Charter Review Commission

Approved Charter Amendments
and Management Recommendations
(for July 24, 2006 meeting)

CHARTER AMENDMENTS
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Water Plan Section 202.5
Charter amended to require that the County Council provide for a county water plan by ordinance that shall prevail over any conflicting municipal comprehensive plan or ordinance. Plan is to be provided no later than December 31, 2007.
Water Plan draft
School Planning Section 206
Charter amended to require the County Council provide by ordinance that any comprehensive plan amendment or rezoning allowing increased residential density may be effective only if adequate public schools can be timely planned and constructed to serve the projected increase in student population, and that such ordinance shall prevail over any conflicting municipal comprehensive plan, ordinance or resolution. Ordinance is to be adopted by September 30, 2007.  
School Planning draft

MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

VOTRAN
Recommends that VOTRAN’s participation be formalized as a non-voting member in the development review process of Volusia’s municipalities. This would allow Votran to plan for future bus services.

Management of Available Resources
Recommends that the County demonstrate more aggressive management of available resources for designated projects. The County should complete an annual review of these projects that includes the status of each and provide the information to the public.

The Water-Wise Ordinance
The Water-Wise Ordinance is a laudable ordinance but implementation has not been effective.  It is recommended that the County Council revisit the Water-Wise Ordinance and provide for appropriate enforcement of its provisions, i.e., provide for specific goals in water usage reduction, and require mandatory retrofitting of old watering systems that do not meet the standards of the ordinance.

Intergovernmental Communication
Volusia County should be required to first engage in a dialogue with local governments, which would be affected, by a proposed ordinance or regulation. 

Consolidation of Communications for Fire and Rescue
The Commission acknowledged that different areas of our County need differing levels of service.  Complete County consolidation of these services is not yet practical.  However, the County should continue to strive for functional consolidation and improvement of a countywide communications network for delivery of these services.

Ambulatory transportation
EVAC is an efficient provider of ambulatory transport and recommends that Volusia County continue to issue certificates to the best-qualified private or municipal providers, as backup during periods of peak need.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Recommends that the County Council and staff to continue their efforts to include the disabled community in all phases of governing.  This can be accomplished by continuing an informal dialogue with the leadership of the disabled community. 

Deletions of Repealed Special Districts from the Charter.
Article XIV, Sections 1401 through 1432 of the current Charter are repealers for defunct special districts. These districts have been repealed and have no further political or legal force or effect, it is recommended that the provisions relating to those special districts be removed from the Charter. 

Enforcement of Minimum Standards for Environmental Protection
The Minimum Standards for Environmental Protection contained in Section 202.4 of the Charter is a powerful tool to effectively control growth within the County and within the municipalities.  The Commission recommends that the County Council investigate and properly fund enforcement mechanisms for this Charter provision.

Budget Process
Recommends involving the County Council in both policy development and programmatic review on a periodic basis; creation of a long-term (minimum of 5 year) strategic plan with direct budgetary references, i.e., strategic plan would include performance measurements to evaluate efficiencies and effectiveness of programs including lifecycle  cost; and  moving to a two year budget cycle.

Economic Development
Recommends repealing the Economic Development Ordinance, Article II of Chapter 4 and adopting a new economic development ordinance written to reflect the priority directives of the County’s Economic Development Strategic Plan and associated programs.

Subdivision Regulations
Recommends that the County provide for a voluntary review program of antiquated, unbuilt plats and subdivisions on a case by case basis to determine whether such plats should continue or be vacated; or whether other appropriate and innovative land use techniques should be applied to such subdivisions, including, but not limited to the creation of MSBU districts to provide appropriate infrastructure for said areas.

Fiscal Impact Analysis Model (FIAM)
Volusia County Government should consider the adoption of a Fiscal Impact Analysis Model (FIAM) to assist with planning for the future growth. The Florida Department of Community Affairs as a planning tool for all Florida counties and cities has recommended FIAM. It can assist the County Council in making Smart Growth decisions because FIAM can measure the impact on a specific project or zoning/land use decision will have on schools, roads, and other infrastructure.

Combine the Ponce Inlet Port Authority and Beach Advisory Boards
Recommended that the Port Authority and the Beach Advisory Boards be combined to better coordinate the activities of our beaches and to more sensibly provide coordinated planning of the beach and the port.

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