County Considering $250,000 Contract For Planning Work

On Tuesday, the Highlands County commissioners will consider awarding a $250,000 contract to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

If approved, the regional government agency would take over the work of updating the county's comprehensive plan, which controls future development, from the county planning staff.

Highlands County Administrator Michael Wright is recommending the contract.

The state Department of Community Affairs, which approves county amendments to the comprehensive plan, has said Highlands County's plan must be updated for state approval of major land use changes.

"The county's ability to do the work in-house is limited because of three staff vacancies, which is one half of the planning staff and includes the department director," Wright wrote in his request to the commissioners for the contract with the regional planning council.

"Until the comprehensive plan is updated," he added, "the county is essentially blocked from adopting any further large scale plan amendments."

Jim Polatty, county development services director, has notified county officials that he intends to leave his position within the next one to two months.

Commissioner Barbara Stewart, chairman of the county commission, supports hiring the regional planning council.

"I think that is a very good decision for the county," she said. "The regional planning council is familiar with our county, including our planning needs. And the director and her staff are well respected for their technical competence, their common sense, their vision, and their ability to work with others."

In a 20-page report issued in November, DCA said the county's comprehensive plan has insufficient data and analysis to support three major comp plan amendments proposed by the county commissioners.

Those amendments seek state approval for:

Atlantic Blue's proposal to develop a stand-alone community for up to 125,000 people on its 65,000-acre Blue Head Ranch, off State Road 70, east of US 27; and

Two comprehensive amendments that would allow development of up to 8,943 housing units on 3,125 acres in areas north and south of Lake Placid.

DCA's November report said the county's comprehensive plan projects future growth needs only through the end of next year, while planning out to 2030 is needed to justify the Atlantic Blue and Lake Placid North and South land-use changes.

In particular, the DCA report called the county's population projections "flawed and not based on professionally acceptable methodology and assumptions."

The state report also said county planning documents don't have enough data and analysis on how the three pending amendments to the comprehensive plan would meet state standards for environmental suitability, land use need, controlling urban sprawl, water supply, and providing necessary infrastructure.

Wright recommends paying for the $250,000 planning contract with money that was budgeted in case gasoline and diesel prices rise excessively.

"To pay for the proposed work," Wright said in a memo to commissioners, "the staff is recommending a transfer from the fuel revenue contingency account for fuel purchases that was adopted last fall when fuel prices were at record highs.

"Because fuel prices have fallen significantly since budget adoption, the staff believes the contingency account will not be needed. If the transfer is approved, the reserve account will have a balance of $50,000 remaining."