Local Planning Agency Meeting (2025-06-02)

Mary Esther Comp Plan Update Eric Christianson, Planner

Agenda • Comprehensive Planning Overview • Policy Changes • Plan Implementation • Adoption

What is a Comprehensive Plan? Your Comprehensive Plan serves as a long-term blueprint for guiding growth and development. It ensures that land use, housing, transportation, and public facilities are planned in a way that meets current needs while accommodating future changes. A well written plan simplifies the task of approving individual development requests and ordinance changes.

Comp Plan v. Zoning • Regulates Future Land Uses • High level vision • Regulates the way land is used today • Specific Application

1. Update Planning Horizon At least 10-year and 20-year planning horizons 2. Add in the required 2021 Property Rights Element 3. Overall updates to reflect changes in the City since last major update in 2010 4. State Deadline of February 28 Required Updates

Timeline (Updated) 2 0 2 5 January FebruarySeptember October November April May June Text Clean Up Drafting Data Inventory and Analysis GOP Development Public Forum Final Drafting of Documents Adoption Hearings Kickoff Staff and Council Interviews Staff Review of Data Inventory and Analysis Staff & Council Review of GOPs 2 nd Public Forum MarchDecember 2 0 2 4

• Grammar and clarity changes • Restructured and simplified document • Removed references to outdated City Land Development Code and Florida Statutes • Updated best practices where appropriate • Creates new Annual Comprehensive Plan Review and Goal Setting Session Comprehensive Plan Changes Generally Introduction Definitions A – Future Land Use Element B – Transportation Element C – Housing Element D – Infrastructure Element E – Coastal Management and Conservation Element F – Recreation and Open Space Element G – Intergovernmental Coordination Element H – Capital Improvements Element I – Public School Facilities Element J – Property Right Element (new)

A. Future Land Use Element Major Updates: • Clarified descriptions and creation of new Future Land Use Categories • Creation of Town Center and Soundside Overlay • Inclusion of Concurrency Management (previously a separate section) • Updated Future Land Use Map

Future Land Use Map (Current)

Future Land Use Map (Proposed) )

Future Land Use Map (Current)

B. Transportation Element Major Updates: • Clarified and strengthened references to nonmotorized transportation. • New Policy on working with FDOT and the OCSD to alleviate queuing on US 98. • Inclusion of new transportation technologies • References to an encouragement of bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the new Town Center overlay.

C. Housing Element Major Updates: • Promotion of a wide variety of housing types including “missing middle” housing, mixed-use development, and adaptive reuse. • Dedication to reviewing and improving the city’s regulatory and permitting program.

D. Infrastructure Element Major Updates: • Updated goals surrounding wastewater disposal to allow for flexibility in exploring future solutions. • Clarified current solid waste management practices. • Removed specific recycling goals. • Removed water saving device ordinance reference previously required by state statute.

E - Coastal Mgmt & Conservation Element Major Updates: • Updated goals to reflect the statewide Resilient Florida standards. • Updated references to the County’s Local Mitigation Strategy and regional Hurricane Evacuation Study. • Added Florida Friendly Landscaping as a potential alternative to current xeriscape requirements

F – Recreation and Open Space Element Major Updates: • Creates new category of Park ‘Town Center Park’ • Updated references to upcoming Bike, Ped, Trail Plan for Okaloosa-Walton TPO. • Added references to community gardens and the farmer’s market. • Modified references to tourism development organizations.

G – Intergovernmental Coordination Element Major Updates: • Clarified importance of intergovernmental coordination and updated references to recent coordination efforts. • Eliminated or modified references to defunct organizations, plans and agreements.

H – Capital Improvements Element Major Updates: • Added in updated inventory of capital improvements • Included Level of Service standards for Roadways, Sewer, Solid Waste, Drainage, Potable Water, Recreation and Open Space, and Public School Facilities • Establishes new Annual Goal Setting Process

I – Public Schools Facility Element Major Updates: • Added a direct reference to support the development of a new primary access drive for Mary Esther Elementary School. • Clarified support for Safe Routes to School • Removed references to outdated schools plans and maps

J – Property Rights Element (New) Major Updates: • Added in state recommended language to protect property owner’s rights. • Clarified current notice and hearing procedures.

Formal Adoption • LPA Public Hearing and Recommendation • Council Transmittal Hearing (First Reading) • Transmittal to State and Agency Review (expedited review) • Adoption Hearing (Second Reading) • Final Submittal and Appeal Window Next Steps

Ada Clark, Community and Economic Development Director Ada.Clark@ECRC.org Eric Christianson, Planner Eric.Christianson@ECRC.org Thank You