What wet and wild Florida could learn from the arid West

By CYNTHIA BARNETT Special to the Times
Published July 8, 2007

In 1876, John Wesley Powell, the adventuresome major who headed the U.S. Geological Survey, declared that a longitudinal line along the 100th meridian divided a moist East from an arid West. To the west of the line down the Dakotas, Nebraska , Kansas , Oklahoma and Texas , a lack of rainfall would require cooperative irrigation and an equitable system of water rights to ensure scarce water would be used for the greatest good. East of it, more than 20 inches of rainfall a year meant people could settle and grow - without irrigation - any crop that could take the heat.

Powell, the first American to explore the wild Colorado River , likely would be shocked by its modern-day taming, and the hardly equitable system that greens 1.7-million acres of desert and supplies water to 25-million people in seven states.

But he might be all the more surprised by the water crisis lapping at the other side of the country. This year's drought, the worst to hit the Southeast since record-keeping began in 1895, is only the most visible sign of the water woes now permanent in the East.

Traditionally wet Eastern states have drained themselves dry to make way for sprawling development and rapid population growth. In northeastern Massachusetts , parts of the Ipswich River dry up each summer - when Boston suburbanites turn on their sprinklers. In New Jersey , the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy Aquifer, the state's largest source of drinking water, has dipped 100 feet due to groundwater pumping that threatens saltwater intrusion.

Nowhere in the country are water shortages more puzzling and prophetic than in Florida - with an annual average 55 inches of rainfall and a regular guest on the Weather Channel thanks to its hurricanes and floods. The wildfire burning on Lake Okeechobee 's parched bed last month made for dramatic TV, as the lake dropped to its lowest level ever. But just as worrisome is the vanishing water in our aquifers - water supply for 90 percent of Floridians.

This spring, the USGS reported South Florida 's groundwater "reached the lowest levels ever recorded for this time of year." While drought is part of the natural cycle, USGS also blamed "increasing public demand on aquifer resources, " with a 25 percent population jump between 1995 and 2005.

Water scarcity in America , once confined to the arid West, is the new reality of the East. At the University of Nebraska 's National Drought Mitigation Center , director Don Wilhite told me that researchers who for years worked on the water problems of the West now are being called upon to help cities and farmers in the East. "We're seeing that the number of basins or watersheds at the point of being overappropriated is increasing, " Wilhite said.

The problem is not that we don't have enough water. It's that we squander too much. Florida , more than half submerged when it entered the union in 1845, has ditched, drained and paved itself into permanent scarcity.

When we destroy wetlands, we destroy a key cog in our drinking-water supply system, since wetlands absorb water during rainy times and release it in dry. Meanwhile, Florida 's water managers have overpermitted groundwater resources. Their generosity means farmers, our heaviest water users, have little incentive to stop inefficient flood irrigation still used on nearly half of Florida 's crops. It means community developers can get away with not only requiring sod - but demanding residents keep it the right shade of green.

Water spending, too, has moved from west to east. The New York Times recently noted some $2.5-billion in water projects planned or under way in four Western states, "the biggest expansion in the West's quest for water in decades." But states east of the 100th meridian are building far costlier projects, including those associated with the now-$20-billion plan to restore the Everglades, as well as an orgy of reservoirs, desalination plants and other expensive alternatives.

Tampa Bay Water has built the largest seawater desalination plant in North America . It's $40-million over budget, five years late and still hasn't passed crucial compliance tests. The cost of water, first advertised at $1.71 per 1, 000 gallons, is now estimated at $3.19. The most interesting part of the story: In the years the plant's troubles dragged on, Tampa Bay Water reduced overall groundwater pumping in the region from 192-million to 121-million gallons a day despite population growth - and without a drop of the desalted water officials once insisted they needed to meet that goal.

Floridians don't yet understand that population growth and economic prosperity need not equal increased water consumption. Nationally, water use stopped rising in the '80s, yet population as well as gross domestic product have grown steadily ever since.

Just as screwing in compact fluorescents won't stop global warming, the year-round, three-day-a-week watering restrictions proposed in South Florida won't get us out of this crisis. A revolutionary change in the way we think about water might. Do farmers really need to flood their fields? Do we really need to flush toilets with water treated to meet EPA drinking-water standards?

In 2001, after Florida 's last drought, the Department of Environmental Protection led a major study on how to stop wasteful and uneconomical water use. None of its 51 final recommendations became state law with real enforcement. Why wouldn't we make a serious, statewide effort to tackle inefficiency before building some of the most expensive, and riskiest, water projects in the nation?

Real efficiency also would reduce the need for contentious water diversions from rivers such as the Suwannee . For the water wars, too, have moved east. Eastern rivers being fought over in recent years include the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin shared among Florida , Georgia and Alabama ; the Potomac; the Roanoke ; and others. South Carolina 's attorney general just appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block North Carolina 's plan to take water from its Catawba River .

At Florida State University , law professor J.B. Ruhl believes this side of the country is lucky it is only now engaging in the conflicts and legal compacts that build up what's known as the "Law of the River." In the West, most interstate compacts, federal legislation and Supreme Court cases dividing up rivers predated environmental laws. New agreements in the East, Ruhl says, could ensure water for nature and people.

At the University of Florida , fisheries professor Bill Pine, who studies fish here and in the Colorado River , believes just the opposite. Pine sees the environmental commitment of citizens as much better established in the West, and believes the Southeast doesn't have the conservation ethic needed for real change. California last month shut down pumps that supply water to 25-million people to protect the endangered Delta smelt. Contrast that with the South Florida Water Management District's recent request to Washington for permission to tap Everglades conservation-area water to restock public supplies.

On the other side of Florida , Swiftmud has approved a new permit for The Villages that will let the sod-carpeted retirement community slurp 9-million more gallons of groundwater a day from the stressed aquifer - despite residents' consumption being some of the most wasteful in the state: 240 gallons per person per day. (The statewide average is 174.) It's the Eastern version of using precious Colorado River water to fill Las Vegas fountains and green lawns in the Arizona desert. It makes no more sense in the East than in the West.

Cynthia Barnett is a longtime reporter for Florida Trend magazine and the author of a new book, Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S. For more information: www.cynthiabarnett.net.

Swiftmud will have workshops on watersheds

By TIMES STAFF
Published July 12, 2007

 

BROOKSVILLE

The Southwest Florida Water Management District will host its next watershed workshop from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 2379 Broad St., south of Brooksville. The watersheds to be discussed include Crews Lake Outlet (Pithlachascotee River/Bear), Squirrel Prairie, Lizzie Hart Sink, Blue Sink, McKethan, Peck Sink, Powell and Bystre Lake. Preliminary models and floodplain information will be presented for review and comment. Swiftmud is conducting a series of workshops in Hernando County through Aug. 6 to ask developers, engineers and the general public to review and comment on 22 new watershed management plans. For information, call 796-7211, ext. 4297.

Water rules eased, but aren't ended

Some restrictions may become all year in South Florida .

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published July 12, 2007

WEST PALM BEACH - Water managers loosened restrictions Wednesday on water use throughout parts of South Florida after heavy coastal rains brought much-needed relief.

Residents in Lake Worth, Lantana, Hallandale and Dania Beach remain under the most severe restrictions, with irrigation allowed only once a week, because of the danger of saltwater intrusion into the cities' coastal wells. If that happens, the wells could be rendered useless for a decade, the South Florida Water Management District said.

And farmers and residents around Lake Okeechobee got no relief from restrictions that are intended to cut back use by up to 50 percent in that region.

Okeechobee, the heart of the Everglades and a backup drinking water source for millions of South Florida residents, has been hitting a record low almost weekly. Its main artery, the Kissimmee River , hasn't flowed south in more than eight months, depriving the lake of 50 percent of its water.

Water managers say the Kissimmee River basin needs about 5 feet of rain just to catch up after an 18-month dry spell. Officials estimate that 50 percent of the drinking water produced in South Florida is used to water lawns and gardens.

Water restrictions were eased along the lower eastern coast because of above-average rainfall there. The district, which manages 2,000 miles of canals, has no way to pump water back into Lake Okeechobee, so if the excess water from recent rains isn't used now, it will be pumped into the ocean for flood control.

Along with Wednesday's decision to loosen restrictions in some areas, the district board also is considering imposing year-round restrictions to prepare for future droughts.

"With conditions in the Lake Okeechobee watershed so radically different from conditions along the coast, the district is still in a severe regional water shortage," said district board chairman Eric Buermann. "Even with modified water restrictions in some areas, we must still practice wise water use and conservation."

Governor goes green in a big way

By A TIMES EDITORIAL
Published July 12, 2007

There is only one response worthy of the scope and drama of Gov. Charlie Crist's announcement Tuesday on how Florida will react to the global warming crisis that could soon visit our shores. Wow!

Crist went well beyond the feel-good environmental cliches of the past. Instead, he laid out a specific plan of attack: an aggressive reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases spewing out of state power plants, a much greater reliance on electricity from renewable sources, markedly improved energy efficiency in new construction imposed by an updated building code.

If Florida can accomplish what Crist has laid out, it would catapult the state into a leadership role among those ready to do something about global warming. His actions mock the political paralysis on the subject in Washington .

"I think that as a state, beautiful as Florida is, we need to be a leader controlling climate change and protecting our natural resources," Crist said in announcing a series of executive orders he intends to sign Friday.

Most ambitious is a meaningful reduction of carbon emissions from power plants. Using a cap-and-trade system, the state would set three milestones for shrinking emissions. In 10 years, greenhouse gases would have to be reduced to 2000 levels; by 2025, the reductions couldn't exceed 1990 levels; and by mid century, emissions could be no more than a fifth of 1990 levels. Utilities that couldn't meet such restrictions would have to buy credits from those that could.

Crist would also set an ambitious goal for generating electricity from renewable energy. He would ask the Public Service Commission to write new rules requiring utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from sources other than fossil fuel, particularly solar and wind. That's a stronger position than the U.S. Senate took on renewable energy, mainly because of objections from Republicans, Crist's own party.

Meanwhile, Crist will be joined by another action-oriented Republican on the environment, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, at a two-day conference on climate change beginning today in Miami . Perhaps this marks the beginning of a sea change in attitudes by the party, the state and the nation over global warming. Let's hope so.

Crist will face significant challenges ahead. He'll have to get the powerful utilities to cooperate, the Republican-led Legislature to back him and the so-far friendly Florida populace to accept the higher cost of a sustainable environment. The easy path for Crist would have been to fall back on the sure-thing environmental topics of the past, such as offshore drilling and Everglades restoration. Instead, he has added to those still-important issues and put his credibility on the line with a specific plan of attack against global warming.

Agree with him or not, you've got to be wowed.

Fla. faces long path to a greener future

By NATHAN CRABBE

Sun staff writer

The obituary for coal-fired power plants in Florida is being written this week.

Gov. Charlie Crist is holding a summit on global warming today and Friday in Miami . He's closing the event by signing an executive order to cap greenhouse gas emissions, making it harder to build emission-spewing plants.

Just last year, it seemed possible two coal-fired plants would be built in North Central Florida . Gainesville Regional Utilities and a Taylor County group have since been forced to scuttle those plans, decisions that now seem fortuitous.

"I feel emboldened by the fact that we made the right decision to look at other options," said Gainesville Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan, who is attending the summit.

Instead, GRU is now pursuing a wood-fueled biomass power plant.

This week, Levy County started the process that would allow Progress Energy to build a nuclear plant near Inglis.

Next week, Seminole Electric Cooperative is expected to present Bradford County commissioners with a plan to build a natural gas plant there.

All three technologies mean lower levels of greenhouse gases than traditional coal-fired plants.

But experts say the region will need to do much more to reduce emissions - including improving building construction, expanding public transportation and putting more money into solar and other renewable energy projects.

"Just about every sector of the economy needs to participate," said Mark van Soestbergen of the Gainesville-based International Carbon Bank and Exchange.

The International Carbon Bank helps companies calculate their emissions and certify reductions. Crist is considering a system allowing entities emitting greenhouse gases to buy credits from entities that are reducing emissions.

Van Soestbergen used the Alachua County jail's inefficient air-conditioning system as an example of how the process would work. The jail could install an energy-efficient system, saving money on utility bills as well as providing credits that could be sold.

"There's an added value to it," he said.

Van Soestbergen is among at least a dozen local residents attending the summit.

Alachua County Environmental Protection Director Chris Bird and University of Florida Sustainability Director Dedee Delongpre are also attending. UF microbiology professor Lonnie Ingram will be part of a panel on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Most scientists believe man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases have likely increased global temperatures in recent decades. The changing climate could cause rising sea levels, extreme weather and have other potentially catastrophic consequences.

Crist's office released drafts of three executive orders he plans to use to deal with the problem. One order would direct utilities to reduce emissions, requiring utilities to produce 20 percent of their energy through renewable energy.

GRU this week released a budget that includes $4.1 million for energy saving measures, nearly doubling conservation spending for the second straight year.

Such programs are the most cost-effective way to reduce energy use, said David Barclay, an analyst for GRU.

The budget sets aside about $2.7 million for a 250-kilowatt solar-power project. The project is small - GRU's coal-fired Deerhaven plant produces about 900 times as much energy - but officials believe it will help encourage customers to install solar panels, Barclay said.

Customers can take advantage of GRU, state and federal rebates that dramatically reduce the cost of such panels, he said.

Hanrahan testified before Congress last month about the difficulties in meeting targeted reductions of greenhouse gases.

She said the state should provide financial assistance to local governments, cutting the risk of building a biomass plant or other new technology.

"We're a little bit out there on the cutting edge and that's always a nervous place for a governmental organization to be," she said.

Hanrahan said she'd also like to see increased standards for energy efficiency in building construction. Bird agreed, saying he thinks such standards could forestall the need for more power plants.

"There's a lot more than can be done just on the construction side before you have to start talking about producing more energy," he said.

No matter what comes out of the summit, local participants agree that it marks a new direction for the state. Delongpre said she hopes the summit means a shift from debating about whether global warming is happening to dealing with the effects.

"I think we're reached a tipping point," she said.

Nathan Crabbe can be reached at 352-338-3176 or crabben@gville sun.com.

City sticks with coal partners
By Julian Pecquet
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

The city of Tallahassee is still a partner in the Taylor County coal plant proposal - for now.

Commissioners voted 3-2 Wednesday to pay $355,000 in back payments owed to the coal-plant partners. They also decided to stay involved with them as new uses are considered for the proposed site near Perry now that a pulverized-coal plant has been put on hold.

Commissioners Allan Katz and Andrew Gillum voted against the proposal, voicing frustration that the partners in May decided to move forward with a plan to use wastewater from the nearby Buckeye Florida pulp mill despite Tallahassee 's opposition. That decision cost the city $400,000.

"We're not in the land speculation business," said Katz, who inquired about whether the city could win a lawsuit against the partnership over the $400,000. "Our seat at the table became a stool."

But the rest of the commission voted to keep all options open.

"I don't see why we would want to get in a lawsuit with those folks," said Mayor John Marks. "We've been trying to work together."

The city committed in 2006 to stay involved in the project through its permitting proposal, which was put on hold last week following concerns that Gov. Charlie Crist and state regulatory agencies would not approve it.

Tallahassee 's partners in the proposed 800-megawatt plant are the Jacksonville utilities, the utility that serves Disney World and a coalition of small Florida municipalities.

Kevin Wailes, the city's general manager of electric utilities, said that without the coal plant, the city will have a power shortage starting in 2016. And that's only if its efforts to reduce energy demand are successful. Otherwise, the shortage would come sooner.

Dire forecast: Housing slump likely to linger

Jerry W. Jackson

Sentinel Staff Writer                                              

July 12, 2007

 Nationally known economist Mark Zandi told home builders and industry professionals meeting Wednesday in Orlando that the beleaguered U.S. housing industry could bleed for another year or more.

And Florida , he said, will be one of the states with the worst hemorrhaging.

"There's no sign at all of stabilization," said Zandi, a featured speaker at an industry forum related to the Southeast Building Conference, which opens today at the Orange County Convention Center .

Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com consulting company, said the good news he had for the residential-construction and home-sales business is that "the worst of the decline is over," roughly two years into a correction caused by overbuilding and resale-inventory buildup.

More needs to be done, though, he said, including deeper price cuts for both existing and new homes, and further cuts in housing starts.

The National Association of Realtors on Wednesday predicted that home builders "will limit construction well into 2008," which should help restore some balance to total home inventory.

The trade group predicted that housing starts, including multifamily, will fall from 1.8 million last year to 1.43 million this year before barely edging up to 1.44 million in 2008.

But major threats remain, Zandi said, including the rising delinquency and defaults rates for residential-mortgage debt, doubts about the ability of consumers to continue spending and fears that foreign investors will stop buying U.S. treasuries.

"This is all happening in a good job-market environment," Zandi said, noting that, despite the housing sector's weakness, "fundamentally, this economy is in good shape."

Businesses are profitable in general, he said, with strong cash flows and healthy balance sheets.

"The economy will bend, but it will not break," Zandi predicted.

Jack Haynes, executive vice president of the national builder division for Countrywide Home Loans, said that while the subprime-mortgage meltdown remains "tricky and dangerous," lenders and builders are taking steps to tighten standards and work their way through the morass.

If government "over-regulation" does not hamper the recovery, Haynes said, home builders will lead the economy out of the downturn.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist also spoke during the forum, urging builders and housing-industry professionals to help him and state lawmakers keep up the pressure to reduce property taxes and property-insurance rates.

"We need to ensure that Florida is affordable," Crist said.

If builders help the state "continue to press down on [insurance] rates and taxes," Crist said, "you'll be busier than ever."

The Southeast Building Conference, which continues through Saturday, is open only to industry professionals. The Leadership Forum on Wednesday was at the adjacent Rosen Centre Hotel.

Jerry W. Jackson can be reached at jwjackson@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5721.

Annexation plans for Belleview get past first hurdle

Commissioner says plans could lead to growth explosion.

BY HARRIET DANIELS
STAR-BANNER

 

BELLEVIEW - City commissioners have given a preliminary approval for five annexation requests that one commissioner says could lead to "a large growth explosion."

The commission, on a 4-0 vote Tuesday, approved the first reading of the requests for more than 150 acres, mostly in the southern portion of the city.

The largest application, for 76.55 acres, is from CenterPoint Development Group, which plans to use 40 acres of that parcel to build a 300,000-square-foot shopping center along U.S. 441.

It is the largest group of annexation requests since 2005, when the Bellehaven development, owned by Kirk Boone, was brought into city limits. Tuesday's agenda included a brief discussion regarding transportation improvements required at the 219-unit Bellehaven, located off Baseline Road .

"This may be the beginning of a large growth explosion in the southern part of the city," Commissioner Ken Nadeau said.

Commissioner Wilma Loar was not present during the meeting. A final hearing is set for July 24.

In other discussions, former City Commissioner Emery Abshier asked the commission, specifically regarding the proposed Eagle Trace subdivision, to be mindful of where city water and sewer services are extended. He owns 15 acres adjacent to the proposed 86-acre subdivision.

The project, under developer Bruce Hall, has been turned down by the Marion County Commission, and Hall currently is engaged in mediation.

In discussing his concerns about the density of the project, Abshier, self-described as pro-growth while on the commission, said commissioners hold the key to keeping the development from coming should the county give an approval.

"Who will it hurt if you refuse to run services [water and sewer] to this project?" Abshier asked. "I'm not here asking you all to vote tonight, but to give you food for thought."

Hall, who was in the audience, was invited by Belleview Mayor Tammy Moore to address the commission. Hall and Abshier debated the accuracy of information about the project, namely density, which Abshier believes will overtax the city's water/sewer system.

Hall said the suggestion has been to hold density to approximately 240 homes. Abshier said he would have no issue if the property was developed along the lines of a hamlet or one house per 10 acres.

"Tonight's not the night to talk about all of this," Hall said. "I understand that Mr. Abshier wanting to talk about this .Ê.Ê. if he can get the water and sewer lines cut, then he can go to the county and say they will never get it."

If the development is approved by the county, Moore said she can't see denying water and sewer services to the subdivision if asked to provide them.

Looking ahead, the commission is planning to introduce an ordinance at its next meeting to make sidewalk construction mandatory for all multi-family and commercial developments to connect to the city's existing sidewalk network.

Harriet Daniels may be reached at harriet.daniels@starbanner.com or (352) 867-4125.

Developer draws fire for Minneola project

Robert Sargent

Sentinel Staff Writer

July 12, 2007

MINNEOLA

 The developer of Palisades Country Club, just west of the city, has submitted plans for a new community with hundreds of homes despite criticism from City Council members and residents.

The Metrontario Group has filed paperwork asking Minneola to allow 600 new homes on 206 acres owned by Claude Smoak, a former Lake County commissioner, on Grassy Lake Road east of U.S. Highway 27. The project would include 428 single-family homes and 172 town homes, according to plans.

KB Home had planned to use that same property to build 485 homes. But the builder walked away from the project and a development agreement with Minneola that would give the city 3 acres of land and about $1 million to help the city build and maintain public facilities and infrastructure.

Just as important to some city officials, KB had planned to build a two-lane road from U.S. 27 east along the southern boundary of the proposed site. The new corridor would provide direct access to the development and two new elementary schools scheduled to open in August.

Metrontario later stepped in and talked with council members about its own community plans. Representatives for the builder had said they might agree to many of the terms of the KB agreement, including the roadway.

Last month, however, council members gave mostly cold responses to Metrontario. Residents also vented their concerns about putting more development in an area already proposed for thousands of new homes by other builders.

Council member Ed Earl said he wants the road, but he doesn't like having to negotiate for more homes to get the road built.

"I told them that I am not interested in the homes -- I thought there were other options to get that road," Earl said Wednesday. "I wasn't going to vote for this."

Council member Joe Teri had said he could support the Metrontario proposal with some changes, such as fewer homes and more open space. He said he likes the idea of requiring the developer to build the road.

"That road will be used by all of Minneola," Teri said.

The estimated $2 million road could be constructed long before the community begins selling homes. But Metrontario later could request credits on government impact fees to recoup the road-construction costs.

That part of Minneola also is proposed for 689 future homes at the Reserve at Minneola and 963 homes at Founders Ridge. The Hills of Minneola is planning nearly 4,000 homes, and Sugarloaf Mountain aims to build another 2,200 homes.

Robert Sargent can be reached at rsargent@orlandosentinel.com or 352-742-5909.

Housing proposed in Ellenton

BY CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL

ELLENTON -- A new subdivision will bring some of the cheapest-priced new housing in the county to the Ellenton area.

California developer Reynold Glanz is proposing to build 59 houses on 24th Avenue East in west Ellenton. One-quarter of the homes would be town houses priced from $132,900 to $163,000, Glanz said.

"It's tough to build at that rate and make any money," Glanz said. "So you hopefully break even on those."

Palmetto Ranches' plans show a mixture of town houses, villas and single-family homes. By offering affordable housing, the project would qualify for Manatee County 's fast-track approval process.

The cooling of the real estate market has led to less affordable and work force housing being proposed in 2007, said Suzie Dobbs, Manatee County 's affordable housing coordinator.

Although it is a small development, Dobbs said, Palmetto Ranches' low prices would help meet the demand for low-cost housing that, despite falling market prices, still exists, Dobbs said.

To encourage more affordable housing, Manatee County offers incentives, such as a fast-track approval process and permitting more houses per acre if developers agree to include a percentage of affordable or work force housing in their projects.

Developments that include at least 10 percent work force housing, or 25 percent affordable housing, qualify for a faster approval process.

The maximum home price for a workforce house is $201,600. Affordable housing must top out at $168,000. The median home price in Manatee County is about $275,000.

"If we can give them enough of the incentives they need, that will help them get the sale prices down to the levels we need," Dobbs said.

Glanz is also the developer behind Cone Ranch, a 1,999-house subdivision proposed for Parrish at State Road 62, just east of U.S. 301. Plans for that development include 300 affordable houses.

"It's exciting; it fills in a niche for some of the people who can't afford other homes," Glanz said.

The nine-acre site where Glanz wants to build Palmetto Ranches is one of about half a dozen working horse stables in the area. Glanz bought the parcel in 2005 for $600,000, according to county property records.

For Debbie Pearson, who owns and runs nearby Debbie's Stables, the project is another sign of how development is encroaching into the quiet unpaved roads where her customers ride their horses.

"There's nothing we can do," Pearson said. "It's a shame."

Developer offers to swap land with city

He would build a village, while Punta Gorda would get 19 acres at the airport

By PATRINA A. BOSTIC

patrina.bostic@heraldtribune.com

PUNTA GORDA -- Developer Bruce Laishley is asking the city to make a land swap that would allow his company to build a village complex of shops, offices, a bank, spa, condos and two parks in Punta Gorda.

It would be the sixth mixed-use development proposed in the central part of the city.

In return, the city would get a 19-acre tract at the airport industrial park to build a $6.5 million public works/utilities center to replace the one destroyed by Hurricane Charley in 2004.

City officials seemed optimistic about the proposal, in part because it would put the city-owned land at West Henry and Shreve streets on the tax rolls.

The city had envisioned the property for a mixed-use project just about identical to the one proposed by Laishley as vice president of Southwest Land Developers.

"It's something that Punta Gorda really needs. It gives people a sense of community," Laishley said. "It brings a new style to the area."

Mayor Larry Friedman called the project exciting. "We're saying, 'OK, let us take the next step now,'" Friedman said.

But he voiced concerns about how the city would pay for a new public works/utilities center.

Insurance would cover $1.9 million as long as the center includes an administration component. Without it, the city would receive only receive $300,000 from insurance.

Council members looked at four other options for a public works/utilities center, ranging in cost from $1.7 million to $9.6 million.

But they discarded two that had no administration component and looked most closely at the $6.5 million proposal from Laishley.

Then they asked city staff to outline a plan as early as next month for how the city would pay the rest of the cost of a new facility.

At issue is whether the countywide, one-half percent sales tax is renewed by voters in fall 2008. The city splits the revenue with the county.

Part of the cost of building of a new facility also would be paid through utility fees.

Councilwoman Marilyn Smith-Mooney said the city needs to move forward because the departments are in a state of flux and need a centralized location.

"It's difficult to run a cohesive operation when you have a distributed network of employees in various locations," said Dennis Murphy, Punta Gorda's growth development director.

He said the public works and utilities departments have staff working from about five locations.

Laishley said his proposal would allow the city to build the center on an elevation of up to 25 feet, which would keep it out of a flood zone. Also, he said, the swap would provide enough land for future expansion.

Southwest Land Developers already has spent $9.8 million to put in water and sewer lines in the airport industrial park and those would be available to the city's new facility.

Laishley said his company would be willing to deed the land right away to the city but could wait two to three years before it takes over the West Henry Street property for the Village Center .

CSX Has Backup Site for Center

By John Chambliss
The Ledger

WINTER HAVEN - If the deal for a CSX rail yard fails in Winter Haven , the Jacksonville-based railroad company has a backup location close to two major highways.

In 2005, the company purchased 690 acres for $9.2 million south of Wildwood near Interstate 75 and the Florida's Turnpike in Sumter County, about 65 miles north of Winter Haven.

While it looks like a good site for a rail transfer center because of its easy highway access to Orlando and Tampa , CSX spokesman Gary Sease said Wednesday the company has no plans to build in Sumter County .

"It does not meet our needs," Sease said. "We need a location more central for any future development."

A study by CSX showed that the Winter Haven area was an ideal location for a new rail transfer center because it is closer to South Florida and area ports, Sease said.

But Diana Lee, executive director of Sumter County 's economic development council, said that on Oct. 27, CSX and county officials surveyed the area.

Lee said CSX officials told her it was "great location" for an intermodal park (the term CSX uses for a transfer center) and seemed excited about the facility and possible businesses that could move into the area.

Lee even spoke to a representative from SYSCO, a food service operator based in Texas . She said the company was interested in opening a warehouse.

Sease said the Sumter County property with Florida 's growth in mind, but that the company never intended for the site to be a rail transfer center.

In the future, Sease said CSX may sell the property for warehouse space.

The city manager in Wildwood said after CSX purchased the property there were discussions about an industrial park. In the past several months, City Manager Jim Stevens said he hasn't heard from CSX officials.

The nearest home is about one mile away, an ideal location for an industrial park, Stevens said.

The land in Sumter County sits next to the CSX's S line, a railroad track that runs from Baldwin through Central Florida towns including, Lakeland and Auburndale.

CSX purchased the property in October 2005 from Maury L. Carter & Associates, of Orlando . It is about half the size of the 1,250-acres Winter Haven officials agreed last year to sell CSX for a major regional freight transfer center.

The $6.9 million deal for the initial 318 acres was expected to close before the end of the year.

The project has been warmly embraced by Winter Haven officials eager for new jobs and tax revenue.

But the railroad company has faced some opposition in Polk County .

Ten families in Sundance Ranch Estates next to the proposed site are suing the railroad and the city of Winter Haven to keep CSX from developing the site. Other residents have concerns about increased rail and truck traffic that will come with the transfer center.

And the railroad may face a delay after the state Department of Community Affairs said the project should be considered a development of regional impact, although most recently, state planning officials have told CSX it can begin building before planning reviews are completed.

John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-401-6965.

Marianna okays zoning change in commercial district

By DEBORAH BUCKHALTER

Jackson County Floridan

Thursday, July 12, 2007

In a split vote Wednesday, Marianna City Commissioners approved zoning and land use changes that will allow an industrial business to operate in the commercial zone.

James Griffin, owner of Griffin Concrete in Blountstown, plans to establish a ready-mix concrete plant on Auction Drive , in place of the old livestock auction barn that currently occupies the space.

James Wise and Howard Milton voted against the measure, saying they felt it would defeat the purpose of zoned development.

"Marianna is going to grow, and my concern is this: Two, three, five years from now, who's going to want to put a commercial business (in the area) and back up to a concrete plant?" Wise commented.

Commissioner John Roberts voted to approve the changes, but said he did so only after much thought.

"We shouldn't amend our comp plan without a lot of thought, but that old tin barn out there, I don't know what they'll find if they ever tear it down... I think we need to work with Mr Griffin. I do not take this lightly, but I think this is going to be an improvement."

The board had tabled action on the matter last month, and Paul Donofro said that, in the interim, the developer had answered the concerns he'd had by agreeing to take some responsibility for the maintenance of Auction Road .

The business is expected to consistently send heavy trucks up and down the east side of the U-shaped road. Commissioners had worried that the heavy trucks involved might degrade it.

Griffin , in recent meetings with city staff, agreed to repair two existing pot holes and to take over maintenance of the section of Auction Road leading from Highway 90 to the business for the next five years. If degradation occurs during that time, he agreed to repave the section with five inches of asphalt and reinforcement material.

In unrelated news from the Wednesday meeting:

Commissioners got a progress report on the extensive improvements being made to the city's wastewater treatment system.

Board members learned that the treated effluent is now being applied to a sprayfield rather than being released into the Chipola River . That's a change the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has been pushing the city to make for several years. City officials say "getting out of the river" should make an upcoming task much simpler than it has been in many years. Wastewater facilities must apply for permit renewals through DEP every five years. In the past, according to city manager Louy Harris, this has been a difficult, time-consuming and often contentious process. The re-permitting should go much smoother this time around, he predicted.

 

County, Wiregrass square off

The two sides argue about paying for roads inside the development.

By CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published July 12, 2007

DADE CITY - The talk was money. The topic was roads.

But when it came to Wiregrass Ranch, the real battle at the County Commission meeting on Tuesday was between compromise and precedent.

The two sides in the battle are trying to close a $140-million gap.

The development is going to add 12,500 homes to 5,000 acres of Wesley Chapel by 2016. It's paying the price for that ambition.

Planners ran computer models to figure out how much traffic the project is going to produce. Both sides accept that it would take $1.7-billion in road improvements for the project to go ahead without bringing central Pasco to a standstill.

They agree that Wiregrass should pick up $579-million as its "proportionate share" of the $1.7-billion. The county, already strapped for road building funds, will pay the rest.

The two sides now have to agree on a priority list of road projects.

They've agreed on the big pieces. What they have been arguing about for weeks, including on Tuesday, is whether a $140-million set of internal roads in Wiregrass should be included on that list.

If they are not included, the county could use the money for other projects. If they are included, other developers would demand the same treatment for their internal roads. Providing internal roads to other developments that are currently in the works could cost the county $1.5-billion, planners say.

Big ideas. Big money. Big personalities.

On the Wiregrass side: attorney Joel Tew, nicknamed "the hedgehog" for the prickliness on which he prides himself, who spent four hours at the podium.

But even in his most strident moments, when he demanded that a commissioner recuse himself, his message was constant: Let's split this tab.

On the county's side: County Administrator John Gallagher, a 25-year veteran of development negotiations, who drew Pasco 's line in the sand.

"The question to me is what the county has done in the past," he said. "They're wanting credit for something that's not in their proportionate share calculations."

Gallagher and his chief assistant, Michele Baker, are the top policy advisers to the five commissioners, who must make the final decision.

When Commissioner Michael Cox commented Tuesday that it might mean "a $1.5-billion mistake," Tew accused Cox of not being impartial and asked that he refrain from voting.

Cox refused and said he still hadn't made up his mind on the project.

Tew wants to go 50-50 on three internal roads: Porter Boulevard , Chancey Road and Mansfield Road . If anyone brings up precedent, Tew said, just show that person how much Wiregrass is already paying.

"No one out there wants the Wiregrass deal," he said. "Nobody is going to offer you the Wiregrass deal. This is a good precedent."

Tew denied that Wiregrass' future home buyers will pay for the roads. He said land value would have to nearly triple for Wiregrass to make back its proportionate share payment.

He said those internal roads were required by the county anyway. But Baker said the county doesn't need them as soon as Wiregrass does.

"Those roads are in our long-range plan for 2025," Baker said. "If they need those internal roads to open up their development, that's their issue."

The hours passed. Gallagher left. County officials leaned closer to Tew's proposal.

"We have a very consistent policy of not giving credit on the first two lanes of an internal road in a development," said assistant county attorney David Goldstein. But since these are four-lane roads, "50 percent is more consistent than 100 percent."

But commissioners still wanted to know what it could mean financially to change the policy, even halfway. They wanted to postpone a decision by two weeks.

Tew thundered again.

"We are no longer playing the game of extensions for another study," he said. "We will take a denial before we do that."

Should compromise and precedent embrace?