Smart Growth Workshop

The concept of Smart Growth emerged as communities have been increasingly impacted by “sprawling” development patterns and related infrastructure and service delivery costs. Locally, this pattern cannot be sustained without permanent destruction of vast ecosystems and wildlife corridors.  

During the last year, Volusia County, the School Board, and fifteen cities adopted a resolution in support of a cooperative Smart Growth process based on three principles:  a healthy environment, livable communities, and a strong economy.

In cooperation with the Volusia Council of Governments (VCOG) Smart Growth Committee, the Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD) Green Committee, and a number of other stakeholders and experts, county staff has been developing model Smart Growth programs and options that each local government may choose to implement.  

During this workshop, County Council will be asked to provide direction on specific Smart Growth action items. Most of these decision points focus on short term options for protecting the environmental core of the county and removing obstacles from current regulations in order to save open space and reduce infrastructure costs.  Other recommendations will look to the future and provide direction on long term issues such as “Transfer of Development Rights.”  

Some recommendations can be implemented by local governments acting independently.  Full implementation of long term options can only be achieved through continued close cooperation between the county and the cities.

Council direction provided during the workshop will be shared with partners and stakeholders.  

Draft Background Information

County staff has been working with our local, regional and state partners to develop maps, policies and model ordinances. The following are the recent draft documents that are being prepared by various committees and work groups, including the VCOG Technical Advisory Committee and the VCARD Green Committee. These documents are drafts and are for reference only. They may be updated several times prior to and after the workshop by the committees that are drafting and reviewing them. All committees are open to the public.

Upon Council direction, staff will bring the updated documents back to Council for formal review and approval.

• November 6, 2008 County Council Workshop PowerPoint Presentation

• List of Local, Regional and State Partners

• History of Smart Growth in Volusia County   

Maps

• Environmental Core Overlay - ECO (formerly known as Map A)

• ECO within Unincorporated Volusia County

• Natural Resource Management Area NRMA

• ECO, NRMA, and School Board Central Concurrency Service Area

• Elevations (Contours)  

• LIDAR (detailed terrain mapping)  

• FEMA 100 Year Flood Plain  

• Soils  

• Vegetation  

• November 6, 2008 Smart Growth County Council Workshop Decision Points

• Volusia County Comprehensive Plan 08-2 Amendment Cycle as transmitted to DCA in August, 2008 

• New Goals, Objectives, and Policies - Comprehensive Plan Revisions 2008

• Green Ribbon Panel Description

• Subdivision Matrix

• Volusia Council of Governments (VCOG) Smart Growth Initiative Policy Issues List - Model Conservation Development Ordinance

• Volusia Council of Governments (VCOG) Smart Growth Committee Technical Advisory Subcommittee draft TDR Concept Paper

• VCOG Smart Growth Initiatives Status Report Update Power Point - October 6, 2008

• Volusia County Association of Responsible Developers (VCARD) Green Committee model “Green Building” ordinance final draft - June 19, 2008.

• Greenprinting Options; preserving open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas in the development of sustainable communities.

• 1967 How Should We Grow

• Volusia Planning Commission - Text

• Volusia County Map - 1967

April 24, 2008 County Council Workshop PowerPoint Presentation