§ 1.5. Environmentally Sensitive or Special Planning Areas Related to the Future Land Use Map or Analysis

1.5.1 Garcon Point Protection Area

The Garcon Point Protection Area was delineated based on wetland data that characterize the area as one of environmentally sensitive lands (reference Maps 6-8 and 6-9 in the Conservation Element support documentation). This area is predominantly undeveloped and is lacking in central sewer infrastructure, though it is located within the Pace Water Systems sewer franchise area. The existing land use data for the Garcon Point Protection Area, which is completely encompassed in the Garcon Point Planning Area, is summarized in Table 1-6 below. As indicated in Table 1-6 the highest percentage of land use in the Garcon Point Protection Area is vacant land (31%), with silviculture taking up the second largest percentage (20%). Publicly owned-land is the third largest percentage land use (15%), with residential use taking up 9% primarily in the form of low-density single-family development. Current Comprehensive Plan policy limits development within the Garcon Point Protection Area to two dwelling units per acre in the Garcon Point Rural Residential Future Land Use Map Category (40% of the GPPA) and requires the installation of centralized sewer to accompany any petition to achieve densities greater than two dwelling units per acre. Table 1-7 provides the percentage of acres in each Future Land Use Map category within the Garcon Point Protection Area.

Table 1-6: Existing Land Use in the Garcon Point Protection Area

Existing Land Use Classification	Acreage	Percentage
Agriculture	720	3%
Agriculture Homestead	336	1%
Silviculture	4,902	20%
Conservation, Recreation and Open Space	820	3%
Institutional	56	0%
Publicly-Owned Land	3,838	15%
Vacant	7,644	31%
Residential Total:	2,210	9%
Single-Family (Low- to Medium-Density)	2,202	9%
Condominium/Townhouse (Medium- to High-Density)	6	0.02%
Multi-Family (Medium- to High-Density)	2	0.01%
Mixed Residential/Commercial	3	0.01%
Office	1	0.00%
Commercial	50	0.20%
Commercial Recreation	78	0.31%
Industrial	241	1%
Utilities	35	0%
Right-of-Way	1,676	7%
Water	45	0.18%
Total	24,865	100%

 

Source: Santa Rosa County Community Planning, Zoning and Development Division GIS, 2014

Table 1-7: Current Future Land Use Categories in the Garcon Point Protection Area

Future Land Use Map Category	Acreage	Percentage
Agriculture	1,060	7%
Commercial	201	1%
Conservation/Recreation	3,860	24%
Garcon Point Rural Residential	6,632	41%
Garcon Point Single Family Residential	3,290	20%
Industrial	90	1%
Mixed Residential Commercial	448	3%
Residential	349	2%
Single Family Residential	281	2%
Total:	16,211	100%

 

Source: Santa Rosa County Community Planning, Zoning and Development Division GIS, 2014

1.5.2 Navarre Beach Master Plan

The Navarre Beach Master Plan has been implemented within the County's Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. This implementation required the creation of specialized Navarre Beach Future Land Use Map categories and implementing zoning districts. The Navarre Beach Master Plan, originally created in 1995 and updated in 2001, contains the background information for the creation of the Navarre Beach Planning and Zoning Overlay Zone. This Overlay effectively creates a special zone placed over all of Navarre Beach where specialized zoning districts and Future Land Use map categories are applicable. The original plan took hurricane preparedness, available infrastructure, and the physical, environmental, and political (existing leases) characteristics of Navarre Beach into consideration. Development on Navarre Beach is limited by existing lease agreements (both parcels specific and Santa Rosa Island specific) since this land is owned by Escambia County and leased to Santa Rosa County. Table 1-4 provides the existing land uses within the Navarre Beach Master Plan Area which is the same land area as the Navarre Beach Planning Area.

1.5.3 Rural Development Plan—Rural Communities Overlays

The 2003 update of the Santa Rosa County Comprehensive Plan called for the development of a Rural Development Plan designed to protect the rural character, agricultural viability, and natural resources of Northern Santa Rosa County. This Plan was completed in 2005 and it contained a number of recommendations. The following summarizes these recommendations and provides information on the status of implementation:

Key Land Use Recommendation 1—Creation of a Rural Protection Zone (RPZ) within which the creation of new communities will be allowed, but urban sprawl will be avoided and development performance standards will be revised to better reflect the rural character of the area; and

Key Recommendation 2—Creation of a Transition Zone adjacent to the RPZ within which re-zonings will be allowed to facilitate a smooth transition from the urbanized areas to the rural areas. The Rural Development Plan recommended the adoption of a Rural Protection Zone to help give definite boundaries to the truly rural areas of the County as well as to help in implementation of the Rural Development Plan recommendations. It was recommended that this RPZ should be an "overlay" on the County's Official Zoning Map and was drawn using the boundary line for Impact Fee Area 1 (Rural). The Plan also recommended that the area within one mile to the south of the RPZ should be considered a "transition zone", where re-zonings will be allowed to facilitate a smooth transition from the urbanized areas to the rural areas.

These recommendations have been implemented on in part on the 2040 Future Land Use Map. The RPZ line as shown in the adopted Rural Development Plan was not implemented due to potential issues with implementation/enforcement of any associated policy. Plan policy was, however, crafted to indicate that amendments within the Rural Planning Area be carefully reviewed per the intent of the Rural Development Plan, specifically to limit urban sprawl and protect the rural character of the area. It should also be noted that other Comprehensive Plan provisions included but not limited to those found in the Future Land Use Element, the Conservation Element, and the Infrastructure Element are also considered when determining whether or not a proposed amendment to the Future Land Use Map is consistent with the Goals, Objectives and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Key Land Use Recommendation 3—Creation of three new zoning districts for the RPZ (Rural Activity Centers, Crossroad Communities, and Agriculture Estate).

This recommendation has been partially implemented with the creation of the Rural Community Overlay Districts as shown on the adopted Future Land Use Map. Policy was also drafted and included within the Future Land Use Element that allows limited commercial land uses within the Agriculture and Agriculture Estate Residential Future Land Use Map Categories. Ancillary commercial development could be accomplished within these overlays through a rezoning process utilizing existing zoning districts, the conditional use and special exception processes.

The RDP also contained the following recommendations: Creation of a transfer of development rights (TDR) program; establishment of buffer requirements between new residential subdivisions & agricultural uses; adoption of a Right-to-Farm Ordinance; establishment of riparian buffer requirements; and use of agricultural and conservation easements to protect agricultural viability and rural character.

1.5.4 2015 Changes to Agriculture Categories

Prior to 2015, the Land Development Code contained the AG and AG-2 Zoning Districts which in combination allowed 167,400 units. This was a direct inconsistency with the development rights allowed for in the Comprehensive Plan. The development rights in the AG FLUM Category per the Comprehensive Plan allowed for much less residential development at 39,833 units (90% at 1 du/50 and 10% at 1du/acre). This implementation inconsistency represented a serious challenge for the County that required rectification.

The 2014 development pattern was 4,085 units in both AG and AG-2 Zoning for an actual as-built density of 1 du per 60 acres in the AG FLUM category which met the 90/10 ratio requirement. Historical study of two parcel maps, the 2005 parcel map and the 2014 parcel map, indicates that approximately 1,113 new parcels were created between 2005 and 2014 in the rural north planning area ( Figure 1-4 ). These parcels were predominantly created outside of the subdivision platting process with only 72 lots being created during this time period as recorded platted subdivisions. These subdivisions were permitted and consistent with the regulations found within the adopted Land Development Code.

Figure 1-3—Historical Parcel Map Study for Rural North Planning Area

The solution, outlined within the 2015 Comprehensive Pan, was to create two FLUM categories similar to AG and AG-2 Zoning Districts. This change creates consistency between the policies of the Comprehensive Plan and the adopted Land Development Code. This change resulted in the following statistics:

• 166,942 acres of AG Zoning for a yield of 166,942 units less 4,070 existing units = 162,872 units

• 77,152 acres of AG-2 Zoning for a yield of 5,143 units less 604 existing units = 4,539 units

• Total Units = 162,872 + 4,539 = 167,411

However, this increase in Comprehensive Plan allowable development rights to create consistency with the Zoning Map should be considered in light of the implementation of the Rural Development Line and Rural Development Plan related policies within the 2015 Plan.

1.5.5 Military Installation and Airport Compatibility

The compatibility of uses on lands adjacent to or in close proximity to military installations and the County operated Peter Prince Field airport has been considered within the County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. In 2003, the County adopted a study entitled "A Phased Plan to Limit Encroachment at NAS Whiting Field, Florida, NOLF Pace, Florida, and NOLF Harold, Florida Through the Use of Real Estate Purchases, Agricultural Conservation Easements, and Zoning Mechanisms". NAS Whiting Field, located north of Milton in unincorporated Santa Rosa County, and its 14 Naval Outlying Landing Fields (NOLFs) provide a majority of the primary and intermediate fixed wing training for the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard. This study suggested four categories of processes to protect the three Santa Rosa installations from future encroachment. These were: 1) Direct land purchase by the County; 2) Land purchase using Florida Forever or other public land trust for purchase; 3) Using agricultural or conservation easement; and 4) The use of zoning to control development densities and intensities.

This study was followed up on in 2004 with the adoption of the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS). The JLUS identified compatible land uses and growth management guidelines that resulted in amendments to the County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code.

Both the 2003 and 2004 studies are included in this supporting documentation by reference. These studies form the basis for Map 1-2 included within the Goals, Objectives and Policies of the Future Land Use Element and the associated Goals, Objectives and Policies.

1.5.6 Pace Area Plan

In 2007, the Pace Area Plan was completed. This Plan contains recommendations related to three main focus areas: land use; transportation; and recreation and public facilities. This Plan is hereby incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan Supporting Documentation by reference along with the associated Pace Area Plan Implementation Report for Goal 1 Task 2 (2007). It is anticipated that the citizen involvement outcomes, major goals, and objectives of that Plan will form the basis for future amendment to the County's Comprehensive Plan.

1.5.7 Navarre Town Center Plan

The Navarre Town Center Plan was initiated in March of 2004 and the final plan, including recommendations, was presented to the Santa Rosa County Board of Commissioners for approval on October 28, 2004. The Navarre Town Center Plan contained a number of recommendations, some of which have been implemented and some of which have not. The Plan's major recommendations included the following:

• Create two distinct overlay districts in the Navarre Area:

 • Town Center District

 • Heart of Navarre District

• In these districts:

 • Land uses and development standards are more restricted

 • More stringent sign regulations

 • Incentives and increased requirements for landscaping

• Infrastructure improvements in targeted areas:

 • Local transportation system improvements such as sidewalks, road paving etc.

 • Sewer and water system retrofitting, extension and improvements

 • Stormwater retention retrofitting

 • Undergrounding utilities

 • Street lighting

• Encourage Neighborhood Commercial and Multi-Family development in targeted sections of the Navarre Area:

 • Target areas for parks, trails and public spaces

 • Plazas

 • Civic Buildings

 • Amphitheatre

• Create view shed protection requirements to protect the public view of the Sound and East Bay River

• Create Land Preservation Options to ensure land is set aside for open space or passive parks if density is increased in the Navarre Area

• Building Height:

 • Designate small areas of increased height to ensure that tall buildings are not strung out on US98 along the entire peninsula

1.5.8 South End Tomorrow Plan

The South Santa Rosa Vision Plan was adopted in November of 2003. This Plan included numerous recommendations mainly centered on land use and transportation. To date, the Comprehensive Plan has not been amended to include any of the South End Tomorrow Vision Plan's recommendations and the Plan has become outdated. Many of the transportation related recommendations have been superseded by more recent projects such as the South Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the Navarre Community Access Road project as well as other plans and projects listed within the MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan. A more detailed discussion of these plans and projects can be found within the Transportation Element supporting documentation.

Transportation recommendations included short term and long term projects. Long term projects were those identified in the MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan and Short term projects included centered on the MPO's US 98 Corridor Management Plan, making connections and development of a grid system. Additional short-term projects included improvements to existing county roadways in the eastern portion of the study area. In an effort to create a grid system of roadways that would offer reasonable alternatives to traveling on US98 the following improvements were recommended:

• Upgrade Edgewood Drive to a collector street from US98 to East Bay Boulevard (CR 399).

• Extend Manatee Road to connect to Edgewood Drive to State Road 87 and upgrade to a collector street.

• Upgrade Avenida Del Sol to a collector street from US98 to County Road 399 and straighten turns on the southern end.

• Improve Pine Tree Drive from US98 to the East Bay Boulevard (CR 399) extension and upgrade to a collector street.

The South Santa Rosa Vision Plan contains a recommended Future Land Use Map that was developed in an attempt to combine components of various alternatives into one preferred alternative. Key components of this recommended map are the inclusion of land that would be developed at a lower density than currently allowed and clustered village center commercial nodes rather than strip commercial development. The recommended land use map includes four general land uses: village center, residential, commercial, and conservation development. These land use recommendations have not been implemented, however, the Navarre Town Center Plan supersedes somewhat with the creation of a village or town center area.