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Titusville staff previews comprehensive‑plan evaluation and recommended updates tied to recent state law
Summary
City planners presented the city’s seven‑year evaluation and appraisal report (EAR) and proposed updates to align Titusville’s comprehensive plan with state requirements and local priorities; required changes include policy edits tied to SB 180, school mitigation wording and septic‑to‑sewer provisions in BMAP areas.
City staff and planning consultants presented the city’s evaluation and appraisal report (EAR) for the comprehensive plan at the July 22 special presentations meeting and outlined required and recommended changes to align local policy with recent state legislative and agency guidance.
Eddie Glendo, the community development director, told the council that the state requires local jurisdictions to complete an evaluation at least once every seven years, and that the current review is scheduled for completion in 2025 with transmittal public hearings planned for Aug. 20 (Planning & Zoning Commission) and Aug. 26 (City Council). Glendo said the city had previously held a June workshop with Planning & Zoning and used public comments to refine the draft.
Consultants Eliza Harris Giuliano and Emily Thomas described key findings and recommended updates. The consultants reported population projections used in the EAR (based on the state’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research) of about 51,000 residents in 2025 and an anticipated population of just over 56,000 by 2050, and said the existing future land‑use capacity in the plan is sufficient to accommodate that projected growth.
Thomas summarized statute‑driven updates staff recommends, including: removal of a policy no longer permitted under SB 180; clarifications in the public‑school element requiring dollar‑for‑dollar credits for developments that contribute to school‑related improvements through proportionate‑share mitigation; and a significant infrastructure element update to address septic‑to‑sewer conversions in Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) areas to reduce pollutants to impaired waters.
The consultants also proposed recommended additions including policies to support accessory dwelling units in the housing element, clarified annual reporting language in the capital improvements element, a mobility plan and fee for transportation improvements, stronger coordination on historic preservation and historic cemetery protections, and policies to expand urban tree canopy and native‑plant landscaping.
Council members asked several questions. Member Nelson suggested studying wildlife corridors and sought stronger protections for low‑quality wetlands adjacent to higher‑quality wetlands; staff said the draft includes a recommendation for further study to address wetlands protection comprehensively. Member Stockel and others said they opposed a proposed waiver of impact fees for affordable housing and urged conservation protections.
Staff said the transmittal hearing package will reflect changes made after the planning commission workshop and additional feedback from the July 22 meeting. If the council transmits the EAR package in August, the documents will be sent to state review, after which the city will address any state comments before returning for adoption.
"The comprehensive plan, as it stands today, is already sufficient to absorb that population," a consultant said during the presentation.
