The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) met at 6:00 PM at the Carrabelle City meeting room. Gail Riegelmayer facilitated the meeting following the attached agenda. She opened the meeting with a brief discussion of how the subcommittees had been selected and priorities determined. The Balanced Growth and Enforcement Subcommittee and Support the Seafood Industry and Working Waterfronts Subcommittee were providing reports during the meetings. In an effort to keep recommendations simple and focused, the Ongoing Public Participation and Improve Planning Subcommittee has opted to focus on the priorities of the other two subcommittees and would take up their priorities in the next cycle.

Phil Calandra followed her introduction with a review of his actions as the liaison with the planning office and Alan Pierce. He provided a brief summary of his earlier meeting with Alan, which he characterized as helpful in that Alan had given suggestions for the CAC to keep their recommendations simple and helpful on issues of importance to the Commission. Alan’s suggestions on priorities aligned with the priorities that the CAC subcommittees had determined among themselves. This was seen as positive progress and Phil would continue to meet with Alan to keep him abreast of the CAC progress.

Commissioner Putnal offered comments along the same lines that he would recommend the CAC provide progress reports to the Commission directly so that nothing was lost in the translation. He felt the work was important to the County and that the Commissioners would be better prepared to understand the final recommendations of the CAC if they were presented information gradually, rather than have final recommendations all at once with no idea of the intermediate steps.

Dan Rosier and Phil Calandra presented the summary of progress for the Balanced Growth and Enforcement Subcommittee. The priority goal selected was to construct 2245 units of Affordable Housing by 2020. The committee was in the process of reviewing the Comp Plan to determine if adequate polices were included to accomplish that goal. Phil and Dan had begun working with the other efforts in the county to establish an affordable housing program, which included the local land trust being formed and Habitat for Humanity. This research was still underway.

Commissioner Putnal suggested that the CAC make specific recommendations for achieving the goals, such as requiring new development to provide a percentage of the development for affordable housing. Don Ashley commented that there were significant funds ($500 million statewide) available to local governments from the state once a program and plan were in place. He also had researched the efforts in Leon County and thought that the ordinance they had adopted would provide a good starting place for the CAC to consider for a Franklin County ordinance. Bay County had also adopted a similar ordinance.

Dave McLain provided the Support the Seafood Industry and Working Waterfronts Subcommittee update. He handed out a working draft done by Jim Lycett and spoke of the need to develop a vision for the future of the industry. The subcommittee determined five goals which would be presented to get progressive buy-in from the industry and planning department before the group would move ahead with developing policies. These goals were:

1. Ensure future land-use decisions are consistent with the protection, preservation and enhancement of the natural resources needed for sustainable commercial seafood.
2. Obtain the advice of the Franklin County Oyster & Seafood Task Force on planning and zoning decisions that may adversely impact a sustainable commercial seafood industry.
3. Aggressively seek coordinated State and Federal funding to repair and improve infrastructure and water access necessary for healthy working water fronts.
4. Establish a Franklin County Economic Development Committee to assist the County Planning Office on identifying and implementing options for economic development.
5. Sponsor an initiative with the County School Board to create a program of vocational and technical training in the high school and Community College’s curriculum for workforce development.

The subcommittee team leaders were asked to and agreed to meet with Alan Pierce again and present the information for his input. The importance of presenting the information to local groups to let more citizens know what the status of the CAC recommendations and receive more input was discussed. Team Leaders will develop a list of talking points for use as handouts and presentations. A list of potential audiences and meeting dates was listed (see attached below). Members of the subcommittees were encouraged to present the information or ask the Team Leaders to make presentations when possible.

A Timeline was also developed for November, as follows: