CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: September 10, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: Discussion of the Interlocal Agreement between Leon County and the City for Joint Planning and Zoning Services
TARGET ISSUE: Long Range Community-Based Planning

STATEMENT OF ISSUE

The current Agreement for joint planning services between the City of Tallahassee and Leon County expires September 30, 2009. Both the City and County have worked together to form a new Interlocal Agreement to be effective October 1, 2009, for a period of ten years (a 5-year term with a 5-year automatic renewal).

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Option 1. Approve the Interlocal Agreement for Joint Planning Services between the City of Tallahassee and Leon County effective October 1, 2009.

FISCAL IMPACT

This item has been budgeted and adequate funding is available. The cost to fund the City’s portion is approximately $1,700,000 annually.

James R. English, City Attorney

Anita Favors Thompson, City Manager

For information, please contact: Wayne Tedder, Planning Department Director, 891-6400, or Ann Wild, Assistant City Attorney, 891-8554

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS

HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES

A Memorandum of Agreement dated February 2, 1976, as modified and extended on June 7, 1977, was approved by both the Leon County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Tallahassee and was subsequently replaced by an Agreement dated September 30, 1983. Thereafter, a new Interlocal Agreement entitled “City/County Contract Relating to Planning and Zoning; No. 999775” was approved and executed by the City of Tallahassee and Leon County on July 15, 2003 (Attachment # 2), which provided for a continuation of the Joint City/County Planning Department, the funding thereof, and the personnel issues contained therein. This Agreement expires on September 30, 2009 and this agenda item is presented to seek an extension of the Joint City/County Planning Department.

Since the execution of the 2003 Interlocal Agreement, the Agreement has continued for two 3-year terms. Many of terms and conditions set forth in the Interlocal Agreement are no longer applicable, given the creation of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency as well as the movement of the Joint City/County Planning Department from City Hall to the jointly owned Renaissance Building.

In addition to the modifications necessitated by these two changes, some of the terms and conditions set forth in the Interlocal Agreement needed to be modified to provide additional clarity with regard to payment of expenses, the authority of the Planning Director, and to provide for a new ten (10) year term (being a 5-year term with a 5-year automatic renewal). Should the City Commission wish to continue with the jointly funded Planning Department in the 2009-2010 fiscal year and beyond, a new Interlocal Agreement will need to be approved before September 30, 2009.

This Interlocal Agreement has been reviewed by the Planning Director, County Administration and the City of Tallahassee City Attorney’s Office and all persons are in agreement with the format and content thereof. The Leon County Commission approved the proposed Interlocal Agreement as its August 25, 2009, meeting.

OPTIONS

Option1. Approve the Interlocal Agreement for Joint Planning Services between the City of Tallahassee and Leon County effective October 1, 2009.

Option 2. Do not approve the Interlocal Agreement for Joint Planning Services between the City of Tallahassee and Leon County.

Option 3. Provide other direction to staff.

ATTACHMENTS/REFERENCES

Attachment 1: Proposed Interlocal Agreement for Joint Planning Services between the City of Tallahassee and Leon County

Attachment 2: Current City/County Contract relating to Planning and Zoning (No. 999775)