§ 3-9-5.4. Expedited permitting process for certified affordable housing development.

(a)

General purpose. The purpose and intent of this section is to provide an expedited permitting process for the construction of affordable housing in accordance with the Charlotte County Affordable Housing Incentive Plan, adopted March 29, 1994, pursuant to the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program, F.S. § 420.9072. The expedited permitting process for affordable housing development ("AHD") contains incentives available to developers of a certified AHD. A review process for the approval of AHDs is included in this section, as well as appropriate references to other county ordinances or regulations affecting the development of AHDs. The review committee for the expedited permitting process will be composed of representatives from the community development department, public works, fire rescue/EMS, fire prevention, Charlotte County Utilities, and any other department(s) designated by the county administrator. (Reference to the county administrator throughout this section shall be construed to include his/her designee(s)).

(b)

Authorization of affordable housing developments (AHDs). The county administrator is authorized to certify that an application is, or qualifies as, an affordable housing development (AHD) when a developer commits to make at least twenty-five (25) percent of the units (or one (1) unit, in the case of a single unit development) to be constructed or rehabilitated affordable and available to low or very low income persons as provided in Ordinance No. 93-07.

(c)

Rapid response processing. The county administrator shall serve as the ombudsman between the applicant and the Charlotte County review agencies. The ombudsman shall coordinate an expedited review process that gives AHDs priority in the review of zoning and building permit applications.

(1)

The ombudsman shall assist the developer of an AHD and the development team in the permit requirements for county AHD applications. AHD proposals that exceed the thresholds of site plan review process outlined in section 3-9-7. The site plan review shall schedule a meeting to review AHD applications within one (1) week of the receipt of a complete application. AHD projects that require action by the board of zoning appeals shall be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting, unless the applicant requests a delay.

(2)

A certified AHD application that does not require either the site plan review or board of zoning appeals approval shall be expedited through the Charlotte County Building Department review process. All Charlotte County review agencies shall give priority review to all AHD applications, reporting items that may result in delay of approval to the ombudsman. The ombudsman shall review any item that may result in a delay with the applicant within twenty-four (24) hours of the action necessary to facilitate application approval.

(3)

Any proposed amendment, deviation, or change to an AHD application that has been approved by the site plan review shall be reviewed by the zoning official to determine whether the proposed change constitutes a minor or major modification to the approved AHD site plan. The ombudsman is responsible to provide any proposed revision to an approved AHD site plan with the same expedited processing given to the original application for permit approval.

(d)

Review of regulations and procedures that affect housing cost. Any and all changes in code, procedure or process that affect the cost of housing shall be reviewed by the Charlotte County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. No such changes shall be considered for approval by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners, or any person or agency delegated with authority to act on its behalf, unless it has been considered by the affordable housing advisory committee at a public meeting. The Charlotte County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee shall make nonbinding recommendations of any proposed changes in code, procedure or process that affect the cost of housing to the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners.

(Ord. No. 2014-042, § 1(Exh. A), 11-25-14)