Item J3 J3
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY of MONROE Mayor James K.Scholl,District 3
The Florida Keys Mayor Pro Tern Michelle Lincoln,District 2
Craig Cates,District 1
David Rice,District 4
Holly Merrill Raschein,District 5
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
February 19, 2025
Agenda Item Number: J3
2023-3650
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: Planning & Environmental Resources
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Emily Schemper
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Update on Meeting with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Regarding the Potential to
Expand U.S. Highway 1 Bridges and Roadways to Four (4) Lanes; and Discussion and Direction on
Whether Professional Staff Should Continue to Proceed with Amendments to the Monroe County
Comprehensive Plan to Eliminate the Prohibition of Expanding U.S. 1 to Four (4) Lanes for Bridges, as
Directed by the BOCC on November 19, 2024, and December 11, 2024.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
At their regular meeting on November 19, 2024, the BOCC directed professional staff to begin
Comprehensive Plan amendments necessary to allow expansion of bridges on U.S. Highway 1 to up to
four (4) lanes and to request a meeting with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to
discuss whether additional lanes would improve traffic conditions in the Florida Keys (Nov 19, 2024,
Item M7). At the December 11, 2024, meeting, following review of the Infrastructure Fiscal Impact
Analysis Report prepared as part of the analysis of pending updates to ROGO, professional staff
requested additional direction on whether to also include in the directed amendments elimination of the
prohibition on additional lanes on the non- ridge roadway segments of U.S. 1 that do not currently have
4 lanes. The BOCC did not direct staff to pursue removal of the prohibition on non-bridge roadway
segments at this time (Dec. 11, 2024, Item J4).
Staff is currently processing the following amendment to the Comprehensive Plan through the required
approval process,per BOCC direction:
Current Comprehensive Plan Policy 301.7.2
In recognition of the physical and environmental constraints that may affect the widening of U.S. 1 to four
lanes, Monroe County shall coordinate with FDOT on those portions of U.S. 1 that are shown as two
lanes on the Future Traffic Circulation Map (Traffic Circulation Number of Through Lanes Maps) to
maintain them as two lanes for the planning horizon. This policy shall not be construed so as to prohibit
the addition of a third lane to be used as a continuous two-way turn lane for those segments with a
demonstrated public safety risk, if the third lane has been demonstrated to be the safest alternative.
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Proposed amendments to Comprehensive Plan Policy 301.7.2
In recognition of the physical and environmental constraints that may affect the widening of U.S. 1 to four
lanes, Monroe County shall coordinate with FDOT on those portions of U.S. 1, other than bridges, that
are shown as two lanes on the Future Traffic Circulation Map (Traffic Circulation Number of Through
Lanes Maps) to maintain them as two lanes for the planning horizon. This policy shall not be construed
so as to prohibit the addition of a third lane to be used as a continuous two-way turn lane for those
segments with a demonstrated public safety risk, if the third lane has been demonstrated to be the safest
alternative, nor shall this policy be construed so as to prohibit the addition of a third or fourth lane for
bridge replacement carried out by FDOT.
Meeting with FDOT:
On January 6, 2025, Commissioner Rice and County staff and met with FDOT District Six Secretary
Stacy Miller and her staff to discuss the idea of expansion of some or all of U.S.1 to four lanes. County
staff asked if expanding bridges to four lanes would increase capacity; and asked if issues with induced
demand are addressed in FDOT analysis.
FDOT explained that:
• 4-laning of bridge structures alone would not solve traffic congestion.
• A holistic approach addressing turn lanes, business access, intersections, and times of day would
be needed.
• FDOT evaluation of whether 4-laning a portion of U.S.1 is desirable would occur during a Project
Development and Environment(PD&E) Study.
• FDOT does not have a travel demand model for the Florida Keys, but would evaluate capacity
over 10-20 years for adding lanes. Within certain segments, increased capacity could then allow
additional development, which would in turn fill up the newly created capacity. There are many
unknown variables, so this is difficult to evaluate.
• Bottlenecks in Islamorada are also a factor and the Village is opposed to additional lanes within
their jurisdiction.
County staff asked if our Comprehensive Plan could be amended to allow FDOT to conduct the
study(ies), but maintain the ability of the BOCC to make the final decision on whether or not to
implement a 4-lane expansion project.
FDOT indicated that it would be difficult to allow a local government to reject implementation of 4-lane
expansion if a study was completed that showed it would improve traffic congestion.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
November 19, 2024 - BOCC directed professional staff to begin Comprehensive Plan amendments
necessary to allow expansion of bridges on U.S.1 to up to 4 lanes and to request a meeting with the
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to discuss whether additional lanes would improve
traffic conditions in the Florida Keys (Item M7).
December 11, 2024 - BOCC did not direct staff to pursue addition of removal of the prohibition on
non-bridge roadway segments to Comprehensive Plan amendment at this time (Item J4).
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INSURANCE REQUIRED:
No
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Given the discussion with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), professional staff are
requesting direction on whether to continue to process the previously directed amendments to the
Comprehensive Plan to allow expansion of bridges on U.S. I to four(4) lanes.
DOCUMENTATION:
December 11, 2024, Item J4 -AIS - ROGO-INFRASTRUCTURE
November 19, 2024, Item M7 - AIS - FDOT Bridges - Comm Rice
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
N/A
3338
J4
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY of MONROE Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein,District 5
The Florida Keys Mayor Pro Tern James K.Scholl,District 3
Craig Cates,District 1
Michelle Lincoln,District 2
David Rice,District 4
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
December 11, 2024
Agenda Item Number: J4
2023-3395
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: Planning & Environmental Resources
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Emily Schemper
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Staff Update on Future Potential Changes to Rate of Growth
Ordinance (ROGO), including: Presentation of Infrastructure Fiscal Impact Analysis Report by Tischler
Bise, Inc.; Request for Direction Regarding Number of Lanes on Non-Bridge Segments of U.S.1;
Updated ROGO Allocation Inventory and proposed options; and Draft Definition of Workforce Market
Rate Housing. TIME APPROXIMATE 10:30 A.M.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
Included in this update on future potential changes to the Rate of Growth Ordinance(ROGO)will be:
Infrastructure Fiscal Impact Analysis Report
As part of the ongoing analysis the County has undertaken regarding the future of the ROGO permit
allocation system, Tischler Bise, Inc., a fiscal, economic, and planning consulting firm, was contracted
to evaluate the estimated costs of increased infrastructure to serve expansions of residential
development under the following scenarios: 220, 600, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 8000 additional ROGO
allocations. Tischler Bise staff will present their final report findings.
U.S.1 roadway- 4-lane segments
At the November 19, 2024, meeting, the BOCC directed staff to begin Comprehensive Plan
amendments necessary to allow up to 4 lanes on bridges along U.S.1. Staff is asking for direction on
whether to also eliminate the prohibition on additional lanes on the non-bridge roadway segments of
U.S.1 that do not currently have 4 lanes.
• Current Policy 301.7.2 In recognition of the physical and environmental constraints that may
affect the widening of U.S. 1 to four lanes, Monroe County shall coordinate with FDOT on those
portions of U.S. 1 that are shown as two lanes on the Future Traffic Circulation Map (Traffic
Circulation Number of Through Lanes Maps) to maintain them as two lanes for the planning
horizon. This policy shall not be construed so as to prohibit the addition of a third lane to be used
as a continuous two-way turn lane for those segments with a demonstrated public safety risk, if
the third lane has been demonstrated to be the safest alternative. [F.S. § 163.3177(6)(b)l.]
1
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Undated ROGO Allocation Inventory and proposed options
At the November 19, 2024 meeting, the BOCC reviewed a draft ROGO allocation inventory, rates of
current allocation distribution, types of ROGO allocations, and draft options for consideration by the
Board to inform the final request for units to be made on December 19, 2024 at a special meeting.
Since that meeting, staff have refined the options by subtracting the existing number of allocations,
based on allocation type to better describe the options to request additional allocations from the State of
Florida.
Workforce Market Rate Housing Concept
On November 20, 2024, at the Special Workshop of the BOCC regarding ROGO, staff presented a
"Workforce Market Rate Housing" concept and received direction from the BOCC to proceed with
Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code amendments as necessary to create the new housing
category. Staff will provide further detail and clarification on the requirements of the proposed housing
category, as well as the draft definition.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
INSURANCE REQUIRED:
No
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests direction on U.S.1 number of lanes, and definition of
Workforce Market Rate Housing. No decision on the number of ROGO allocations is being requested
at this time.
DOCUMENTATION:
Number of Through Lanes m Pages from Map Series 4.0 Traffic Circulation Element
Monroe County Comprehensive Plan regarding USml Number of Lanes.pdf
Updated_Timeline
Workforce Market Rate Housing proposed definition.pdf
ROGO UNITS OVERVIEW updated 12-3-24 with III-B.pdf
ROGO UNITS OVERVIEW updated 12-3-24 with III-B.xlsx
Monroe Co—ROGO Infrastructure Study_12.06.24.pdf
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
N/A
2
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M7
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNTY of MONROE Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein,District 5
The Florida Keys Mayor Pro Tern James K.Scholl,District 3
Craig Cates,District 1
Michelle Lincoln,District 2
David Rice,District 4
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
November 19, 2024
Agenda Item Number: M7
2023-3224
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: Transit
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Richard Clark
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: COMMISSIONER RICE: Discussion of upcoming FDOT bridge
design and construction on Overseas Highway and whether the County Commission supports amending
the County Comprehensive Plan to allow those bridges to be constructed with 4 lanes as opposed to 2
lanes.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
FDOT has significant bridge work on the horizon including:
Snake Creek Bridge (FDOT) Currently 2 lanes Islmorada
112 Street Over Calossa Channel Bridge(Local) Currently 2 lanes Marathon
117 Street at Vaca Channel#2 (Local) Currently 2 lanes Marathon
Seven Mile Bridge (FDOT) Currently 2 lanes County
Long Key Bridge(FDOT) Currently 2 lanes County
Toms Harbor Bridge (Local) Currently 2 lanes County
Card Sound Road at Tubbys (Local) Currently 2 lanes County
Card Sound Road at Mosquito (Local) Currently 2 lanes County
(4 lane Bridges are Boca Chica and Cow Key)
It's important that the BOCC discuss the impacts of the design and construction of bridges that will
impact Monroe County for the next 50 years with consideration to be given to whether the County
should consider asking FDOT to construct future bridges to potentially accommodate 4 lanes of traffic.
This would require a comprehensive plan amendment (Section 3.3 Traffic Circulation) that takes
between 12 and 18 months.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
None
INSURANCE REQUIRED:
No
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CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
None
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Discussion.
DOCUMENTATION:
Number of Through Lanes - Pages from Map Series 4.0 Traffic Circulation Element File I of 3.pdf
Traffic Circulation Comp Plan.pdf
183 TCC Project Master List.xlsx
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None
3342