Saying no is a Cardinal sin, I guess

Happy Wednesday! Let’s go government geek big time today.

— Commissioner Jeff Kinnard received the support he requested for a 120-day letter of intent on Pirates Cove. Kinnard essentially has three months to raise $1 million in private donations to buy the 3-acre parcel.

Uphill climb doesn’t describe Kinnard’s task. Remember…the appraisals came in at about $1 million. The county’s offer of $900,000 was worse than rejected — owners are asking twice that, or $1.8 million. 

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According to the letter of intent, owners think the property has more value in public hands than building eight homes plus one commercial tract, which is what the current zoning allows.

“The owners see a long-term community value in selling for a forever parks purchase,” the LOI reads.

Hmmm. That seems difficult to believe when the county’s very fair offer was flatly rejected, and instead, the ask is for double.

Commissioners made it clear to Kinnard that the county’s $900,000, paid through impact fees, was the only commitment from the county’s end. The vote was 4-1. Commissioner Janet Barek was the lone no. Why? I haven't a clue. 

Kinnard’s been saying for some time that he knows folks who have the financial wherewithal and interest to put Pirates Cove into public hands. Guess we’ll see.

— Remember Cardinal Farms? The 600-home development that commissioners shot down because it’s on Cardinal in the middle of rural America.

Well, in what is becoming a time-honored tradition, the developer says he’s going to sue the county. Before that, though, the process requires both parties into mediation.

A brief recap: When the county created the Cardinal interchange management area, a zoning overlay for the Suncoast Parkway exit, it included these 143 acres. I wrote at the time it was illogical, and it’s still illogical. No way that section of Cardinal should be zoned for high-density development without an infrastructure plan to support it.

When the development came up for a vote in September, it was 4-1 against. (Former Commissioner Ruthie Schlabach, now a lobbyist, voted yes.) Commissioners echoed many of the same points. Kinnard and Commissioner Diana Finegan both said a 600-home development was incompatible to rural Cardinal.

They’re right! However, as the developer’s attorney pointed out in his letter to the county, THEY are the ones who did this. Never mind that the developer requested inclusion into the interchange management area, the County Commission did it and now has 143 acres assigned for homes.

How does the county get out of the legal dilemma? I’m no attorney, but two ideas:

One, remove the property from the IMA. It should never have been there. The developer can still request any type of zoning he wishes, but no special considerations.

Two, stick to your guns. A few weeks ago I asked a question of someone in county government who would absolutely know the answer:

If a developer does everything the code requires, all the T’s crossed, all the i’s dotted, can the County Commission still deny his development plan or rezoning? Answer: Yes. Commissioners can always say no to a project they do not believe is in the public’s best interest, regardless of the flawless paperwork.

That’s good to know.

— I watched Tuesday’s meeting from home and heard something that is an indicator of how far behind the times we are.

James Toy, the county’s legislative liaison, said that only two counties — Citrus and Jefferson — have no transportation concurrency. That's the rule we eliminated 20 years ago as being heavy-handed to developers but would seem rather significant today. Basically, it requires transportation fixes in place before development occurs.

How is it possible that Citrus is the only county, other than super rural Jefferson, without transportation concurrency? Just like we’re the only county (yet) not to pass a local option 1-cent sales tax.

Things that make me go, hmmmm.

OK, that’s enough geek from me today. Have a great Wednesday, friends.

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