Part IV. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, Code of Ordinances, St. Leo

Case #	Amended Elements (text)	Amended Maps	Ordinance No. Adoption Date	State Notice of Intent	Effective Date
N/A	CIP		12-02 February 13, 2011	N/A	February 13, 2011
12-A	FLUE	FLUM	13-01 January 14, 2013	No comments	February 25, 2013
N/A	Water Supply Plan Update (Multiple Elements)	PS&F Ex. A	13-05 September 9, 2013	No comments	October 21, 2013
12-A	FLUE	FLUE	13-01 January 14, 2013	No comments	February 14, 2013
16-A		FLUE	16-03 May 9, 2016	No comments	June 9, 2016
17-1	All	All	17-03 June 12, 2017	No comments	July 13, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Town of St. Leo Prior to 2014

The Town of St. Leo is located in northeastern Pasco County, Florida, and is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area (Appendix A-INTRO Exhibit A). The Town is located along S.R. 52 between the cities of San Antonio and Dade City. The Town of St. Leo was incorporated in 1891. The Town of St. Leo is home for Saint Leo University, a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic university, founded in 1889. The 2013 full-time student enrollment at Saint Leo University is 2,562 of which 1,336 currently reside on campus. The University employs approximately 654 full-time employees. The Town is also home to Holy Name Monastery and St. Leo Abbey. Also located within the Town is a portion of the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club planned development. This development is comprised of 871 units, of which 109 platted lots are within the Town boundary. The development character of the Town is rural residential.

The total area of the Town of St. Leo is approximately 990.5 acres; 823.75 acres is land (83.2 percent) and 166.9 acres is water (16.8 percent), represented by Lake Jovita and the portion of Finger Bowl Lake within the Town.

Based on the 2010 Census, the Town population was 1,340. According to the 2000 Census, the population of St. Leo was 595, which represents a population increase of 745 and compared to the 1990 population of 1,009, an increase of 331 over 20 year period. The 2010 Census indicated the average household was 2.32 persons and average family size was 2.62 persons. Based on Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) projections, Town residential population could be as high as 2,057 by 2025. Including projected Saint Leo University on-campus residents (2,740 by 2017) and monastery residents (104), the projected total 2025 population could be as high as 4,797. Based on the Town's development potential, size and persons/household, this projection would appear to be high.

Comprehensive Planning

The Town of St. Leo adopted its first Comprehensive Plan in 1979. The 1979 plan was amended in 1989 and was the last adopted plan until 2007.

2006 Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) Overview of Major Issues

As part of the EAR process a number of major issues facing the Town were delineated and are described below. These major issues focused on the following and formed the basis for creation of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan.

Maintain the Town's rural development character.

This rural character is identified in the 1989 Comprehensive Plan GOAL 1. St. Leo should protect and preserve its unique institutional, low density, residential and rural character. This goal was reinforced as part of a visioning process in 2006.

Preserve the Town's visual corridors along S.R. 52 and Lake Jovita, and its forested and hillside topography.

A Visual Corridor Study was adopted in 2001 identifying Lake Jovita and S.R. 52 as the key visual corridors in the Town. The study also recommended design and development guidelines relative to building siting, architectural design, building heights and hillside impacts. These guidelines were incorporated into the new Town's Land Development Code adopted in 2005. However, there are no comprehensive plan goals that address this issue.

Identify Rural Growth boundaries.

As part of a visioning process in 2006, the Town identified a Rural Growth boundary expansion south of the Town to the proposed Clinton Avenue extension corridor (new S.R. 52). This area would be a potential target for annexation.

Since the 2006 visioning process, research was conducted to verify town boundaries. There were discrepancies between the town boundary per the Pasco County Property Appraiser and various future land use maps. All comprehensive plan exhibits/maps contain herein represent the correct town boundary.

Identify and address external factors that influence the Town's physical and development character.

Also part of a visioning process in 2006, external factors were identified as potentially influencing the development character of the Town and potentially impacting its desire to maintain a rural character. Further analysis would be required to more fully address the impacts of these external factors. These external factors included the proposed Clinton Avenue extension, Pasco County sewer line extensions and surrounding City of San Antonio and Pasco County future land use designations. Since 2006, Pasco County has adopted the Pasadena Hills Plan (2008) that provides for village development concepts that could potentially permit increased densities adjacent to the Town. Based on the village concept, densities would range from ten (10) dwelling units/acre at the village core and transition to six (6) dwelling units/acre down to two (2) dwelling units/acre at the edge. Three (3) villages are delineated adjacent to the Town, Villages A, B and C.

In recognition of the Rural Growth Boundary, Clinton Avenue extension and the Pasadena Hills Plan village concept, the Town Commission recommended adoption of a new land use category, Village Center. The intent is to provide for the future potential for a village center as a focal point for the Town.

Preserve open space, environmentally sensitive lands and agricultural lands.

This issue also relates to maintaining the Town's rural character, but establishes some changes relative to agricultural lands and open space. The economic reality and viability of maintaining agricultural and citrus farming is uncertain. As part of the 2006 visioning process, it was recognized that the rural character can be maintained without agricultural lands by encouraging a rural residential and rural commercial development pattern. In addition, it is important to note that much of the land designated agricultural is owned by non-profit organizations that are not actively utilizing the land for agricultural uses.

The 1989 Comprehensive Plan addressed preservation of open space through GOAL 4. To maintain a portion of the town area in conservation use and Objective 1. To maintain at least 5% of the area of St. Leo in conservation use and limit residential development in these areas to any one single family residence for five acres. Based on the 2006 visioning, it was recommended that this objective be increased to 10 or 15 percent. Currently, 35.4 percent (350.7+/- acres) of the Town is designated Permanently Open Land, including Lake Jovita and Finger Bowl Lake. Lake Jovita and Finger Bowl Lake total approximately 166.9 acres. In addition, as part of the Planned Unit Development approvals for the Saint Leo University, 23.38+/- acres (wetlands and uplands) were dedicated as permanent open space. Therefore, POL and dedicated open space total 374+/- acres or 37.7 percent of the Town land area. Approximately 183.8 acres is upland area and when combined with the dedicated open space (23.38+/- acres), 207.2+/- acres of POL is upland or 20.9 percent of the Town's total area.

Recognize future development potential.

In 2008, approximately 203 acres are either vacant residential or agricultural land (that can be developed residential), which is 20.5 percent of the Town's land area. Based on the vacant land within each residential and agricultural future land uses category, approximately 86 additional dwelling units could be developed. The total development potential of the Town, based on the current Future Land Use map and assuming all residential and agricultural designated land use were developed at maximum permissible density, would be approximately 498 dwelling units. This would equate to an approximate density of 0.5 dwelling unit/acre, which would maintain the rural character of the Town. The maximum development potential of 498 dwelling units would equate to a 2025 residential population ranging from 1,145 to 1,309. Including the projected Saint Leo University students residing on-campus (2,750) would equate to a total population ranging from 4,000 to 4,163.

Encourage institutional growth.

The Town of St. Leo is home to Saint Leo University, which has a 154 acre campus (15.5 percent of the Town). Based on information provided by the university, full and part time enrollment was 2,278 in 2016. Based on University information, the 2019 projected enrollment is 3,000 students with 2,750 students living on-campus. The expected 2019 full-time employees is 575. The Town and University continue to work closely to ensure campus growth and Town goals are compatible.

The relationship between the Town and Saint Leo University is addressed in 1989 Comprehensive Plan Goal 1, Objective 2. " St. Leo's future institutional development should be encouraged by annual planning meetings with college planners, but permitted only where such plans dedicate open space in a ratio of no less than one acre open space for each acre used for improvement to maintain the institution in a rural setting, and demonstrate that the development will not increase any water pollution and only when existing traffic facilities are sufficient to allow the additional traffic flow which will result from development."

Pursuant to comprehensive plan policy and the LDC, major University projects require a Planned Unit Development review to ensure that Objective 2 was addressed. Currently, 26.9 acres or 17.5 percent of the campus is dedicated open space, including land designated with the Permanently Open Land land use category.

In keeping with Objective 2 and further articulated in the Future Land Use and Inter-Governmental Coordination Elements, the growth of Saint Leo University will have a major positive impact on the economic and development character of the Town.

Relationship of Comprehensive Plan to TBRPC, SWFWMD and Pasco County Goals

As part of the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR), review of the goals contained in the TBRPC, SWFWMD and Pasco County Comprehensive Plan-2025 indicates that the Town of St. Leo 1989 Comprehensive Plan goals were consistent. Modifications to the Town of St. Leo comprehensive plan will be required to update areas dealing with annexation and affordable housing. Appendix C contains excerpts of the relevant goals from the TBRPC, SWFWMD and Pasco County.

Public Participation Process

The public participation process undertaken to support the preparation of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan entailed a visioning process along with public input/comments related to the EAR.

The visioning process resulted from the Town of St. Leo receiving a DCA grant to conduct a visioning process relative to desired land use patterns and character of the community during a 10-year lifetime. The end result was to develop proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments identifying the Urban Service Boundary consistent with Senate Bill 360. The visioning process entailed workshops and public hearings as follows.

• March 13, 2006. Town Commission workshop.

• March 20, 2006. Town Commission and public workshop.

• March 27, 2006. Public hearing.

• April 10, 2006. Final public hearing and Town Commission approval to transmit the Visioning Report to DCA.

Public participation in the EAR process entailed a number of workshops with the Town Commission. Workshops with the Town Commission were conducted on August 12, September 11th, and September 25th, 2006 and were open to the public. The formal advertised public workshop on the EAR occurred on October 30, 2006.

The public hearing on the EAR occurred on November 13 and the final public hearing and adoption occurred on November 27, 2006. On February 19, 2007, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) deemed the EAR to be sufficient.

The public participation/adoption process related to the Comprehensive Plan-2025 entailed the following.

• A series of workshops with the Town Commission were conducted May through September. These workshops were advertised and the public participation was welcomed.

• Formal public hearings were conducted on the following dates.

- September 22, 2008—LPA hearing.

- November 10, 2008—Town Commission hearing first reading.

- December 8, 2008—Continuation of Town Commission first reading hearing and transmitted Comprehensive Plan-2025 to DCA and other agencies for review.

- August 10, 2009—Conducted public hearing and adopted Comprehensive Plan-2025, and transmitted to DCA in response to ORC Report.

• On March 6, 2009 received DCA Objections, Recommendations and Comments (ORC) Report.

Town of St. Leo After 2014

Located within the Town was a portion of the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club planned development. This development is comprised of 871 units, of which 109 platted lots are within the Town boundary. On May 12, 2014, the portion of Lake Jovita development located within the Town boundaries was contracted from the Town by the passage of HB 1401.

Prior to the contraction, the total area of the Town of St. Leo was approximately 990.5 acres, as a result of the contraction, the Town was reduced in size to 825.35 acres. Based on the HB 1401 bill analysis, the 2014 population was estimated at 1,173.

ADMINISTRATION

This section addresses the legislative and administrative responsibilities of the Town of St. Leo Town Commission (commonly referred to through-out the document as the Town Commission) and legal status and monitoring of the Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan-2025 (commonly referred to through-out this document as the Comprehensive Plan or Plan).

Legislative and Administrative Implementation Responsibility

The Town of St. Leo Town Commission shall be responsible for implementing and administering the Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan through legislative and administrative processes and procedures. The Town Commission may delegate administrative responsibilities to Town staff. The Town Commission shall serve as the Local Planning Agency (LPA).

Land Development Regulations

The Town of St. Leo has adopted a Land Development Code (LDC) in accordance with Section 163.3202(1), FS. The LDC implements and shall continue to implement and be consistent with the policies and requirements of the Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan. The LDC shall incorporate regulations, procedures and standards which include, but are not limited to the following.

Performance standards or development criteria to implement adopted future land use classifications and zoning districts;

Standards and requirements to address development design and protection of natural resources and view corridors;

Standards for the regulation of the subdividing of land;

Procedures to address existing development and potential development, to include.

Existing nonconformities; and

Vesting determination;

Procedures to address variances, conditional, special exception and temporary uses, appeals and development agreements; and

Procedures and standards for the review of development.

Legal Status of the Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan has been developed pursuant to the requirements of Florida Statutes Chapter 163, Part II, Community Planning Act, as amended.

The Comprehensive Plan includes the following statutorily required Elements.

• Future Land Use

• Conservation

• Recreation and Open Space

• Housing

• Transportation

• Public Facilities

• Capital Improvements

• Intergovernmental Coordination

The Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan-2025, as it may be amended, shall be the governing regulatory guideline for development. All development undertaken by private, institutional or public property owners and all actions taken in regard to development orders by governmental agencies in regard to land covered by such development shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan as adopted. The Land Development Code shall be consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan, or element or portion thereof, and any development regulations existing at the time of the adoption which are not consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan, or element or portion thereof, shall be amended so as to be consistent.

Relationship of Elements

It is intended that growth management decisions made by the Town Commission use all elements, goals, objectives, and policies of this Plan as an entirety and that the Plan shall be considered as a whole. However, in the application of this Plan to specific issues and situations, certain Plan elements, goals, objectives and policies may become more significant and apply more directly to that specific case.

Interpretation

The Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan is a policy document designed to guide the growth and development of the Town of St. Leo to the Year 2025. The authority or mandate for this Plan comes from Florida Statutes Chapter 163, Part II, Community Planning Act.

Intent

The Comprehensive Plan shall be construed broadly to accomplish its purpose and intent. Terms not otherwise defined in this Plan shall be interpreted first, by reference to the relevant provisions of the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act; secondly, by the Town of St. Leo Land Development Code; third, by reference to generally accepted engineering, planning, or other professional terminology if the term is technical in nature; or otherwise, according to common usage unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Any term still in dispute after the above remedies have been exhausted shall be resolved pursuant to the procedure presented below.

During the course of administering the Comprehensive Plan it may be necessary for the Town Commission or its designee to interpret the goals, objectives, policies and maps as they relate to specific applications for plan amendments, rezonings or development review. Where such interpretation is reasonably debatable after considering the language contained in the related goals, policy and objective, an "aggrieved or adversely affected party" (as defined in Section 163.3215(2), Florida Statutes) may request an official interpretation of the policy by the Town of St. Leo Town Commission. Any such interpretation shall be rendered by the Town Commission within thirty (30) days of the receipt of a written request for official interpretation. The Town Commission decision shall be a final Official Interpretation, unless further action is taken on determination of a final interpretation subject to Section 163.3215, Florida Statutes.

Conflicting Policies

The Comprehensive Plan has been written in order to achieve internal consistency between the goals, objectives and policies; however, circumstances may arise in which the application of two or more statements result in a conflict or uncertainty as to which statement most appropriately applies to a given proposed amendment, development review or other situation. The problem may be resolved by the Town Commission or its designee using the following methods in order of priority.

The more specific statement shall have preference over the more general.

The more stringent statement, from the perspective of the Town Commission or its designee shall have preference over the less stringent.

If the conflict remains unresolved based on review pursuant to items 1. and 2. above, the Town Commission shall decide the matter in the same manner as an Official Interpretation.

Comprehensive Plan Amendments

The Town of St. Leo Comprehensive Plan may be amended as part of the Evaluation and Appraisal update process, pursuant to Section 163.3191, FS, the "large-scale amendment" process, pursuant to Section 163.3184, FS or the "small-scale amendment" process, pursuant to Section 163.3187, FS. The Town Commission shall have the authority to initiate and adopt amendments. Proposed amendments to the Future Land Use Map may also be initiated by the public. The Town Commission shall establish administrative and review procedures for the processing of Comprehensive Plan amendment requests from the public. The Town of St. Leo shall not be limited as to the scope of Plan amendments, and such amendments may affect any adopted portion of the Plan including the goals, objectives, and policies of each element and the Future Land Use Map. The "large-scale amendment" and "small-scale amendment" processes are described below:

The Town may process "large-scale amendments" pursuant to Section 163.3184 FS for Future Land Use Map amendments more than 10 acres in size and/or any Comprehensive Plan text changes.

The Town Commission may process "small-scale amendments" in accordance with the provisions of Section 163.3187 FS, which requires that the proposed amendment be ten (10) acres or less; and

The cumulative effect of the above condition shall not exceed 120 acres annually;

The proposed amendment does not involve a text change to the goals, policies, and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, but only proposes a land use change to the future land use map for a site-specific small scale development.

General Standards for Review

In order to fully evaluate the consequences of approving a proposed plan amendment, the Town Commission shall analyze the following.

Consistency of the proposed change with the goals, objectives and policies in the Comprehensive Plan.

Recommendations for whatever further amendment would be advisable in conjunction with the proposed amendment.

An analysis of the capital costs, additional service requirements, and the benefits generated by the proposed amendment.

Specific standards for review relative to a proposed Plan amendment to the Future Land Use Element and/or Map, as set forth in the Future Land Use Element.

Status of Single-Family Units on Legal Lots of Record Existing Prior to the Effective Date of the 1989 Comprehensive Plan

No development order for a single-family residential unit shall be withheld due to inconsistency with the density provisions of this Comprehensive Plan, if such residential unit will be constructed upon a legal Lot of Record existing prior to the adoption of the 1989 Comprehensive Plan. Single-family residential units qualifying under this provision must comply with and be consistent with all other provisions of this Comprehensive Plan and other applicable land development regulations.

Concurrency Management System

The Town Commission shall ensure that development meets locally established level-of-service standards, and facilities and services (transportation, water, sewer, parks, stormwater, etc.) are available concurrently with the impacts of development, or that development orders are specifically conditioned upon the availability of the facilities and services necessary to serve the proposed development are in place or under construction within three (3) years after the approval of a building permit.

Comprehensive Plan Monitoring

The Comprehensive Plan shall be monitored on a timely basis, and shall include the following:

Update of the data and analysis on which the goals, objectives, and policies (GOPs) and maps are based; with recommendations being presented to the Town Commission, on an as needed basis to reflect needed modifications due to changing Town conditions.

Monitoring of all elements and Plan maps to ensure that they are consistent with every other Plan component, specifically the Capital Improvements Element (CIE).

Monitoring and coordination of Plan objectives, policies, and maps with other adjacent local governments.

Preparation and submittal, by the Local Planning Agency (LPA) to the Town Commission, of an "Evaluation and Appraisal Report" (EAR) for submittal by the Town Commission to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) as required by and pursuant to Section 163.3191, FS.

Update of the Water Supply Facilities Sub-Element in coordination with the Regional Water Supply Plan pursuant to Chapter 163.3177 F.S. within 18 months after the water management district approves an updated regional water supply plan, to:

Identify and incorporate the alternative water supply project(s) selected by the local government from projects identified in the updated regional water supply plan, or the alternative project proposed by the local government under s. 373.709 FS;

Identify the traditional and alternative water supply projects, bulk sales agreements, and the conservation and reuse programs necessary to meet current and future water use demands within the local government's jurisdiction; and

Include a water supply facilities work plan for at least a 10-year planning period for constructing the public, private, and regional water supply facilities identified in the element as necessary to serve existing and new development.

FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT

INTRODUCTION

The Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) identified a number of recommendations that addressed Future Land Use Element technical deficiencies as well as reinforcing the rural character of the Town. The EAR recommendations were as follows.

Although the FLUM designates areas as being in the Public, Business, Institutional, Rural Density and Permanently Open Land categories, there are no text definitions for these land use categories. However, these and other land use categories were adopted as zoning districts with the adoption of the Town of St. Leo Land Development Code (LDC). The LDC defines densities and intensities for these zoning districts. Text definitions for the Public, Business, Institutional, Rural Density and Permanently Open Land categories need to be incorporated into the FLUE as defined in the LDC.

Consider adopting a new goal to reflect protection of St. Leo's unique topography, natural forested landscape, historic sites and landmarks, and visual corridors and view sheds.

Consider adopting a new goal or objective related to establishing a Rural Growth boundary for the Town.

Include schools in definition of Institutional land use category.

Revise Objective 3 to reflect the declining economics of the citrus industry and agricultural in general.

The Future Land Use Element provides a vision for the future growth and development of the Town of St. Leo through the year 2025. Based on the 2010 Census, the Town population was 1,340 and combined with current 1,600 on-campus residents, estimated 2016 population would have been 2,940. It is noted that the Census data included Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club residents, which has now been contracted from the Town. Based on the analysis prepared for House Bill (HB) 1401, with the contraction, the estimated 2014 Town population was 1,173, which included university students.

The total development potential of the Town, based on the 2025 Future Land Use map and assuming all residential and agricultural designated land use were developed at maximum permissible density, would be approximately 174 dwelling units. This could increase to 280 dwelling units if all Medium Density Residential (MDR) land (52.88+/- acres) was developed as Planned Unit Development at 4 du/ac. This would equate to an estimated 2025 population ranging from 400-644 (based on the 2010 Census average of 2.3 persons/household) to 457-736 (based on an average of 2.63 persons/family per the 2000 Census).

Based on development potential, the 2025 residential population would be in the range of 400-736. Including projected Saint Leo University on-campus residents (1,600 in 2016) and 2016 Holy Name Monastery residents (43), the projected total 2025 population would range from 2,043 to 2,379.

The Future Land Use Element is intended to preserve and enhance the quality and value of the Town and its unique rural character and environmental features, and its expanding historical institutional uses (Saint Leo University and Holy Name Monastery). This vision relies upon a solid foundation for future planning which is reflected in its adopted future land use map and goals, objectives and policies. The Future Land Use Map and analytical map series embody the foundation for the goals, objectives and policies contained herein.

The adopted 2025 Future Land Use Map (Map 1) is contained in the Comprehensive Plan 2025 Map Series Appendix. The Future Land Use Element analytical data and map series are contained in the Elements Technical Support Data/Map Series Appendix.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES/POLICIES