With all the discussions about the Charter Amendment 2 and the Iraq situation, a crucial County Commisson special meeting and vote is getting little attention. It is coming up ***this week!*** It will determine growth patterns and the fate of wetlands for years, but not many people are aware of it. We thought the USL would stop sprawl and wetlands were being given special protection?? Think again.

In 1998, the County Commission began review and update of the State-required county comprehensive growth management plan. Citizen committees, in hours of well-advertised and attended workshops included people who don't normally come to meetings; homeowners associations; public interest advocates; and groups of builders, developers and farmers.

Over the years, a plan evolved to provide for an orderly pattern of growth and development while also making the best use of existing financial and natural resources. After even more public meetings, public hearings and a positive evaluation by the State, the Commission adopted the plan in April 2002. Last summer, the State found the plan in compliance with State law.

Anyone had the right to challenge the plan, but any challenge would have to prove that the plan violated State laws. On the last day to do so, a group called "Preserving Rural Property Values, Inc." filed a lawsuit against the county. The main challenges were to the Future Land Use Element and the Conservation Element, specifically the Urban Services Line and protections for wetlands.

The lawsuit challenging the growth management plan was supposed to have gone through a court proceeding to determine the validity of the challengers' claims. In court, the challengers would have to provide evidence and testimony to substantiate their claim that the adopted growth management plan violated State laws. Based on the evidence and testimony presented, the administrative law judge would then rule on whether or not the County growth management plan was in compliance with State law. Once he or she ruled, the plan would become effective.

Instead, Commissioners Rodney Long, Cynthia Chestnut, and Lee Pinkoson chose to ignore that public process and directed that county staff "mediate" with the challengers to come to some "agreement". County staff people who worked for years to develop the State-approved plan were now Commission-directed to make changes that the challengers demanded.

Only those interveners accepted by the mediator were allowed to sit at the table and have anything to say. The North Central Florida Builders Association intervened on behalf of the challengers. Several individual citizens were allowed to intervene on behalf of the County to support the plan. The Sierra Club, Women for Wise Growth and others who tried to intervene on behalf of the county were not approved. There is still confusion over the list of interveners. Meetings were held with no public participation or knowledge. In fact, at least one of the meetings was not even open to the interveners. In other words, a 5 year public effort has been hijacked and turned into a back room fiat.

On Thursday, March 20, at 6:00pm, the "mediation" report will be presented to the county commission. The Commission can vote to accept the mediation results or to adopt the 2002 State-approved plan Commissioners Long, Byerly and Wheat helped develop. If the commission votes to adopt the 2002 approved plan, the challengers will still have the right to prove (in a courtroom) their claim that the plan violates state law.

Commissioners Long, Byerly and Wheat have already voted in favor of the 2002 plan and citizens should be able to expect them not to change their vote now. Commissioner Long was the one who changed his vote to support "mediation". This is not the first time he has suddenly changed his vote on an important issue.

Please contact commissioners and let them know what you think about growth patterns, more taxes and wetland protection. Better yet, attend the meeting this Thursday at 6PM, and tell them in person.

Email: bocc@co.alachua.fl.us

Phone: 264-6903

Meeting: 6:00pm County Adm Bldg, 2nd floor.

Ellie

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