§ 9.2. Relationship to Other Elements of the Comprehensive Plan

The Intergovernmental Coordination Element relates to each of the other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. As previously stated, Santa Rosa County has formal or informal agreements with various federal, state, regional and local entities. The coordination mechanisms are outlined by each Comprehensive Plan Element:

The Future Land Use Element , as an overall blueprint for managing growth, defines the direction and intensity of future growth and development throughout the County's jurisdiction. Since development within Santa Rosa County and outside of Santa Rosa County can and does have extra-jurisdictional impacts, coordination among local governments on land use matters is important.

The Transportation Element is concerned with multi-modal transportation, mass transit, ports, aviation and related facilities. The policies and proposed projects of one jurisdiction can produce various types of impacts on the networks and facilities in other jurisdictions.

The Infrastructure Element includes the following sub-elements: Sanitary Sewer, Solid Waste, Stormwater Management, Potable Water, and Natural Groundwater Aquifer Recharge. Since infrastructure improvements generally attract new development and infrastructure is necessary for new development, coordination among the various service delivery agencies is important.

The Housing Element identifies current and projected deficits in the supply of housing for moderate income, low income, and very low income households, group homes, foster care facilities, and households with special housing needs, including rural and farmworker housing. Since each jurisdiction has a responsibility to provide its fair share of affordable housing, the County must coordinate with municipalities and adjacent counties to identify relevant needs, to determine how these needs will be met, and to develop measures to mitigate the impacts when one jurisdiction carries the burden of providing affordable housing for other jurisdictions. Coordination with state and federal agencies is important for the permits needed to provide affordable housing within the County.

The Coastal Management and Conservation Elements focus on the County's natural resources. In addition, the Coastal Management and Conservation Elements discuss various preservation techniques (such as ordinances, conservation easements, financial incentives, and land acquisition), and land management techniques to eliminate land use conflicts. From the standpoint of intergovernmental coordination, these techniques and solutions need to be coordinated with neighboring cities and counties. Some other important coordination mechanisms concerning the County's natural resources and proposed development include notifying and coordinating with Federal, State, Regional and local government agencies, identifying proposed impacts, and establishing measures to mitigate the impacts of proposed development within these areas. As with the other elements, there should be a process to resolve disputes.

The Recreation and Open Space Element provides an inventory of existing recreation and open space sites and facilities, and assesses current and projected needs. Since the County and its municipalities share many of these responsibilities, a close working relationship has been established. The important intergovernmental issue is to coordinate the provision of new recreational facilities and services on a Countywide basis. Coordination with most state agencies involves funding and some purchasing of environmentally important land, in addition to some active recreational needs.

The Capital Improvements Element reflects the County's strategy for the delivery of infrastructure and other public services. Pertinent to this element is the budgeting of major projects, in addition to formulating the results of intergovernmental coordination relationships and other partnerships. This would include state funded transportation projects as well as the capital projects proposed by the various utilities operating within the County.