Highlands DRI Update

Hey, Bill, I'm not jealous of anyone who takes the time to tell folks what their government's doing.  I wish we could find a blogger or two for every single government meeting, instead of waiting for the news media to make our government a priority in their coverage.

I especially appreciate you keeping us up on the Highlands DRI negotiations.  I'm glad the BCC stuck to its guns and maintained its demand for the extra miles of four-laning by the developer.

And I think your idea of requiring industrial construction before residential is interesting.  That could be a requirement of not just Highland, but any future development in the county.

You say the developer is donating land for three schools.  Three schools would be the minimum needed to accommodate a development of that size.

At the county average of .546 students per new residences times 5,000 equals 2,730 kids to educate.  Assuming one elementary, one junior high and one high school, taxpayers will be asked to spend a minimum of $90 million to build the three schools on that donated land.  Then, of course, those schools will have another million or so annually for three administrative staffs, and then, of course, come the teachers - all at taxpayer expense.

Being held accountable for the effect Highlands will have on traffic is a good thing, but donating three pieces of land doesn't come close to offsetting the demands Highlands will make on the school system.

Michael S. Mann

Hi Mike,

One thing you can count on with this blog site is that your statements will be analyzed, scrutinized, challenged, and commented on.  I love it.  If you're going to "throw down", you better know what you're talking about.  Often I read something here and quickly jump on the net or pick up a magazine or book and try to get better educated about the issue.  Mike - thanks for keeping me on my toes.

After reading your comments, I went to my ol' buddy, Mr. Google (what a smart guy), and researched "growth paying for itself" and "impact fees".  I also grabbed my copy of the Highlands Application for Development Approval.  Interesting stuff - makes my head hurt after awhile.

In the states that have impact fees, www.impactfee.com , the average total fee is $10,300+/- (schools, roads, fire, library, etc).  Soon Clay county will be a leader in this area.  'Paying For Growth, Prospering From Development', a 9-page essay on the issue, offers a lot of good information, and concludes: "This paper shows that while growth was once seen as the only track to prosperity, the evidence should turn the thoughtful citizen to the path of sustainable development. . . . The challenges it discusses are sufficiently complex to justify entire chapters, each ripe with examples and exceptions.  The questions it raises have no easy answers."  Here, here.

The Highlands Application for Development Approval states: Number of new students generated by DRI=2,182;  Operating ad valorem over 20 years=$157 million;  capital ad valorem=$53 million; impact fee revenue=$35 million; student station costs=$44 million; net positive capital impact for the School District (assuming financing costs)=$18 million.

On the surface, based on info provided by the Developer, it seems as if the DRI is mitigating its impact on the school system.  I'm certain the School Board will have its own opinion.

I want to be careful not to come across as a salesman for the DRI, but rather a guy that lives in the affected community who is trying to be as informed as possible.  As previously stated, I am a skeptical supporter of the DRI, and look forward to the DCA's ORC report, and subsequent opportunites to be informed about this development.

Mike, thanks for continuing the dialogue.

Bill Garrison

Same to you, Bill.  Issues like these are complicated and worthy of debate.  I appreciate your willingness to provide blog readers with your perspective as both builder and citizen.  (Also, I think it's great that you've begun signing your blogs.)

It's unfortunate that discussions about a subject as broad as Growth Management are often reduced to talking about the minutiae of formulas.  But government always seems to inflict to that kind of often-unnecessary complexity.

For example, the new school concurrency ordinance the county is working on uses the School Board's figure of .546 students per new residence.  So why does the Highlands DRI anticipate only 2,182 students will need education in Clay County from its 5,000 new residences?  That's only .436 students per residence.  That's a difference of roughly 550 students, more than enough to require construction of a new school.

The cost per student station used in the DRI figures is about $21,000.  Add another 550 student stations at $21,000 and that's $11.55 million someone is going to end up paying.

The minutiae used to determine who pays and when for the services demanded by new growth isn't the whole Growth Management debate, but it certainly deserves to be part of it.

Michael S. Mann

Mike, I'm not 100% sure about this, but in their report, the generation rate of .5455 is stated.  I think the difference in students generated may have to do with the classification of "active adult" housing.

Land Use by phase:  SF resid - 3000, Muti-family - 1000, active adult - 1000

If you take 4,000 x .5455 = 2,182

I'm not 100% sure, but I think "active adult" assumes 0 students generated.

I can see why you were appointed to the CAC for School Concurrency.

Bill Garrison

OK, Bill, the Highland math makes sense - assuming those 1,000 active adult residences are inhabited by celibates and/or folks who can't afford to use Viagra in the activities.

Michael S. Mann

Baxley, 

Could you tell us what falls under industrial development and if you know exactly what type of industrial company is expected to move in?

Quoted directly from the Application for Development Approval:

"An integral part of this balanced Master Planned Community is the inclusion of 233 acre Industrial/Business Park located northwest of the Town Center with frontage along US 301 and the existing CSX rail line.  This industrial park will provide employment opportunities for the residents of the Highlands project and the surrounding areas.  The inclusion of this use within the Highlands project addresses an identified need of Clay County to have available "ready to go" industrial acreage large enough to meet the needs of a potential major user.  In addition, the Highlands will provide urban services such as water, sewer and fire service which will enhance opportunities for the development of the existing acreage north of the project."

Based on that paragraph, and my limited knowledge of development, the Developer will provide land and utilities, but will not actually put in any businesses.  Just like the residential component that I am more familiar with, the developer provides the lots with utilities, and different Builder Companies buy the lots and sell them with homes, or build speculative homes.  My best guess is that the industrial will be similar.  The industrial sites will be made available to any company that may want to locate there (lile the previously mentioned Target Center).  I wouldn't expect much in the way of specualtive industrial development.  Maybe a warehouse, or office building.

My hope is that some mechanism will be inserted into the development order that requires some percentage of industrial occupation tied to releasing residential development.  I'm not sure if that sort of thing is legal, but that is one criticisms of large developments - it is sold as one thing, and then morphs into something less over time.  It has happened in Fleming Island - land initially set aside as commercial was later converted to non-commercial use - with the BCC approval.  That should not happen here.  If the county really wants jobs, then the development order should reflect that requirement.

To Mike - maybe "active adult" should be changed to "not-so-active adults".

Bill.

The reason that I asked was because when industrial development is mentioned it makes smoke stacks and pollution come to mind.  I do know though, that I have seen what is called an industrial park that houses small businesses like electricians, small machine repair shops, artisans, etc.

I would hope that the businesses and the jobs come first, filling the houses already available on the market or providing jobs for the residents already here and then build the residential portions of the community as needed.  Shopping establishments are needed in the area.  Driving to Orange Park to shop is bad enough but going all the way to Jacksonville for certain stores makes it require a full day’s effort.

Why do you think Fleming Island did not work out as planned? 

Great point, one I hadn't actually thought of.  I was just "assuming" that any industrial development would be good.  Of course, that may not be the case.  We have a sawmill and an asphalt processing plant of some kind.  Both have been there many years.  Dupont operates a mining faciltiy across US-301.  Industrial development by its nature can't be called pretty under any circumstance - unless that's where you go to get your paycheck.

Good point - something to keep an eye on as things roll along.

It isn’t mentioned anywhere that I have seen but is there a golf course planned for the Highlands development?  Are the golf courses planned for Governors Park and Saratoga Springs a definite reality?

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/111807/met_218577740.shtml

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/010407/bus_7147650.shtml 

http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=46128

http://www.realestatejournal.com/propertyreport/newsandtrends/20030815-laing.html?refresh=on

You forgot to answer my quesiton that was posted above.

Sorry for the typo.  There were two questions.  I am not badgering you; I just would like to know what to expect and thought you might have the answers.

Hi read - glad to refresh this topic.

As far as what specific companies are planned, I don't think there are any lined up at this early point.  The DRI hasn't even made it past the DCA review, so it is too early for companies to committ to invest in a site that isn't even close to being approved.  My guess is they would tend to the "heavy" industrial type of companies with the rail line and US-301 being so close.  There is a sawmill and an asphalt company and a huge mining operation in the vicinity.  A "clean" manufacturer plant was recently granted a zoning change to move his business from Jacksonville to Clay Hill.  His company makes injected molded plastic pieces for other products.  Employees <10 people now, but expects his business to grow.  10 here, and 10 there, next thing you know some eager entrepeneur will open a sandwich shop for the new employees to buy lunch.  And off we go.

Re the DRI - the ORC (Objections, Recommendations and Comments - I think)report from DCA is due sometime in February.

Another bit of info - a person representing some environmental group called me and said she was looking into the possibility of the land being bought to put it into preservation for a wildlife corridor for black bears to migrate back and forth from Osceola to Ocala.  Guess what - I think it's a great idea.  She said the area was listed in the top 21 projects the State is considering buying.

My question - how can they afford to preserve such huge tracts of land, and at the same time cut taxes?  I hope they can, but I am skeptical.

PS - sorry about taking so long to respond.  I took a couple weeks off the site during the holidays and didn't see your original question from early January.

Bax,

I believe there are strategic lands which when purchased by the State, will ensure the future promilgation of the black bear. Camp Blanding plays an important role as do lands from Blanding to Ocala.

Florida Forever grants allow the State to purchase these lands.

Karen Lake

Baxley, I don't think you answered my questions about the golf courses unless you were saying that nothing is final for any of the DRI's until the Objections, Recommendations and Comments report is done. 

 Baxley QuestionsSubmitted by read44 on Wed, 01/16/2008 - 3:22pm.

It isn’t mentioned anywhere that I have seen but is there a golf course planned for the Highlands development?  Are the golf courses planned for Governors Park and Saratoga Springs a definite reality?

I didn't know about this Black Creek project.

Black Creek DRI

The Black Creek DRI is currently going through the review process. The Black Creek DRI is located at the intersection of S.R. 16 and S.R. 21, and will be a mixed use project that includes 6,300 residential dwelling units and 1,010,000 square feet of commercial, light industrial, office and institutional uses, as well as recreational facilities and civic uses. The design standards for the Black Creek DRI will reflect Clay County’s current criteria for Traditional Neighborhood Development, Town Center development, connectivity, walkability and block lengths, and will introduce new standards for the Conservation Subdivision and the Active Adult communities in the project. With the recently transmitted plan amendment, 3,537 of the total 7,888 project acres will not be developed. 3,337 acres located on the west side of S.R. 21 are under contract for purchase by the St. Johns River Water Management District and 200 acres will be placed under a conservation easement in favor of the SJRWMD for the purpose of providing mitigation for certain impacts created by road crossings within the Development Parcel. The Black Creek DRI will be developed in three phases over a 15 year period with build-out anticipated in 2022.

Did you see the entry above yet?