t032302

Sat, 23 Mar 2002 08:28:42 -0500

I am forwarding for your information the latest information on Florida Senate Bill 1906.

Thanks to everyone who called Senator Lawson's office.

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 10:37 PM

Subject: Growth Management Bill - Marina DRI Exemptions

Because of the article in the Democrat Friday regarding the very bad amendment to SB 1906, that singled out our panhandle communities for exempting marinas, I wanted to let you know that the Senate (Constantine, King, Posey, Smith and Clary) with concurrence by Sen. Lawson substituted this bad language with good.

The new amendment requires counties to develop and adopt a boating facility siting plan or polices, with certain special criteria for protection of natural resources and manatees, into their coastal management or land use plan before they could request the exemption for DRI's. This requirement will apply statewide, not just here in northwest Florida. We also got language in the amendment to require that, even if a county, such as Franklin, has existing policies as part of their Comp Plan addressing marina siting, they still have to meet the criteria of FWC's Boat Facility Siting Guide (Aug. 2000), which presently they do not. The guide addresses the types of concerns we brought out at the hearing regarding SummerCamp and the logical alternative of using Timber Island on the Carrabelle River.

The final bill was voted out of the House unanimously - 116 yeas, 0 nays. Representative Kendrick did not oppose the amendment and, I believe feels it gives the proper "local control" from local government to develop their coast.

With the exploding population growth in our area, more boating access will inevitably need to be provided in panhandle Florida to serve the boating public. The trick is to do the proper analysis up front to tell prospective developers were they should go, as opposed to fight them everywhere they want to put a marina in the wrong place. This is what we faced at SummerCamp, in the Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve, and soon will face in Ochlockonee Bay with RiverCamp, and other places along our coast.

Although this bill could and should help guide the process, I am still concerned that it may be abused by overeager developers and local governments to satisfy economic and recreational demands at the expense of common sense environmental and long term community needs. We will still have to be vigil in the implementation of this bill.

I hope this is helpful. Thank you both for your attention to this issue.

Paul G. Johnson

Special Projects Director, APECO

Apalachee Ecological Conservancy

537 Hickory Wood Drive

Crawfordville, Florida 32327

PH: (850) 926-7439

FAX: (850) 926-4755

EMAIL: PAULJ488@AOL.COM



	Sat, 23 Mar 2002 08:28:42 -0500 I am forwarding for your information the latest information on Florida Senate Bill 1906. Thanks to everyone who called Senator Lawson's office. ----- Original Message ----- Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 10:37 PM Subject: Growth Management Bill - Marina DRI Exemptions Because of the article in the Democrat Friday regarding the very bad amendment to SB 1906, that singled out our panhandle communities for exempting marinas, I wanted to let you know that the Senate (Constantine, King, Posey, Smith and Clary) with concurrence by Sen. Lawson substituted this bad language with good. The new amendment requires counties to develop and adopt a boating facility siting plan or polices, with certain special criteria for protection of natural resources and manatees, into their coastal management or land use plan before they could request the exemption for DRI's. This requirement will apply statewide, not just here in northwest Florida. We also got language in the amendment to require that, even if a county, such as Franklin, has existing policies as part of their Comp Plan addressing marina siting, they still have to meet the criteria of FWC's Boat Facility Siting Guide (Aug. 2000), which presently they do not. The guide addresses the types of concerns we brought out at the hearing regarding SummerCamp and the logical alternative of using Timber Island on the Carrabelle River. The final bill was voted out of the House unanimously - 116 yeas, 0 nays. Representative Kendrick did not oppose the amendment and, I believe feels it gives the proper "local control" from local government to develop their coast. With the exploding population growth in our area, more boating access will inevitably need to be provided in panhandle Florida to serve the boating public. The trick is to do the proper analysis up front to tell prospective developers were they should go, as opposed to fight them everywhere they want to put a marina in the wrong place. This is what we faced at SummerCamp, in the Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve, and soon will face in Ochlockonee Bay with RiverCamp, and other places along our coast. Although this bill could and should help guide the process, I am still concerned that it may be abused by overeager developers and local governments to satisfy economic and recreational demands at the expense of common sense environmental and long term community needs. We will still have to be vigil in the implementation of this bill. I hope this is helpful. Thank you both for your attention to this issue. Paul G. Johnson Special Projects Director, APECO Apalachee Ecological Conservancy 537 Hickory Wood Drive Crawfordville, Florida 32327 PH: (850) 926-7439 FAX: (850) 926-4755 EMAIL: PAULJ488@AOL.COM www.apeco.org