Approving Developments--Inside the Process Part V: A Stand-Alone Ordinance for Apartment Construction?

5th Dimension's Rendering of this proposed development

Some of the most contentious meetings with which I have been involved as a county commissioner center around development.  Neighbors are rightly concerned about over-development and the impact of such over-development on traffic, stormwater, schools, roads, public services, and infrastructure in general.

A little over a decade ago, the state got rid of concurrency--which was a method by which the impacts of development on a community's infrastructure could be managed before development occurred or mitigated post-construction.  It worked but was cumbersome.  The state got rid of concurrency at the state level in 2011, and Escambia County followed suit in 2013--ostensibly to assist our economy as we struggled still, in 2013, to escape the Great Recession's significant impact on housing/construction.

In the last five years of the last decade---housing boomed locally and developments grew geometrically in Escambia County--particularly in D1.

Even with all of the construction completed county-wide over the last decade--experts still believe we have a supply shortage--which creates high rental rates locally and difficulty for some low income/middle income earners to purchase housing.

So there is a tug of war now locally between those who believe we need more housing to help the affordability crisis juxtaposed with established residents who want less or limited development in order to maintain quality of life and to minimize impacts on existing infrastructure.

I've long supported concurrency--and have brought the idea and even mobility fees to the board for discussion three times.  I do not have support for the implementation of concurrency or even mobility fees--I've run into a concrete wall each time I have brought it.

So yes--residential construction is contentious and nearby neighbors get angry.  The tension, anger, and unease of residents is ESPECIALLY acute with Apartment construction near them. 

I have had this occur over and over, with "Inspire" in Beulah next to an existing subdivision with $Million dollar homes, an apartment on Pine Forest Road near Mandeville lane which produced several contentious meetings with the homeowners there, and now recently the Perdido Key Multifamily development which is currently being constructed in Perdido at the foot of the Baars Bridge.

A similar situation is brewing in another district where apartments/townhomes are being contemplated near an existing neighborhood.  Residents from that area have been coming to every public forum we have had in the county for the last 7 months.

In each of the cases above, residents are angry because they did not know apartments were going to be built near them, and they received no notice.  They are also massively concerned with traffic and stormwater impacts to existing residences.

To alleviate the concerns going forward for new developments--perhaps it is past time for Escambia County to establish a stand-alone Apartment/Multi-family ordinance?  I'd envision this would capture the existing requirements and provide for residential notification, two advertised "town-hall" type meetings with interested residents prior to permit issuance, as well as robust traffic and stormwater studies disseminated to residents.  Now, I have no idea what support, if any, I will have when I bring this concept to my counterparts.  I also do not know what pushback I will receive from developers of apartments.  But I do know that if there is a way to make the process more transparent for existing residents, I am all for that.