BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEON COUNTY, FLORIDA

TEXT AMENDMENT #: PCT130109
APPLICANT: Leon County Board of County Commissioners
PCT130109 Steep Grades
TEXT/POLICY I.D. #:
Policy 1.3.1 [C], 1.3.2 [C] , 1.3.3 [C] , 1.3.4 [C] , 1.3.5 [C] , 1.3.6 [C] , 1.3.7 [C] , 1.3.8 [C] ,
1.3.12 [C] , 1.3.13 [C] , 1.3.14 [C] , and 1.3.15 [C]
CITY X COUNTY X_
DATE: January 9, 2013
PRELIMINARY STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve Amendment PCT130109
A. SUMMARY:
The requested amendment removes the Comprehensive Plan requirement for significant and severe
grade regulations inside the Urban Service Area. Requirements outside the Urban Service Area are
unchanged. The amendment also provides authorization for, but does not require, some level of
grade regulation in the Land Development Code that is appropriate for fostering compact urban
development inside the Urban Service Area. The goals of the amendment are to provide flexibility
in the protection of steep grades, help direct development and growth to inside the Urban Service
Area, and further the protection of lands outside of the Urban Service Area.
The Leon County Board of County Commissioners initiated this amendment on May 8, 2012 (Item
#20). The motion approved 7-0 was to “Direct PLACE Staff to initiate the Comprehensive Plan
amendment process to remove the slope regulation provisions inside the Urban Service Area.”
B. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL:
1. The amendment fulfills specific direction from the Board of County Commissioners to remove
steep grade regulations inside the Urban Service Area.
2. The amendment fulfills the consensus recommendation by the Minimum Countywide
Environmental Standards Citizen’s Committee to provide different steep grade regulations for
properties inside versus outside the Urban Service Area.
3. The companion County Land Development Code provisions retain protections for steep grades
near sensitive environmental features.
4. The amendment and companion Land Development Code provisions provide a policy option to
increase flexibility in the regulation of steep grades that is based on current recommendations
from a citizen committee and elected officials. This increased flexibility is constant with the
Comprehensive Plan goals of fostering growth inside the designated Urban Service Area
Page 344 of 622 Posted at 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2013
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