2 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club October 2007 Suwannee-St. Johns Group Now much more environmentally sensi- tive lands are proposed for development, The Impact of Impact Fees and there is a genuine lack of understanding BY ROB BRINKMAN es to the impact fees. At the last hearing, the or appreciation for the protections needed ast month I wrote about pro-development interests packed the room to preserve at least some of the ecosystem Sierra ClubNewsletter and dissuaded a majority of the Alachua functions which clean our water and renew Nature’s Mandate and Na- ture’s Trust. These concepts County Commission from enacting impact our air. Published monthly except June and August from Gainesville, Florida fees that reflect the actual costs of needed As I discussed last month, there is a strong VOLUME 37 • NUMBER 8 • October 2007 Lhave been in my mind over the last infrastructure for new developments. They incentive for landowners to annex into mu- month as the Suwannee St. Johns argued that a sales tax increase would gener- nicipalities to escape Alachua County pro- Sierra Club Executive Committee ate far more revenue and spread the tections for strategic ecosystems. East has worked on several important cost over more people. CHAIR’S Gainesville has long been passed over GENERAL MEETING issues with far reaching implica- The people who make money by developers, but now one develop- In the Aftermath of Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 PM from real estate development want er has proposed a large development Entomology/Nematology Building on the UF campus tions. (Just east of the Performing Arts Center. Turn south off everyone to pay for the costs of their there, although he is attempting to the Bugaboo Fire Hull Road on to Natural Areas Road.) Among these have been impact fees, an- developments to allow them to make evade the required Development of nexation of significant ecosystems into mu- more money; this is simply unfair Regional Impact review process. BY BILL RADUNOVICH behind to the natural areas it affected. bugaboo nicipalities whose land use regulations are and amounts to public subsidy of CORNER The property in question, which n Saturday night, May 5, Dorman is a native Floridian going sev- FIRE not protective enough of such important private profit. surrounds Gainesville’s Ironwood double lightning strikes eral generations back. He received his bach- BOB DORMAN natural resources, and other developments Fortunately, Commission Chair Paula Golf Course, is extremely critical to the elor’s degree in Zoology from the University WILDLIFE biologist that threaten to make restoration of a sig- Delaney has indicated that she is consider- water quality of Little Hatchett Creek and occurred on Bugaboo Is- osceola national FOREST of Florida, after which he worked in biol- nificant impaired water body extremely dif- ing changing her vote. Please show up and Newnan’s Lake, now the most eutrophic Oland in the Okeefenokee Swamp ogy research and consulting for many years, ficult. speak in support of full cost impact fees lake in Florida. While preventing any deg- National Wildlife Refuge. Nour- mostly in the southeast. The common theme is that the status quo now. radation or even improving the water qual- ished by strong winds out of the He joined the US Forest Service in 1991, is unacceptable. If our communities do not Most of the easy to develop land has now ity of Little Hatchett Creek will not by itself north, the resulting wildfire crossed heading first to the Kootenai National For- make significant changes to the way we are been used up, yet there is unrelenting pres- solve this problem, intensive development into northern Florida the following est in northwestern Montana. He spent 10 growing, the next generation will suffer the sure to continue development for the sake that add more nutrients to this watershed Tuesday morning. years working in the Northern Continen- consequences. of economic prosperity. Recent history has could sign the death certificate for Newnan’s tal Divide Ecosystem, where he focused on On Oct. 9, the Alachua County Com- demonstrated that growth benefits a small lake. Eventually, the Bugaboo Fire, as it came grizzly bear research. He eventually found mission will again discuss proposed increas- portion of our communities. see CORNER, page 7 to be known, burned over 300,000 acres his way back to Florida and the Osceola Na- in northern Florida tional Forest in Co- The staff at the Osceola National Forest Visit the National and Local Sierra Club Websites! FOLDING PARTY and southern Geor- lumbia and Baker is also trying to add to its size and trying to National: http://www.sierraclub.org • Local: http://www.gatorsierra.org Interested in hosting a newsletter folding gia, shut down both counties. add acreage in the Pinhook Purchase Unit party? Contact Scott Camil at 375-2563 Interstate Highways As part of his work to bring together larger areas. Suwannee-St.Johns Group Chairs & Executive Committee 10 and 75, and cost in the Osceola Na- This will help build up the natural eco- Suwannee-St. Johns Group Sierra Club over $14,000,000, tional Forest, Dor- system, as well as help the forest’s black Chair Rob Brinkman 337-1757 [email protected] Newsletter (UPS 317-370) is published 10 before being finally man is working on bear population move between the Osceola Conservation Co-Chair Paula Stahmer 373-3958 [email protected] months a year, except June and August, contained in the thinning the pine National Forest and Ocala National Forest, Education Chair Jay Peacock 337-0646 [email protected] by the Suwannee-St. Johns Group Sierra latter half of June, strands through pre- which has its own healthy population of Public Lands Issues Kathy Cantwell 395-7441 [email protected] Club, 1024 NW 13th Ave, Gainesville, over 2 months after scribed burning to black bears. Program co-chair Bill Radunovich 375-2354 [email protected] 32601. Non-member subscription rate igniting. reduce the levels of The new corridor would allow for in- Co-Legislative Liason Betsy Hurst 332-6684 [email protected] is $5.00. Periodicals Postage Paid is paid The speaker at the fire fuel in the forest terbreeding of the two groups, allowing Treasurer Roberta Gastmeyer 336-2404 [email protected] at the Gainesville, FL 32608 post office. Oct. 4 general meet- NASA image of the Bugaboo Fire. to more historically for greater genetic diversity. Additionally, Membership Chair Whitey Markle 392-0270 [email protected] Postmaster: Send change of addresses to ing of the SSJ Sierra normal levels. the staff in the Osceola National Forest is Administrative Chair Russell Roy 372-7305 [email protected] Suwannee- St. Johns Group Sierra Club Newsletter, c/o The Sierra Club, Mem- Club, Bob Dorman, They are currently working to maintain the population of red Outings Chair Karen Garren 371-0008 [email protected] ber Services, P.O. Box 52968, Boulder, the Wildlife Biologist for the Osceola Na- burning 12–to-14 thousand acres each year cockaded woodpeckers, which serves as an Outings Knox Bagwell 352-468-1790 [email protected] Events Coordinator Sherry Steiner 375-2563 [email protected] CO 80328-2968. Send both your old tional Forest, will speak on the Bugaboo in an effort to gain more control over the indicator species for forest management and Political Chair Dwight Adams 378-5129 [email protected] and new addresses and a Sierra address Fire, how it spread, and the damage it left fires that occur. restoration. Co-Legislative Chair Steve Williams 386-397-2945 [email protected] label, which contains your member- Co-Secretary Rudy Rothseiden 352-318-3844 [email protected] ship number. PLEASE ADDRESS ALL ALACHUA COUNTY IMPACT FEES ON THE TABLE ..................................2 Newsletter Folding Scott Camil 375-2563 [email protected] GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE FOR Webmaster Louis Clark 373-5377 [email protected] THE SUWANNEE-ST. JOHNS GROUP ENERGY SALES COSTING GRU CUSTOMERS .......................................3 Newsletter Editor/Design Colin Whitworth 372-2464 [email protected] OF THE SIERRA CLUB TO: P.O. BOX SIERRANS VISIT BARR HAMMOCK PROPERTY ..................................... 6 13951, GAINESVILLE, FL 32604. 2 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club October 2007 Suwannee-St. Johns Group Now much more environmentally sensi- tive lands are proposed for development, The Impact of Impact Fees and there is a genuine lack of understanding BY ROB BRINKMAN es to the impact fees. At the last hearing, the or appreciation for the protections needed ast month I wrote about pro-development interests packed the room to preserve at least some of the ecosystem Sierra ClubNewsletter and dissuaded a majority of the Alachua functions which clean our water and renew Nature’s Mandate and Na- ture’s Trust. These concepts County Commission from enacting impact our air. Published monthly except June and August from Gainesville, Florida fees that reflect the actual costs of needed As I discussed last month, there is a strong VOLUME 37 • NUMBER 8 • October 2007 Lhave been in my mind over the last infrastructure for new developments. They incentive for landowners to annex into mu- month as the Suwannee St. Johns argued that a sales tax increase would gener- nicipalities to escape Alachua County pro- Sierra Club Executive Committee ate far more revenue and spread the tections for strategic ecosystems. East has worked on several important cost over more people. CHAIR’S Gainesville has long been passed over GENERAL MEETING issues with far reaching implica- The people who make money by developers, but now one develop- In the Aftermath of Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 PM from real estate development want er has proposed a large development Entomology/Nematology Building on the UF campus tions.