BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEON COUNTY, FLORIDA

2005 City Focus Group
Request to the Focus Group
Thank you for assisting me with the slopes issue in our community. I appreciated the
direct and nonconfrontational dialogue from each of you during our discussions on this
matter. Your different perspectives and backgrounds should significantly contribute to
this process. As we discussed on Tuesday, I am looking for you to send me clear bullets
on what you feel should be the purpose and intent of slope preservation, if any. If you
feel they should not be protected, I also would expect clear statements as to why they
should not be protected. After I have received comments from the entire group, I will
assemble for all to review. Please have your comments back to me by this Thursday
(8/25/05) so that I can keep this process moving.
As I mentioned on Tuesday, we will assemble every policy and code language that
addresses each of your issues related to slope preservation. Once this information is put
together, I will distribute and call our second meeting.
Again, thanks for your participation.
Wayne
Tom Asbury
All development creates problems whether you are developing on a flat piece of dirt or a
slope. We have put in place a very restrictive set of ordinances to deal with the problems
associated with developing land. Let's use it for that purpose.
I see no good reason for restricting sloped areas other than to create more green space in
a development. Our comp plan designates we should develop to a higher density within
the urban core in order to take advantage of the very expensive infrastructure.
If we want to set aside an area within a development that will remain green (water
feature, landscaped, etc.) then let's decide what percent it should be, live with it, and
build on the balance of the property.
Nancy Miller
I want to second Laurie's comment that these areas that are off limits to development
should not be taxed at the rate applied to other property. For a long time I've wondered
why a different taxing structure didn't exist for wetlands, severe grades, unique forest
stands (native and hi quality successional) and to some extent floodplain. If the
community wants these areas protected, the land owner should get some benefit for
having that unique resource on his property.
I just thought of something I left out - soil types and rainfall amounts and intensity. The
soil types - Orangeburg, Dothan and Norfolk - are very erodable and are concentrated in
Page 377 of 622 Posted at 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2013