Scenario C is the
best choice for Lee County’s future.
Scenario C supports the vision of a balanced
multi-modal transportation system, providing citizens with more transportation
choices, including safe and functional transit, walking and biking. By outlining
a deeply interconnected multi modal transportation system, offering a variety of
travel options, this scenario is the most cost effective, enabling fewer and
shortened vehicle trips with significant reductions in overall Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT.) Before the MPO Board votes on June 20th, it's important that
they hear from citizens and organizations.
Plan to attend the meeting on June 20th to speak or contact the MPO
Board before the meeting to share your views.
“How can you help make this happen?”...see below ‘How to participate"
Background
Lee County continues to be a growing
community, with a population of approximately 625,000, reaching over 1 million by 2040, an increase of
nearly 400,000 new residents. Smart planning for these 400,000 new residents is
imperative in meeting future transportation and job and housing needs for the
next 25 years. Three different conceptual growth scenarios were developed to
assist the MPO Board in choosing a preferred approach to our future growth and this
is a first step in that process and the development of the Lee County 2040 Long Range Transportation
Plan (LRTP).
With the adoption of the 2035 LRTP in December
2010, the MPO Board also adopted a set of goals that directed staff to use new scenario
analysis and modeling techniques with robust public participation for the
development of the next LRTP Update. It
was expected that this update would achieve the stated goals of a "world-class, balanced, and multi modal
transportation system that has the capacity to move people and goods in a
cost-efficient and effective way” and "maximize the use of existing
transportation facilities and explore opportunities for improved connectivity
before adding new facilities to the MPO's Plans.”(See Resolutions 2010-12and 2010-13.)
To implement this
scenario planning MPO staff and its consulting team have undertook an intensive
exploration of optional growth patterns to reduce or shorten vehicle trips and
increase other travel choices. A series of alternative land use scenarios allows the MPO and citizens of Lee County to evaluate
the costs and benefits of different patterns.
Linking
transportation and land use planning is
now recommended by federal legislation and national guidance and best practices
across the country and this is Lee County's first time using such a planning
approach. Connecting land use and
transportation planning and resources to lower costs and improve community and
economic development has a new urgency in a future of reduced funding.
 |
| The countywide planners workshop in December. |
BikeWalkLee has been
a strong proponent of this effort since 2010 and commends the MPO Board, its staff, consultant team, and advisory committees; along with planning and transportation
staff throughout the county,
stakeholders, and the many citizens who have been part of this rigorous
and collaborative planning process. It
has been a model of the multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline collaborative
effort and genuine public engagement that is the new paradigm for integrated
transportation and land use planning.
Citizen Survey Results
What a success the online survey was!
Thanks to all who participated. In total, 1,227 people throughout the county engaged
in the survey and over 900 people took the time to write individual comments,
all of which was compiled and analyzed in preparing the final report.
Participants were asked to select their personal top five priorities and rank
them. Guess what priority was #1 across the board (ranked #1 in 8 out
of 9 communities (and ranked #2 by the 9th community))? -walking
and biking, followed by water conservation, less driving, preserve rural
land, and access to transit. And, of the
three scenarios, survey participants across the nine communities in Lee County preferred
Scenario C ("transit focused").
It is interesting to note that
citizens preferred the approach (Scenario C) that also happened to be the best
according to most technical scales (see the graph below). The write up on
the survey results can be found on pages 21-23 of the report.
Indicator Ratings for Each Scenario (see p. 17 of the report)
Decision Time
After extensive
collaboration with all jurisdictions and agencies, extensive consultation with
stakeholders, and public engagement, the process of selecting the preferred
land use scenario is at a decision point.
The scenario selected will become the basis of the future transportation
vision in the MPO's forthcoming 2040 LRTP.
The MPO Board will
be voting to select one of the three options at their June 20th meeting. The three scenarios lie on a continuum from
the most dispersed (Scenario A) to the most compact (Scenario C):
Scenario A
(“Spreading Out”) is modeled closely on the land use pattern that was
used to create past transportation plans, and may be best described as
"more of the same".
Scenario B
(“Filling In”) is modeled after current comprehensive plans in Lee
County and all its municipalities, which focus on in-fill-type development and
growth in the already built and urbanized areas, but is still an auto-centric
plan.
Scenario
C (“Transit Focused”) assumes success of the in-fill approach in
Scenario B and then integrates a connected, multi modal and transit-oriented transportation
network.
The citizen's preferred the approach
-Scenario C– is that also recommended by BikeWalkLee and the best for Lee
County as can be seen through analysis by the 11 individual Indicators (see
graph above).
In reaching their decision, the Board has the following
recommendations to consider:
- Based on the technical analysis and objective criteria, the consultant team recommends Scenario C. See Consulting Team 5/29/14 memo to MPO: Recommended Land Use Scenario: and full report.
- On June 5th, two MPO committees, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) both voted to recommend Scenario C.
- The public responding to the online survey preferred Scenario C. See p. 21-23 of the full report.
Organizations supporting Scenario C:
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida submitted a letter to the TAC and CAC
committees on June 2nd recommending Scenario C. .
The Concerned Citizens of Bayshore Community (CCBC) also wrote a letter to the committees on June
4th in support of Scenario C and stated its agreement with the analysis and
recommendations in both the Conservancy's letter and the consulting team's
memo.
BikeWalkLee spoke in support of Scenario C at the June
5th MPO committee meetings (and will be submitting a letter to the MPO Board
next week).
Lee Public Voice (LPV)
supports Scenario C. (LPV is a network of organizations and associations
that are working for better governance and meaningful public engagement,
focused on issues that affect our sensitive natural resources, exceptional
quality of life, and a growing, diversified economy.)
How
to participate:
It
is important that the MPO Board hear
from citizens on this important matter before they make their decision on June
20th.
 |
| An MPO meeting in Cape City Council Chambers |
Here are several
ways you can participate:
Write the MPO
Board Members in
advance of the June 20th meeting. There
are 16 members of the MPO Board (elected officials from each jurisdiction, with
numbers based on a population formula).
Here is the link to the MPO Board roster which includes e-mail addresses and phone
numbers for each member. You
can choose to write all MPO Board members or just contact your local
delegation.
Write one letter
or email to the MPO Executive Director, Don Scott (dscott@leempo.com) and request
that he circulate your letter to all members of the MPO Board.
Write and send
a "snail mail" letter to:
Lee MPO
815
Nicholas Parkway E.
P.O.,
Box 150045
Cape
Coral, FL 33915
Attend the June
20th MPO Board Meeting and speak during public comment period:
What: The Lee MPO Board will be voting on the
scenarios at its monthly meeting
When: Friday, June
20th, 9:00 -11:00 a.m.
Where: Cape Coral City Council Chambers
1015 Cultural Park Boulevard
Cape Coral, FL 33990
How: Public comment is always welcome and is taken
at the time each agenda item is considered.
The agenda for the June 20th meeting should be posted by June 12th,
so check then to see the agenda item number of this topic.
To
speak during public comment periods, just fill out a card at the desk upon
entering the council chambers and hand it to the MPO Chair (Councilman Steve
McIntosh of Bonita Springs) prior to the beginning of the meeting.
Members
of the public are asked to limit their comments to 3 minutes, but the "green/yellow/red
light system" is rarely used. Remember,
they want to hear from you.
Opportunity to
Watch on TV: If
you are unable to attend but want to watch it on TV, it is available on Cape TV
if you live in Cape Coral, and it is live streamed on the City's website.
A video of the meeting is not available after the meeting; however, the audio
of the meeting (labeled "sound file" ) will be available sometime
after the meeting on the MPO's website next to this Meeting Date.
Links:
How to
participate in the process:
Here
is the link to the roster of all the MPO Board members
Guidelines to testifying before the Board of County Commissioners and other county meetings and media.
Report by Darla
Letourneau
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