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Local Impact

Waiver Requests for West Mini Farms Improvement Plan

Original title: West Mini Farms - Improvement Plan 33241 - Waiver to Improvement Plan in Review Parcel #: 34979-000-00 # WaiverPIR-000858-2026 Tillman & Associates Engineering, LLC LDC 6.12.12. - Sidewalks CODE states A. Sidewalks shall be provided in the Urban Area, Rural Activity Centers, and Specialized Commerce Districts along arterial, collector, and major local streets where these streets adjoin the project and minimally along one side of the internal streets. Sidewalks shall be constructed with all-weather surfaces and shall meet Americans with Disabilities Act, Florida Building Code, and FDOT Design Standards. B. Sidewalks outside the right-of-way and independent of the street system are encouraged as an alternative to sidewalks parallel to a roadway, provided equivalent pedestrian needs are met. C. The sidewalk system shall provide connectivity between existing and proposed developments. D. At the discretion of the Development Review Committee, in lieu of construction along external streets, the developer may pay a sidewalk fee to the County in an amount necessary to complete construction. This amount shall be determined by the project engineer and approved by the County with payment required prior to final plan approval. The County may use these funds toward the construction of sidewalks throughout the County based on priorities established by the Board. APPLICANT Request a waiver to not provide sidewalk alongside of road. This is an agricultural subdivision in a rural area. There are no existing sidewalks in the subdivision or nearby vicinity. LDC 6.13.7 Geotechnical criteria CODE states A. Methodology. The pattern and type of test borings shall be determined by the project engineer, geotechnical engineer, or geologist based on the project size, type, and complexity.(1)Infiltration/permeability rate tests shall follow methods acceptable to the governing State agency and shall be performed at the depth and location which will provide representative test results for use in the design of the retention/detention area. Soil identifications shall refer to the AASHTO Soil Classification System conforming to AASHTO Designation M 145-91. (2) Where visual reconnaissance, available published data, and/or initial borings suggest high karst sensitivity or lithologic variability, additional borings may be required if deemed necessary by the County Engineer or his designee. B. Minimum requirements. (1) Depth. Soil test borings shall be performed to a minimum depth of 10 feet below the proposed finished grade of the bottom of all retention/detention areas or the permanent pool elevation and once the data has been obtained the hole shall be backfilled and compacted. (2 )Number of tests. At least two tests shall be performed within the boundary of each proposed retention/detention area. For each half acre of pond bottom area and for each lineal retention/detention area of 250 feet, an additional test shall be conducted. The County Engineer or his designee, may require additional tests if the initial tests indicate the need for them. (3) Infiltration/permeability tests. For retention/detention areas utilizing percolation or infiltration in the design model, there shall be a minimum of two infiltration rate tests for each retention/detention area. Data used for soil permeability testing or infiltration analyses for the retention/detention areas shall be signed and sealed by a professional engineer or professional geologist for both data and procedural accuracy. (4) Aquifer parameters. The estimated seasonal high ground water elevation and confining layer shall be clearly identified. C. Design considerations. (1) The estimated seasonal high water elevation and the confining layer shall be set no lower than the bottom of the boring for the purposes of stormwater system modeling. (2) The pond bottom elevation of a stormwater facility shall be designed a minimum of 1 foot above the estimated seasonal high water elevation. When the pond bottom is within 1 foot of the estimated seasonal high water elevation, a 50 percent reduction factor shall be used for percolation or ground water mounding analysis shall be included. APPLICANT A waiver is requested for the number of borings in the drainage retention areas. We have provided 1 boring per acre rather than 1 boring for every 0.5 acre. The underlying soils are generally consistent, and the provided number of borings is sufficient to determine stormwater modeling parameters. SWFWMD has reviewed and approved a permit for the project.

June 8, 2026

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The Frame

What this does

The Development Review Committee will decide whether to grant these waivers, which would change the construction requirements for the West Mini Farms agricultural subdivision.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

West Mini Farms Developer

The developer is seeking relief from specific construction requirements for their project.

County Residents

Residents may be affected by changes to local pedestrian infrastructure and stormwater management standards.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 8, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The developer of the West Mini Farms project is requesting two waivers from county development codes. They are seeking permission to omit required roadside sidewalks and to reduce the number of soil test borings required for their drainage retention areas.

Key Facts

  • The applicant requests a waiver to omit the construction of sidewalks along the road for the West Mini Farms agricultural subdivision.
  • The applicant requests a waiver to reduce the number of soil test borings in drainage retention areas from one per 0.5 acres to one per acre.
  • County code LDC 6.12.12 requires sidewalks in specific districts along arterial, collector, and major local streets.
  • County code LDC 6.13.7 requires at least two soil test borings per retention area, plus one additional test for every 0.5 acre of pond bottom or 250 feet of lineal retention area.
  • The applicant argues that the subdivision is in a rural area with no existing sidewalks in the vicinity.
  • The applicant argues that the underlying soils are consistent, making fewer borings sufficient for stormwater modeling.
  • The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has already issued a permit for the project.
  • The Development Review Committee has the authority to allow a developer to pay a fee in lieu of sidewalk construction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the developer asking to skip building sidewalks?
The developer states the project is an agricultural subdivision in a rural area where no other sidewalks currently exist.
Is the developer skipping all soil testing for the drainage ponds?
No, they are requesting to reduce the frequency of testing from one test per 0.5 acres to one test per acre, arguing the soil is consistent enough for accurate modeling.

Why It Matters

The Development Review Committee will decide whether to grant these waivers, which would change the construction requirements for the West Mini Farms agricultural subdivision.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Fee-in-lieu for sidewalks

The county code explicitly allows the Development Review Committee to accept a fee from developers to fund county-wide sidewalk projects instead of requiring on-site construction.

Connected Entities

organizationSWFWMDSouthwest Florida Water Management District, which has already permitted the proMap →
organizationTillman & Associates Engineering, LLCThe engineering firm representing the applicant.Map →
other34979-000-00Parcel number for the project site.Map →
organizationDevelopment Review CommitteeThe body responsible for reviewing and approving the waiver requests.Map →
otherWaiverPIR-000858-2026The specific waiver application identifier.Map →
otherWest Mini FarmsThe development project subject to the improvement plan.Map →

Sources

Open source document

webapi.legistar.com

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance30
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
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  • Entertainment5
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  • Buzz5
    Current news / social attention level

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