TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Timothy Stillings, Development Services Director
THROUGH: Mark R. Lauzier, City Manager
DATE: December 11, 2018
Title
ALWAYS DELRAY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE: PRESENTATION OF THE CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY ELEMENT
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Provide comment and direction regarding the proposed Conservation Resiliency and Sustainability Element of the Always Delray Comprehensive Plan.
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Background:
The update to the Delray Beach Comprehensive Plan, which has been branded “Always Delray,” began in 2016 with the creation of a Steering Committee, appointed by the City Commission. Committee members have met on numerous occasions to establish a plan for the City’s future that reflects current and projected trends, identifies key issues presently impacting the community, and that maintains, updates, or eliminates current policies as a result of this in-depth review. Five new elements are proposed for the plan, and several existing elements have been renamed to better capture their role in plan. Community workshops were held to discuss and receive public input on each element. This input was utilized to formulate the draft elements, along with the input of Subject Matter Experts on each topic, which consisted of City Staff, consultants, and community members.
The previous “Conservation Element” was expanded to include sustainability and resiliency issues and renamed the “Conservation Sustainability and Resiliency Element”. The purpose of the Conservation Sustainability and Resiliency Element is to set forth its environmental stewardship principles and policies. Previously, the focus of the element was the preservation and protection of endangered species and natural habitat. The expanded element adds the concepts of sustainability and resiliency to include planning concepts addressing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change, as well as preparation for natural disasters and planning for the impacts of sea level rise. This element works in concert with the Coastal Management Element, but has broader, Citywide applicationbeyond the Coastal Planning Area.
The Element is comprised of two documents, the Data, Inventory and Analysis and the Goals, Objectives and Policies (GOPs). The Conservation, Sustainability and Resiliency Element sets forth nine goals:
Goal csr 1 Protect Air Resources
Goal csr 2 Conserve and Protect Water Resources
Goal csr 3 Conserve and Protect Minerals and Soils
GOAL csr 4 Protect Lands for the Benefit of Habitat and Species
GOAL CSR 5 promote Energy Efficiency and Diversify Energy Mix
GOAL CSR 6 Support Sustainable Waste Management, Urban Agriculture and Food Programs
GOAL CSR 7 Support Sustainable City Operations and Practices that Increase the Triple Bottom Line
GOAL CSR 8 Increase Citywide Resilience to Sea Level Rise and Weather-Related Events Equitably for All City Residents
GOAL CSR 9 Emergency Preparedness
The Conservation Sustainability and Resiliency (CSR) Element was reviewed by the Steering Committee on September 26, 2018.
The Planning and Zoning Board at a public hearing held on November 5, 2018, recommended to the City Commission approval of the repeal of existing Conservation Element and the adoption of the proposed Conservation, Sustainability and Resiliency Element on a 4 to 0 vote.
Note: This draft of the Conservation, Sustainability, and Resiliency Element Goals, Objectives, and Policies may be modified/augmented to coordinate with the recommendations of other Elements as they are finalized.
City Attorney Review:
Approved as to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
N/A
Timing of Request:
Once all elements have been reviewed by the City Commission, final drafts will be prepared for a Transmittal Hearing of the full Always Delray Plan.