28-18.400. Comprehensive Plan

(1) The Comprehensive Plan of the City of Marathon, as the same exists on January 1, 2011, is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Policy 1-3.5.18 Marathon Work Program Conditions and Objectives.

(a) The number of allocations issued annually for residential development under the Residential Building Permit Allocation System (BPAS) shall not exceed a total annual unit cap of 30, plus any available unused BPAS allocations from a previous year. Unused BPAS allocations may be retained and made available only for affordable housing and Administrative Relief from BPAS year to BPAS year. Unused market rate allocations shall be available for Administrative Relief. Any unused affordable allocations will roll over to affordable housing. This BPAS allocation represents the total number of allocations for development that may be issued during a year. A BPAS year means the twelve-month period beginning on July 13. Policy 1-3.5.18 supersedes Policy 1-3.5.2 of the City of Marathon Comprehensive Plan.

(b) No exemptions or increases in the number of allocations may be allowed, other than that which may be expressly provided for in the comprehensive plan or for which there is an existing agreement as of September 27, 2005, for affordable housing between the Department and the local government in the critical areas.

(c) Through the Permit Allocation Systems, Marathon shall direct new growth and redevelopment to areas served by a central sewer system by 2015 that has committed or planned funding sources. Committed or planned funding is funding that is financially feasible and reflected in a Capital Improvements Element approved by the Department of Economic Opportunity. Prior to the ranking and approval of awards for an allocation authorizing development of new principal structures. Marathon shall coordinate with the central wastewater facility provider and shall increase an applicant’s score by four points for parcels served by a collection line within a central wastewater facility service area where a central wastewater treatment facility has been constructed that meets the treatment standards of Sections 381.0065(4)(l) and 403.086(10), F.S., and where treatment capacity is available. The points shall only be awarded if a construction permit has been issued for the collection system and the parcel lies within the service area of the wastewater treatment facility.

(3) Reporting and Oversight.

(a) Beginning November 30, 2011, Marathon and the Department of Economic Opportunity shall annually report to the Administration Commission documenting the degree to which the work program objectives for the work program year have been achieved. The Commission shall consider the findings and recommendations provided in those reports and shall determine whether progress has been achieved toward accomplishing the tasks of the work program. If the Commission determines that progress has not been made, the unit cap for residential development shall be reduced by 20 percent for the following year.

(b) If the Commission determines that progress has been made for the work program year, then the Commission shall restore the unit cap for residential development for the following year up to a maximum of 30 allocations per BPAS year.

(c) Notwithstanding any other date set forth in this plan, the dates set forth in the work program shall control where conflicts exist.

(d) Wastewater treatment and disposal in Marathon is governed by the requirements of Sections 381.0065(4)(l) and 403.086(10), F.S., as amended. Nothing in this rule shall be construed to limit the authority of the Department of Environmental Protection or Department of Health to enforce Sections 381.0065(4)(1) and 403.086(10), F.S., as amended.

(4) Policy 1-2.2.4 Hurricane Modeling.

For hurricane evacuation clearance time modeling purposes, clearance time shall begin when the Monroe County Emergency Management Coordinator issues the evacuation order for the permanent population for a hurricane that is classified as a Category 3-5 wind event or Category C-E surge event. The termination point shall be the intersection of U.S. Highway One and the Florida Turnpike in Homestead/Florida City.

(5) WORK PROGRAM.

(a) Carrying Capacity Study Implementation.

1. By July 1, 2011, and each July thereafter, Marathon shall evaluate its land acquisition needs and state and federal funding opportunities and apply annually to at least one state or federal land acquisition funding opportunity.

2. By July 1, 2012, Marathon shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Economic Opportunity, Division of Emergency Management, Monroe County, Islamorada, Key West, Key Colony Beach, and Layton after a notice and comment period of at least 30 days for interested parties. The memorandum of understanding shall stipulate, based on professionally acceptable data and analysis, the input variables and assumptions, including regional considerations, for utilizing the Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Model or other models acceptable to the Department of Economic Opportunity to accurately depict evacuation clearance times for the population of the Florida Keys.

3. By July 1, 2012, the Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Model shall be run with the agreed upon variables from the memorandum of understanding. Marathon and the Department of Economic Opportunity shall update the data for the Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Model as professionally acceptable sources of information are released (such as the Census, American Communities Survey, Bureau of Business and Economic Research, and other studies). The City shall also evaluate and address appropriate adjustments to the hurricane evacuation model within each Evaluation and Appraisal Report.

4. By December 1, 2012, Marathon shall complete an analysis of maximum build-out capacity for the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern, consistent with the requirement to maintain a 24-hour evacuation clearance time and the Florida Keys Carrying Capacity Study constraints. This analysis shall be prepared in coordination with the Department of Economic Opportunity, Monroe County and each municipality in the Keys.

5. By December 1, 2012, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall apply the derived clearance time to assess and determine the remaining allocations for the Florida Keys Areas of Critical State Concern. The Department will recommend appropriate revisions to the Administration Commission regarding the allocation rates and distribution of allocations to Monroe County, Marathon, Islamorada, Key West, Layton and Key Colony Beach or identify alternative evacuation strategies that support the 24-hour hurricane evacuation clearance time. If necessary, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall work with each local government to amend the respective Comprehensive Plans to reflect revised allocation rates and distributions or propose rule making to the Administration Commission.

6. By July 1, 2013, based on the Department of Economic Opportunity’s recommendations, Marathon shall amend the current building permit allocation system (BPAS in the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations) based on infrastructure availability, level of service standards, environmental carrying capacity, and hurricane evacuation clearance time.

(b) Wastewater Implementation.

1. By July 1, 2011 and each July 1 thereafter, Marathon shall annually evaluate and allocate funding for wastewater implementation. Marathon shall identify any funding in the annual update to the Capital Improvements Element of the Comprehensive Plan.

2. By July 1, 2011, Marathon shall evaluate its wastewater needs and state and federal funding opportunities and apply annually to at least one state or federal funding opportunity for wastewater projects and connections.

(c) Canal Restoration Implementation

1. By December 30, 2020, Marathon and its partners shall update the 2013 Canal Management Master Plan (CCMP) to include any updated water quality assessment of canals, a methodology to prioritize need for water quality improvement, appropriate restoration options and revised canal rankings based on new information.

2. By December 30, 2020, Marathon shall develop and adopt guidelines to select canals for restoration, including a process to evaluate the feasibility of the project, the proposed restoration design (evaluate long-term cost-effective solutions) and associated funding needs.

3. By December 30, 2020, and each year thereafter until 2030, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall work with each stakeholder, including but not limited to each local government, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to facilitate intergovernmental coordination and expedite review of canal restoration projects within the Florida Keys.

4. By July 1, 2021, Marathon shall identify and evaluate funding sources for the implementation of canal restoration projects and the continual operation and maintenance of canals post restoration.

5. By July 1, 2021, and each year thereafter until 2030, Marathon shall identify canal restoration projects and implementation plans for each canal project. Marathon shall provide a list of selected canal restoration projects to the Department of Economic Opportunity by October 1st of each year to be completed during the following work program reporting period.

6. By July 1, 2021, and each year thereafter until 2030, Marathon shall evaluate its canal restoration needs and state and federal funding opportunities and apply annually to at least one state or federal funding opportunity for canal restoration projects.

7. By July 1, 2021 and each year thereafter until 2030, Marathon shall annually evaluate and allocate funding for canal restoration implementation. Marathon shall identify any funding in the annual update to the Capital Improvements Element (CIE) of the Comprehensive Plan.

8. By July 1, 2021, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall work with each stakeholder, including but not limited to each local government, EPA, ACOE, DEP, NOAA/FKNMS, SFWMD, to facilitate intergovernmental coordination and review of alternative solutions, including reduced regulatory costs, for canal systems that are susceptible to receiving large inputs of seagrass and other accumulated organic material from near shore waters.

9. By July 1, 2022, and each year thereafter until 2030, Marathon shall report which canal restoration projects have been initiated and projects that were completed during the reporting period to the Department of Economic Opportunity for submission to the Administration Commission.

10. By July 1, 2022, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall work with each stakeholder, including but not limited to each local government, EPA, ACOE, DEP, NOAA/FKNMS, SFWMD, to facilitate the permitting approval of the alternative solutions identified for canal systems with accumulated organic material issues to substantially reduce those inputs to levels that do not contribute to eutrophication, hypoxia, or other water and sediment quality issues within the canals.

11. By July 1, 2023, Marathon shall submit a plan to assess the effectiveness of completed canal restoration projects. The plan shall describe the methods, timeframes and potential funding sources to monitor the effectiveness of restoration projects based on water quality and ecological response factors. Marathon shall consult with the DEP Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration to develop a cost-effective plan. The Department of Economic Opportunity will coordinate review of the completed plan with the DEP. Marathon shall account for agency review comments and modify the plan as necessary.

12. Beginning July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter until 2030, Marathon shall assess the effectiveness of canal restoration in accordance with the plan identified in subparagraph (5)(c)11. The DEP will make monitoring information related to Keys water quality available to Marathon to inform the assessment.

Rulemaking Authority 380.0552(9), 380.05(22) FS. Law Implemented 380.0552 FS. History–New 6-17-11, Amended 11-26-20.