BOCC Meeting
The next public hearing in two of the developments on Bridge Road will come before the Board of the County Commissioners on Tuesday, April 12, in the commission chambers at the Administrative Center on Monterey Road in Stuart at 9:30am.
Commissioners will be asked to consider the transmittal of the applications for land-use changes by the Hobe Sound Polo Club and by the Canopus Sound project to the state Department of Community Affairs for review.
For information on the Polo Club’s applications, see the story in this issue, or go to the county’s Growth Management Department website’s Comprehensive Planning section.
The Canopus Sound developers are asking for a development agreement that will guarantee a future Land Use Map Amendment for the donation of approximately 700 of its slightly more than 3,000 acre plat for the Kitching Creek Restoration project in return for increasing the remaining development parcel from 154 lots to 270 lots. The developer wants to retain ownership of the proposed donation until such time as they actually begin the project.
Time is allotted for public comment on each item on these agenda items; however, each speaker is restricted to three minutes for each public-comment section. To make public comment, participants must also fill out a request-to -speak form and give it to the bailiff at the meeting. Speakers are limited to three minutes for each public comment section.
A successful amendment to the Future Land Use Map typically takes about 13 months, according to county officials. The Comprehensive Growth Management Plan can only be amended twice per year; therefore, there are typically two amendment review cycles known as the “first set” and the “second set.”
The April 12 meeting will review the first set of amendments for 2011. Each set of proposed amendments requires at least three public hearings, first during the Local Planning Agency meeting, which makes its recommendation to the county commission. Then at the commission meeting, the commissioners listen to additional public input before determining if the proposed land-use change application should be transmitted to the state Department of Community Affairs for review to ensure that it meets all state regulations.
Following that review, the Department of Community Affairs sends its comments and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners, which will determine whether the proposed amendment should be adopted.
