§ 2-140. Affordable housing advisory committee.

(a)

The Santa Rosa County Affordable Housing Committee, hereinafter referred to as the "committee," has been created consisting of a total of nine members meeting the approval of the board of county commissioners. Appointment of individual members to the committee shall be by resolution of the board of county commissioners. A majority of the membership of said committee shall be required to conduct official business, and all committee meetings shall be publicly advertised or noticed in the local print media having the largest county-wide circulation.

(b)

Said committee shall be comprised of one representative of each of the following interests, plus three at-large members:

(1)

Labor engaged in homebuilding.

(2)

Advocacy for low income persons.

(3)

Affordable housing providers.

(4)

Real-estate professionals.

(5)

Residential homebuilders.

(6)

Banking or mortgage banking industry.

(c)

The committee shall serve in an advisory capacity and shall minimally perform the review functions stipulated in F.S. § 420.9076, including the development of recommendations to the board of county commissioners regarding actions to address impediments to the provision of affordable housing, and/or to create incentives or support expansion of affordable housing opportunity within the local area. Said recommendations shall be in the form of a local affordable housing incentive plan, hereinafter referred to as the "plan," which shall be presented to the board of county commissioners. Within 90 days of official presentation of the plan to the board, the plan shall be adopted by ordinance of the board of county commissioners.

(d)

Members shall initially serve for three-year terms and may be reappointed for subsequent terms.

(e)

Meetings shall be held monthly for the first year of committee existence and quarterly, or more frequently, thereafter.

(f)

The committee shall comply with the government in the Sunshine Law, the public records law, and the special provisions regarding notice of the local affordable housing incentive plan considerations found in F.S. § 420.9076. Minutes of the meeting shall be kept by the designated administering entity.

(g)

The committee shall annually elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and such other offices as it deems necessary. The chairperson is charged with the duty of conducting meetings in a manner consistent with law.

(h)

Staff, administrative and facility support for the committee shall be provided by the designated administrative entity of the board of county commissioners.

(i)

The committee shall review the established policies and procedures, ordinances, land development regulations, and adopted local comprehensive plan of the county, and shall recommend specific initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing while protecting the ability of the property to appreciate in value.

(j)

Recommendations may include the modification or repeal of existing policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations, or plan provisions. At a minimum, the committee shall make recommendations on affordable housing incentives in the following areas:

(1)

The affordable housing definition in the appointing resolution.

(2)

The expedited processing of permits for affordable housing projects.

(3)

The modification of impact fee requirements, including reduction or waiver of fees and alternative methods of fee payment.

(4)

The allowance of increased density levels.

(5)

The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very low-income persons.

(6)

The transfer of development rights as a financing mechanism for housing for very low-income persons and low-income persons.

(7)

The reduction of parking and setback requirements.

(8)

The allowance of zero lot-line configurations.

(9)

The modifications of sidewalk and street requirements.

(10)

The establishment of a process by which the county considers, before adoption, procedures and policies that have a significant impact on the cost of housing.

(k)

The committee recommendations shall also include other affordable housing incentives identified by the affordable housing advisory committee.

(l)

To the maximum extent feasible, the approved affordable housing incentive recommendations submitted to the board of county commissioners must quantify the affordable housing cost reduction anticipated from implementing the specific recommendations.

(m)

Within nine months from the adoption of this division, the committee shall make recommendations approved by a majority of its membership at a public meeting. Notice of the time, date, and place of the public hearing of the committee to adopt final affordable housing incentive recommendations shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. Such notice shall contain a short and concise summary of the affordable housing incentive recommendations to be considered by the committee. The notice shall also state the public place where a copy of the tentative committee recommendations may be obtained by interested persons.

(Ord. No. 93-09, § X, 4-22-93)