bottled water from Wakulla
this was an email sent to me.
A. CP05-11 � FLU Map Amendment
The main issue at hand is whether it is appropriate for the County to create a new Urban-1 area and Light Industrial zoning district several miles away from the nearest Urban-1 but within close proximity to a state park and to an underground cave system that flows directly to Wakulla Springs. The long-term, cumulative effects must be addressed: one small Urban-1 patch in the middle of rural and agriculture will undoubtedly sprout more Urban-1 and possibly Light Industrial. There are several issues with the actual property of the proposal to change from Residential-1 to Urban-1 that require thorough consideration and analysis:
1. A change to Urban-1 amongst a conglomerate of R-1, R-2, Agriculture, and Conservation lands is not compatible.
2. It is at least two miles from the nearest Urban-1 zoning (near Cajer Posey Road) according to Planning Department staff.
3. It is very near (0.2 miles) to the Wakulla Springs State Park boundary, which is conservation lands; it is within 0.4 miles of a major recreational site within the State Park (Cherokee Sink); and it approximately 1.8 mile from the springhead at Wakulla Spring.
4. There is recent and definitive scientific information that reveals the site approximately lies above an underground conduit to the Wakulla springs cave system, which flows northeast to the spring.
5. The request to change only a portion of the property with very questionable boundaries which crosses a road is not even compatible within or consistent with the landowner�s property.
6. Creating an Urban-1 area extremely close to the State Park and on top of a cave system appears to be very poor planning and seems to ignore recent scientific data that is readily available. This amendment does nothing to protect the groundwater, a natural resource, and spring where the groundwater water flows out.
7. The amount and methodology of total acreage of the parcel (9.99+/-) is highly suspect, and demonstrates the intent to avoid a review by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and illustrates a clear lack of respect for growth management laws.
A recent legal challenge to a map amendment involving a tract of land along Rehwinkel Road was deemed to be �not in compliance� by an Administrative Law Judge, DCA, and the Administration Commission (the Governor and Florida Cabinet). In their Final Order (No. AC-04-005), the Administration Commission encouraged the County ��to take more proactive steps in its growth management policies to protect groundwater, to recognize the distinctive aspects of the County�s geomorphology and its unique karst features, and to preserve the County�s freshwater springs�� [emphasis added]. CCOW interprets this statement to mean, in part, that the best available data should always be appropriately used in land use decisions. This is what the Administrative Law Judge determined in his finding of �not in compliance�: that the County did not ��react to available data with regard to the wetlands and natural resources in an appropriate way�� [emphasis added]. The Law Judge also equated groundwater as a natural resource.
Potential Course of Action (CCOW recommends in order listed):
Outright denial of proposal on the basis of
not in compliance with comprehensive plan,
not compatible with surrounding land use and zoning,
does not adequately protect natural resources,
uses contrived survey to obtain less than 10 acres for amendment
does not incorporate best available data appropriately
Amend the parcel in proposal to obtain realistic boundaries from an objective company and resubmit in regular comp plan cycle as �large-scale� map amendment to be reviewed by DCA.
Table entire proposed project and implement county-wide mail-out referendum to determine the desire of the constituency on whether they would like to see public drinking water supply sold for profit.
Though the actual extraction of water is a secondary issue, it is the opinion of CCOW that the water bottling project strongly conflicts with public interest which deeply cares for the well-being of our natural resources, as evident by the recent Visioning Survey. There is a deep philosophical disparity with the selling of our regional drinking water supply (groundwater/natural resource) for profit of private landowners and multinational companies. Many, and CCOW maintains most, in this community are quite concerned with the precedence that will be set when the first truck loaded with water leaves the property. Not only does CCOW consider this outright stealing from the public, but this is especially true considering this water, in whatever quantity, would otherwise be flowing out at Wakulla Springs State Park and become part of the Wakulla River, a Outstanding Florida Waterway and owned by the public at large. This taking of a public resource, which is not a commodity, should not be tolerated. There is a deep frustration within the community that the County, in appearance and behavior, is participating in this scheme through highly questionable planning decisions; creating a vivid picture of intent to circumvent growth management laws and public interest.
Dear Friend,
IF YOU believe that water belongs to everyone AND
IF YOU want to protect Wakulla’s water resources from selfish profiteers,
YOU need to do 2 simple things:
Action #1
Step A: Select one of the attached files (randomly or by preference).
Step B: Print the entire file (5 pages) and sign each of the 5 letters.
(Optional: Change the font style or the formatting first, add comments of
your own, print the letters on your personal letterhead or colorful paper)
Step C: Place the 5 letters in 5 separate envelopes on which you’ve written
matching names & addresses. Place your return address and a 37-cent stamp
on each envelope.
Step D: Mail your letters TODAY (by Wednesday at the latest).
Step E: Repeat Steps A-D for each family member (which may include children
& pets).
Action #2:
On MONDAY, AUGUST 1st
Step A: Wear a blue shirt.
Step B: Go the BOCC Chambers on Arran Road (behind the Tax Collector’s
Office) at 6:00 p.m.
Step C: Go to the table on the far left (east end) of the room. Get an
agenda. Look at the agenda items listed under Planning & Zoning. Find the
item number for “CP05-11.” Fill out a speaker’s card for that item number
(whether you plan to speak or not). OR GET A PRE-MADE SPEAKER CARD FROM CHAD
Step D: If you DO NOT want to speak, when your name is called say “I give
my 3 minutes to Chad Hanson” or another designee.
Step E: Please try to speak even if you are nervous about doing so. If you
aren’t sure what to say, Chad will have slips of paper with talking points.
Or just say “My name is ___________. I strongly oppose this land use
change.”
Please mail your letters NOW. Send an email confirming this to
<della.chad@mindspring.com>.
Please send this email to as many other like-minded people as possible.
Print out hard copies for friends and neighbors without computers.
BE THERE on August 1st.
We need each Commissioner to receive an avalanche of letters before August
1st.
We need to pack the BOCC Chamber with people in blue shirts on August 1st.
We need many people to speak on August 1st.
This is an open forum held for the community of Wakulla to exchange information and express their opinions. The options expressed in the e-mails are not necessarily those held or condoned by the moderator or any particular organization. The moderator is not responsible for the content of the e-mails or the actions of the authors or readers.
