Proposed Amendment to Comprehensive Plan Policy
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PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICY 1.1.D.5 REGARDING REMOVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF RESOURCE EXTRACTION WITHIN THE EAST MILTON WELLFIELD PROTECTION AREA. Prepared for the October 8, 2020 meeting of the Zoning Board RECOMMENDATION: That the board consider an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan to remove the prohibition of resource extraction within the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District. BACKGROUND: Between 2010 and 2013, Santa Rosa County studied and implemented the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District located in East Milton. The purpose of this overlay district is to provide an added degree of protection for the aquifer recharge area in the vicinity of the Fairpoint Regional Utility System and East Milton Water System wellfield which is an important resource in providing potable water for the Fairpoint peninsula and the East Milton Area. It is the intent of this overlay district to protect twelve (12) present and future public potable water supply wells and wellfields from water quality degradation by contamination from regulated substances. The Santa Rosa County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code currently prohibit resource extraction such as borrow pits within the East Milton Wellfield Protection Area. Borrow pits were prohibited from the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District because of the cause and effect scenario that if borrow pits are allowed then reclamation of solid waste could be hazardous to the aquifer recharge area. Borrow pits and land clearing debris facilities are regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Water Management Districts. On Wednesday, August 26, 2020 the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to amend the Santa Rosa County Comprehensive Plan to allow the extraction of natural resources from the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District with the future intent to allow the expansion of existing borrow pits and land clearing debris only reclamation. There are approximately ten (10) existing borrow pits within the East Milton Wellfield Protection Area that could be expanded or utilized for land clearing debris. Since the implementation of the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District, Santa Rosa County has implemented a PIT zoning district that requires all expansion or new borrow pits to be rezoned and have a reclamation plan. The proposed amendments are shown in strikethrough and underline format below. Comprehensive Plan Policy 1.1.D.5 • The extraction of natural resources shall be permitted only where compatible with adjacent land uses and when minimal resource degradation will occur. Further, resource extraction shall be strictly prohibited within a 500-foot zone around public supply potable water wells and the East Milton Area Wellfield Protection District. Note: The determination of minimal degradation, if necessary, will be made in cooperation with the appropriate State or Federal Agency regulating resource extraction activities. Further, resource extraction in environmentally sensitive areas which cannot be restored shall be prohibited. For the purposes of this policy, routine silvicultural and agricultural activities are not considered resource extraction activities. Page 6- 136 Comp Plan Amendment Comments Darliene Stanhope From: James Willobee <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 10:04 AM To: Board of County Commissioners; Web Email - Planning & Zoning; Darliene Stanhope Subject: ground water protection To Whom: appreciate I any and all efforts to preserve our fragile aquifers. Dumping of any kind on/in designated wetlands makes no sense to me. In fact, I cannot dump on my wetlands, the county should not either-ESPECIALLY-if non natural items and potentially toxic materials end up there. Thank you in advance for your consideration of my position on this important matter. Highest Regards, iw J Willobee 4830 Soundside Drive Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 J Willobee 4830 Soundside Drive Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 J Willobee 4830 Soundside Drive Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Darliene Stanhope From: Richard Frazee <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 10:09 AM To: Web Email - Planning & Zoning; Board of County Commissioners; Darliene Stanhope Subject: The Land Development Code Wellfield Protection Area September 24, 2020 To the Santa Rosa Zoning Board and Commissioners, The Land Development Code Wellfield Protection Area is in danger of having the ordinance changed to allow Land Clearing Debris pits on top of our aquifers from Blackwater River to Yellow River. These wells/aquifers provide about 51% of Santa Rosa County drinking water... Holley, Navarre, Midway, Gulf Breeze and East Milton. As a resident in this area, I do not want this change to be approved. Respectfully, Richard Frazee 4609 Soundside Dr, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. I. Darliene Stanhope From: Deborah Mozert <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 10:11 AM To: Web Email - Planning & Zoning; Board of County Commissioners Subject: Land Development Code Welifield Protection Area Do not allow ordinance to be changed allowing Land Clearing Debris pits on top of our aquifers. It is imperative that we protect our aquifers and sensitive areas of our county. The building of new developments is destroying our county. There is no oversight to require the developers from building on top of wetlands and many other sensitive areas. Hurricane Sally was an example of the overbuilding that caused flooding where it did not flood previously. Thank you for your time. Deborah Mozert CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Darliene Stanhope 0) From: Barbara Buss <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 12:59 PM To: Darliene Stanhope; Board of County Commissioners; Web Email - Planning & Zoning Subject: Avoid siting debris pits near drinking water aquifers For the consideration of the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners, and Santa Rosa County Zoning and Planning Commission. All citizens of Santa Rosa County must be alarmed by the proposed comprehensive plan amendment and change to the Land Development Code allowing Land Clearing Debris Pits to be created in our Wellfield Protection Area. Pure water is NOT a partisan issue! We appeal to the Zoning Board at the October 8, and 80CC at the October 22 meeting, to protect our drinking water and deny this change to these official policies. Fritz and Barbara Buss, 2469 W. Bayshore Rd, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 Cc. Ms. Darliene Stanhope, Development Services CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Darliene Stanhope From: Stavros, Mark (Pensacola) <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 12:42 PM To: Web Email - Planning & Zoning Subject: Protect our aquifers Dear Planning and Zoning Board: Please do not change the ordinance to allow Land Clearing Debris to be placed on top of our aquifers. The problem is that other items can make it into the dumped debris. Land Clearing Debris pits are only inspected once a year by FDEP. There was an instance where yard clearing debris was dumped into a land clearing debris pit, along with carpeting. The owner of the pit allowed this and did not charge the private hauler who dumped the load, resulting in no record of the items dumped or the private hauler who dumped illegally. Land debris also holds all of the toxins and chemicals that have been used on that debris. Round-up, insecticides, fertilizers, etc. As that natural debris breaks down - it will leach all of those contaminates into our aquifer. For this reason, no pits of any kind should be allowed in the already established Wellfield Protection Area, which provides 51% of public drinking water to Santa Rosa County. These pristine aquifers that stretch from Blackwater River to Yellow River need to be protected. Not only for our health, but the health of our children. Respectfully, Mark Stavros, MD Sent from my iPad CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Darliene Stanhope From: Tiffany Nolan Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 12:41 PM To: Nate Moore Cc: Darliene Stanhope; Shawn Ward Subject: RE: Weilfield Protection Area Hi, have Thank you for sending your comments to the Board, I copied out Planning and Zoning department for the appropriate direction. Thanks, Tiffany Nolan Santa Rosa County Administrative Aide 6495 Caroline Street, Suite M Milton, Florida 32570 I P: 850.981.2021 C: 850.776.2396 F: 850.983.1856 I I Santarosa.fl.gov Facebook Twitter Instagram I Help us improve our customer service with this short survey. From: Nate Moore <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 12:23 PM To: Board of County Commissioners <[email protected]> Subject: Welifield Protection Area Gentlemen, I’m against having landfills or debris pits on any kind above our aquifers. Can’t they put them somewhere else? Sincerely, Nathan Moore 1513 Ocean Breeze Ln, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 CAUTION: This email originated from an EXTERNAL SOURCE. Do not follow guidance, click links, or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Florida has a very broad Public Records Law. Virtually all written communications to or from Santa Rosa County Personnel are public records available to the public and media upon request. E-mail sent or received on the county system will be considered public and will only be withheld from disclosure if deemed confidential pursuant to State Law.