Camp Blanding Buffer Hearing Set

A public meeting will be held Thursday about a proposed Clay County ordinance protecting Camp Blanding from incompatible land uses nearby.

The Florida National Guard and other state and federal military agencies use the state-owned 72,500-acre military reservation in Clay and Bradford counties for training, including artillery practice and flight exercises.

The state-mandated ordinance would ensure Guard input on rezonings and comprehensive land use plan amendments proposed within a 3-mile radius of the base, designated as the “Camp Blanding Military Zone.”

The Thursday meeting was scheduled to get input from neighboring property owners and the general public; more meetings may be held if necessary.

In addition to ensuring Guard input, the proposed ordinance would:

– Restrict non-agricultural building heights within the zone to 35 feet above ground level.

– Limit cell phone towers within the zone to “monopoles,” or single tube towers, not exceeding 30 feet above adjacent tree lines or 100 feet if there are no adjacent tree lines.

– Limit artificial lighting, floodlights, search lights or any lighting that would mislead pilots operating within the zone.

– Include a Camp Blanding representative as an ex officio member of the county Planning Commission, which advises the County Commission.WANT TO KNOW MORE?The public meeting about the Camp Blanding ordinance will be held 7 p.m. Thursday at McRae Elementary, 6770 County Road 315, off Florida 16 north of Keystone Heights. The ordinance and related maps are posted at www.claycountygov.com.

(c) 2008 Florida Times Union. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.