Citrus Chronicle
By: Terry Witt (terrywitt@chronicleonline.com)
Published: 26-Sep-2005
Citrus county commissioners will give final approval the next year's $177 million budget today after weathering considerable public scrutiny a week ago about a $3.3 million surplus.
Responding to public pressure, commissioners voted to eliminate the surplus from the budget by reducing the tax rate by about a half mill. The tax rate can't be raised today, but it could be lowered.
The budget hearing begins at 5:01 p.m. in the commission chambers on the first floor of the courthouse. The regular meeting starts at 1 p.m.
Earlier in the meeting, representatives of the Florida Department of Community Affairs will review the county's comprehensive plan and point out strengths and weaknesses in springs protection.
DCA Project Manager Richard Deadman and DCA consultant Gail Easely will explain voluntary amendments the county could make to the comprehensive plan and land development regulations to further protect the springs.
The agency has drafted a Guidebook for Protecting Florida Springs that contains model codes for comprehensive plans and land development codes counties can adopt voluntarily.
Citrus County has three first magnitude springs groups on the coast. They are Chassahowitzka Springs, Crystal River (Kings Bay) and Homosassa Springs. The county has eight second-magnitude coastal springs in Blue Springs, Bluebird Spring, Echo Spring, Hunter's (or American Legion) Spring, Pumphouse Spring, Ruth Spring and Three Sisters Spring.
The three large springs receive their water from expansive springsheads. The primary springshead for the three first-magnitude springs lies west of County Road 491, although the entire county is thought to contribute water to the springs.
One option commissioners can consider is adopting a special chapter or element in the comprehensive plan for spring protection. County Development Services Director Gary Maidhof likened it to the manatee protection plan, which is a chapter in the comprehensive plan.
He said cluster developments also can be used to ensure more green space. The quality of the springs depends on receiving clean water from inland areas. The more green space the county preserves, the better the filtration.
One challenge lies in the fact that the county's Planned Services Area lies on top of the coastal springsheads. The PSA is designated as an area where high-density residential development can occur.
The Suncoast Parkway, depending on where it is built, could cross a portion of the springsheads, or could cut through them.
All three first-magnitude springs are fed by the aquifer, an underground porous layer of limestone rock filled with fresh water. The aquifer provides Citrus County with its drinking water supply.
One of the justifications often given for protecting springs and the areas that drain into them is to ensure the quality of the drinking water supply. The springsheads in Citrus County are high recharge areas where rainwater and stormwater flow quickly through the porous soil into the aquifer. Recharge areas are more vulnerable to pollution.