner, BOCC Monroe County
Mario Di Gennaro — Mayor, BOCC Monroe County
Sylvia Murphy — Commissioner, BOCC Monroe County
Douglas Gregory — Director, GLEE
Page 1 of 3
Lundstrom-Tamara
From: Bobbi_Sleighter@doh.state.fl.us
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 12:06 PM
To: Lundstrom-Tama ra @Mon roeCou nty- FL. Gov; jebartus@bellsouth.net; boccdisl @MonroeCounty-
FL.Gov; boccdis2 @Mon roeCounty-FL. Gov; boccdis3@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov;
boccdis4@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov; boccdis5@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov
Cc: putom@ci.marathon.fl.us; clavierd@ci.marathon.fl.us; Susana_May@doh.state.fl.us;
Gerald_Briggs@doh.state.fl.us; Frank _Kruppa@doh.state.fl.us;
Christie_McNamara@doh.state.fl. us; William_Brookman@doh.state.fl.us
Subject: RE: News update on septics to cisterns
--� I forgot to mention that an abandonment permit fee will be required.
From: Sleighter, Bobbi E
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 8:32 AM
To: 'Lundstrom-Tamara@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov'; jebartus@bellsouth.net; 'boccdisi@monroecounty-fl.gov';
'boccdis2@monroecounty-fl.gov'; 'boccdis3@monroecounty-fl.gov'; 'boccdis4@monroecounty-fl.gov';
'boccdis5 @monroecounty-fl.gov'
Cc: putom@ci.marathon.fl.us; clavierd@ci.marathon.fl.us; May, Susana; Briggs, Gerald R; Kruppa, Frank W;
McNamara, Christie A; Brockman, William G
Subject: RE: News update on septics to cisterns
Greetings all:
I want to confirm and clarify things in the below e-mail from Mr. Wagner.
Mr. Wagner applied for a variance from our DOH State Rule 64E-6.001 F.A.C. that states: " Whenever the use of
an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system is discontinued following connection to a sanitary
sewer ........... the system shall be abandoned within 90 days and any further use of the system for any purpose
shall be prohibited". Mr. Wagner's proposal is to convert his existing septic tank for use as a cistern. The
variance committee made a recommendation for approval and it was forwarded to the Bureau Chief, Gerald
Briggs for his review and consideration. Mr. Briggs has reviewed and approved Mr. Wagner's application subject
to certain requirements. These requirements include but are not limited to sampling (at the expense of the
property owner), inspections by the health department, application and permits specifying the intended use of the
septic tank. Mr. Wagner has not received his official letter from Mr. Briggs stipulating these provisions but should
very soon and these provisions will apply to all applicants wishing to convert their septic tanks to cistern.
The Monroe County Health Department will be accepting group variances as long as one agent is designated to
represent the variance package. Please note that until the rule has been reviewed and changed anyone wishing
to convert their septic tank for use as a cistern must come through this office for a variance. I recommend
contacting the following persons for information related to variances for converting septic tanks for cistern use:
Bill Brookman (Upper Keys) 305- 853-1901
Frank Kruppa (Lower Keys) 305- 293-7510
Christie McNamara (Middle Keys) 305-289-2720
If you have any further questions concerning this matter please call me at 305-289-2724 or 305-293-1446.
Bobbi Sleighter, EH Director
Monroe County Health Department
RITAIINIM
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: Wed., July 18, 2007
Bulk Item: Yes _ No XX
Division: BOCC
Department: Mayor Di Gennaro, District 4
Staff Contact Person: Tamara Lundstrom
(305 289-6000)
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Resolution of Support for Community Health Center grant funding
from the US Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for Monroe County primary
health care non-profit organizations.
ITEM BACKGROUND: HRSA has named Monroe County as earmarked for receipt of grant
funding for establishment and continuation of Community Health Care Centers. The support
resolution recognizes the two major primary health care organizations providing services to the
residents of Monroe County.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: Annual funding for non-profit health care
organizations through the Human Services Advisory Board and through General fund appropriations.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST
COST TO COUNTY:
BUDGETED: Yes No
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes _ No _ AMOUNT PER MONTH ' Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management _
DOCUMENTATION: Included XX Not Required
DISPOSITION: _ AGENDA ITEM #_
Revised 2/05
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: 7-18-2007
Bulk Item: Yes X
No
Division: Commissioner Dixie S
Department: BOCC — District 1
Staff Contact Person: Les Boatwright, Ex Assist
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of the District 1 appointment of Ms. Michelle
Wisniewski to the Florida Keys Council for People with Disabilities by the Board of County
Commissioners of Monroe County.
ITEM BACKGROUND: Ms. Wisniewski's previous appointment expired on June 21st, 2007 and
has served in this position since February, 2001. The term for re -appointment is 3 years.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No X AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
DOCUMENTATION: Included
(Dixie Jbl. SPWW e
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
Not Required X
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: 7-18-2007
Bulk Item: Yes X
No
Division: Commissioner Dixie S
Department: BOCC — District 1
Staff Contact Person: Les Boatwright, Ex Assist
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of the District 1 appointment of City Commissioner —
Mr. Bill Verge to the Key West Beach Advisory Board by the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County.
ITEM BACKGROUND: Mr. Verge represents the City of Key West who is replacing City
Commissioner Mr. Tom Sawyer, now deceased.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No X AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
DOCUMENTATION: Included: X
pixie Jbl. SPWW e
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
Not Required
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: 7-18-2007 Division: Commissioner Dixie S
Bulk Item: Yes No X Department: BOCC — District 1
Staff Contact Person: Les Boatwright, Ex Assist
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Request that the Board of County Commissioners direct Growth Management Staff to immediately
identify and initiate the method for adopting the proposed 2007 U.S. Navy Boca Chica Air Station
AICUZ analysis and corresponding maps, together with analyzing which County Land Development
Regulations and Comprehensive Plan elements must be amended to accomplish the adoption according
to the appropriate parts of State law.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: N/A
BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No X AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: (Dixie ift. sze%
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
DOCUMENTATION: Included Not Required X
DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: 7/18/07 Division: BOCC
Bulk Item: Yes _ No x Department: DISTRICT FIVE
Staff Contact Person/Phone #:
Donna Hanson — 305-852-7175
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a plan titled Alternative E regarding Everglades
National Park 20 year plan.
ITEM BACKGROUND: During public meetings sponsored by Everglades National Park, four
alternative plans were discussed (A, B, C, D). None were completely acceptable to Monroe County
residents. Alternative E, proposed by local boating, fishing, camping, back -country charters, etc.
benefits the environment and our local economy and also provides education to reduce the degradation
of Florida Bay.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST:
BUDGETED: Yes No
COST TO COUNTY: d SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes No X AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION: Included Not Required-0—
DISPOSITION:
Revised 11/06
AGENDA ITEM #