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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocumentation_Workshop_Tab 01_5/31/2022Agenda Item #1. Workshop STAFF Meeting: Staff Contact MEMO Workshop - May 31 2022 Thomas Bradford, EAC Chair Department: Council ez 0_ Discuss Environmental Advisory Committee recommendation for the Village of Tequesta to contract for an Environmental Specialist for the Village of Tequesta Development Review Committee participation and for other purposes. . SUMMARY: 19 This document and any attachments may be reproduced upon request in an alternative format by completing our Accessibility Feedback Form, sending an e-mail to the Village Clerk or calling 561-768-0443. BUDGETED AMOUNT: NA AVAILABLE AMOUNT: NA EXPENDITURE AMOUNT: NA Additional Budgetary Information: Funding Source(s): NA NA Page 3 of 51 Agenda Item #1. Village of Tequesta Environmental Advisory Committee Memo To: Village Council From: Thomas G. Bradford, Chair, EAC cc: Jeremy Allen, Village Manager; EAC Members Date: May 22, 2022 Re: EAC Recommendation for the Village of Tequesta (VOT) to Contract for an Environmental Specialist (ES) for VOT Development Review Committee (DRC) Participation and for Other Purposes The EAC was tasked with developing recommendations for best practices, fostering community partnerships, and within the bounds of the VOT Comprehensive Development Plan, developing recommendations for goals, objectives and policies relative to sustaining and improving the environment of the VOT. Reviewing the Comprehensive Plan often leads to looking further into the Code of Ordinances to determine what regulations the Village has in effect today and to ascertain if the VOT has taken the required steps needed to implement the various environmental and related goals, objectives and policies as stated in the Comprehensive Plan. In this instance, the aforementioned process led us to the VOT DRC process spelled out in the Code of Ordinances at Sec. 78-334. After much debate and discussion over multiple EAC meetings, including, but not limited to, the timing of the work of an ES and the cost of an ES in a contractual consulting role, which is estimated to be de minimis, the EAC reached a consensus pertaining to the VOT DRC process and concluded the DRC process needs to be enhanced and it should have a standing environmental review component in the DRC process to be provided by an ES. The EAC recommends that the Village Council add an ES in a subject matter expert consultant role in the DRC process. The ES would have a potential scope of work as follows: 1 Page 4 of 51 Agenda Item #1. 1. Review all development and redevelopment applications for compliance with existing environmental codes; and 2. Attend all meetings of the DRC; and 3. Pinpoint and report potential shortfalls in the code relative to the environmental codes of others, as well as the best practices encountered in the course of the ES's work experience; and 4. Report items in number 3 above to the EAC for consideration of recommending pertinent code changes to the Village Council. This proposed ES contractual scope of work will greatly assist the VOT and the EAC in proactively identifying code changes to ultimately be recommended to the Village Council for the protection and betterment of the environment in the VOT. Additionally, the EAC is recommending that, if necessary, the estimated de minimis cost for the ES's consulting work be included as a budgetary line item associated with development applications to be paid directly by the applicant to the VOT or by adding the additional cost to the overall cost of applicable building permits or the specific application fee. The EAC also recommends that the consulting ES have experience reviewing applications in a number of different municipalities, so they can better identify environmental best practices already in existence elsewhere. VA Page 5 of 51