On Tuesday night, November 10, 2009, the County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a package of amendments to our county’s Comprehensive Plan. Among the amendments approved were 3 that could change this county forever. The question is, "Will the changes be for the better or for the worse?"

A joint taskforce of the Council’s Environment & Natural Resources Committee and the Governance Committee has studied these amendments extensively. On August 27, 2009, a delegation from the Council met with planners at the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in Tallahassee and offered opposing documentation to the above three proposed amendments.

DCA sent an ORC report (Objections, Recommendations and Comments) back to the county noting a significant number of problems the Department had with the proposed amendments.

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Click below to view the document in its entirety (with opposition letters & supporting documentation):

Department of Community Affairs
Objections, Recommendations and Comments Reports with attachments (58 pages) 
for Citrus County
Amendment 09-2
Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment

Or… click below to view just the ORC report:

ORC Report Only (6 pages) 

There are many reasons to oppose these Comp Plan amendments. The Resolutions (below) only highlight the major one. Please read the resolutions, and then for more background information, follow the links to additional documents.

• CCC RESOLUTION 09-02
  IN OPPOSITION TO CPA-09-15 RIVER LODGE RESORT EXPANSION 

• CCC RESOLUTION 09-03
  IN OPPOSITION TO CPA 09-13 PORT DISTRICT ~ TEXT AMENDMENT, AND
  CPA 09-14 HOLLINSWOOD HARBOR ~ FLUM AMENDMENTS 

Additional information:

• Letter to Mr. Ray Eubanks, Florida Department of Community Affairs from Helen Spivey, President of Florida League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and Co-Chair of Board of Directors of Save the Manatee Club, regarding Citrus County Adopted Amendment Package CC-09-2 

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• Letter to Citrus County BOCC from Dan Hilliard, Executive Director of the Withlacoochee Area Residents, Inc., regarding CPA-09-13/14 - Amendments creating a PORT DISTRICT & HOLLINSWOOD HARBOR 

• Letter to Citrus County BOCC from Dan Hilliard, Executive Director of the Withlacoochee Area Residents, Inc., regarding CPA-09-15 - RIVER LODGE RESORT EXPANSION 

• Economic Need & Real Estate Evaluation 

• Real Estate available in Citrus County, Inglis & Yankeetown (Levy County), Dunnellon (Marion County) - Collected by Citrus County Council 

Internet Articles:
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• Commissioners back plan to expand River Lodge Resort - by Mike Wright, 11/15/2009, Chronicle Online

• County commission unanimously votes to adopt Port District changes - by Robby Douglas, 11/10/2009 - Citrus Daily

• County gives green light to RV park development plan - by Robby Douglas, 11/10/2009 - Citrus Daily
  
  Be sure to view the video:

• Tuesday land-use meeting to revisit Port District - by Robby Douglas, 11/08/2009 - Citrus Daily

• Port District concepts take on water during review by state’s DCA - by Robby Douglas, 09/25/2009 - Citrus Daily

• County OK with creation of Port District - by Robby Douglas, 07/09/2009 

Why bother to have a Comprehensive Plan and a Land Code, when - in this writer’s opinion - it seems that anytime someone with deep pockets wants to do something that is contrary to either document, the Commissioners change the Plan or the Code for them?

Here’s a challenge: Why not come up with a development that actually meets the standards for development in the Comp. Plan and the LDC?

Why not a solar panel manufacturing plant on industrial land?

This Board of Commissioners brag about making the county "more friendly to business." How about making it more friendly to the taxpayers who aren’t part of the business community?