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17 EIE comments on SOCF Task Force ' s Report, Section Environment & Land Use (beginning on page 42) General Comments : Some of the specifics either need further explanation or a usable definition . For example , in Recommendation 1 , the " two - thirds " split between urban and rural growth needs to be explained otherwise there ' s no way to tell if it ' s a reasonable goal . We feel that to keep an area rural , the ` growth rate in that area needs to be close to zero , therefore far less than one - third of future growth (22 , 000 folks ) should be permissible outside of designated urban areas . Another example is the use of the term " carrying capacity , " which is most likely used to refer to a balanced population/land use relationship ( such as agricultural productivity and composting capacity) . Without knowing the limits of technology , is it possible to assess ? How is it defined ? What is its applicability ? On what other measurements/goals can ` growth budgets ' be based ? The Growth Management Board (GMB ) action strategy is seen as appealing , yet infeasible as written because 1 ) its mission/charter is not clearly defined and 2) no authority is given . Another volunteer board is not needed , yet a joint planning , permitting , and enforcement body is . This could especially work in favor of the Flexible Design Ordinance and/or if a general adequate public facilities ordinance is in place . It could be similar to how the School Board now gets a say in permitting , but would also help phase growth by developing plans for public facilities , in conjunction with each of the other concerned bodies , that meet growth management objectives and then it gets veto on any development that might place a strain on the public facilities . It could be made up of selected elected officials 'from each of the jurisdictions plus a few other stakeholding interests ( e . g . , planning boards , CfE , agriculture sector , etc . ) . Restructuring recommendations : We propose using measurable indicators to help improve the recommendations . The first one has been restructured below and may serve as a possible model for the others . Recommendation 1 Objective : Develop a countywide series of 5 -year plans that concentrate future growth and development in designated urban and " transition " areas and protect rural areas by targeting public investments (i . e . , extension of public facilities such as schools , police and fire , roads , water and sewer, etc . ) and by establishing appropriate incentives and regulations to achieve the planned distribution of growth rates . Targeted growth rates for urban and rural areas are to be developed as part of the plan such that rural areas in the County maintain their rural character as viable agricultural areas , wildlife habitats and water basins and , thus , do not become exurban or suburban extensions of the urban areas in the County . Measures : ( current SOCF/McIntosh indicators ) - Vehicle Use and Dependence (measures effectiveness of population concentration ) Us this measured as Vehicle .Males Traveled ? )