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Northwest Florida Military Sustainability Partnership. August 7, 2012. Eglin AFB and the Eglin Reservation. MIPA III area. Eglin has a proven track record of mission accomplishment.
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Northwest Florida Military Sustainability Partnership August 7, 2012
Eglin AFB and the Eglin Reservation MIPA III area
Eglin has a proven track record of mission accomplishment • Joint service testing and training -- EOD Training Center, the 7th Special Forces Group, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in addition to the Air Armament Center mission • made possible by the existence of the 724 square mile Eglin Reservation and the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range of 92,000 square miles • and continuous commitment of the communities surrounding and supporting the Base over the past 75 years
Economic Impact Haas Center at University of West Florida estimates the annual military economic impact to Okaloosa County at $5.2 billion Represents 58,811 jobs; sales activity of $4 billion; consumption of $3.3 billion; and capital investment of $495.1 million Average earnings per military-related job are $87,300
BRAC 2005 Growth Two separate but complementary study efforts funded by OEA after BRAC 2005: Joint Land Use Study Growth Management Plan study • Okaloosa County was executive agent and OEA grantee for these studies • With formal resolutions of support and participation from every jurisdiction in the Tri-County area
Eglin Joint Land Use Study begun in April 2007 - completed in August 2009 Overseen by the JLUS Policy Committee -- elected officials from every jurisdiction, citizen representatives, and leadership from Eglin AFB Provided over 20 unique recommendations focusing on land use issues and approaches to remedy incompatibilities. Recommended Small Area Studies of the low-level flight corridors providing ingress and egress to the Eglin AFB reservation. • Small Area Studies are in progress now
Small Area Studies Object is limiting encroachment on the flight corridors Mission concerns include: • Night lighting • Structure heights • Noise complaints • Development density under the corridors Begun in April 2011 – on track to complete this October
Growth Management Plan Study begun in June 2008 -- completed in June 2010 Overseen by the Eglin Installation Growth Committee -- representatives from Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties 12 member Executive Committee with ten subcommittees working under the Executive Committee Provided 68 unique recommendations for long-term military compatibility
Military Sustainability Partnership Set up to oversee the Small Area Studies and implementation of the JLUS and GMP recommendations Bound by Interlocal Agreements between the three counties and nine of the municipalities within the counties Eglin AFB also participates in the Partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement, as does the Okaloosa County Economic Development Council
The Executive Committee consists of a representative appointed by each jurisdiction A Military Growth Advisory Group comprised of technical planning and engineering staff personnel from each of the jurisdictions supports the work of the Partnership A full-time staff person coordinates the Partnership -- also responsible for coordinating implementation of the JLUS and GMP recommendations by the jurisdictions
The Partnership gives us the forum for continuous dialogue and cooperation for military support across the Tri-County area beyond BRAC Having the Base as an active partner in the Partnership makes this work Continuous public information effort and interactive communication with key stakeholders is crucial
What did the studies show? Most significant challenge for the area is transportation. There are many opportunities to cooperatively develop infrastructure that serves the community as well as the installations.
Transportation challenges SR 85 is the only north south artery from the north of the county to Eglin AFB in Okaloosa County East-west travel is also a concern. US 98 spans all three counties along the beaches, the main component of our tourism industry • Only access to Hurlburt Field for personnel living west of the installation in Santa Rosa County
Transportation projects Mid Bay Bridge Connector road around Niceville to the Mid-Bay Bridge and Destin -- well under construction and providing relief Duke Field/7SFG Entrance and SR 85 interchange: • Funded by FHWA, cost is around $11M, and scheduled to be open to traffic in December of 2012 Cody Avenue (Hurlburt Field) and US 98 Interchange: • FDOT building a $22M interchange along 98 to improve access to the base. Okaloosa County developed the interchange concept and worked with federal staff to acquire the easements for construction 2 other Okaloosa County projects to help Hurlburt Field traffic are pending funding
Public utilities and infrastructure Okaloosa County Water and Sewer Department built a 17-mile pipeline and master sewer lift station for the 7SFG Cantonment • project done in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Eglin 96th Civil Engineer Group • 17-mile sewer line was upsized by 96 CEG to accommodate future wastewater from Duke Field, Eglin Main, and Camp Rudder • All of the wastewater generated will be served by the County treatment plant in Fort Walton Beach Wastewater treatment and disposal consolidated at the County’s facility to ultimately save the public money and allow the military to focus on the mission Four other water and sewer projects are also planned on Eglin
Communications infrastructure Nearly $450,000 in Defense Infrastructure Grant funding from Enterprise Florida for two communications projects: • connectivity to the Florida Lambda Rail system ($200,000) • Fiber IT backbone project that is still in progress ($249,995.73) • Projects benefit not only the community, but the Base and the defense industries supporting the Base
Buffering Land Acquisition • Shoal River Buffering Land Acquisition • Partnering of Okaloosa County, Eglin AFB, and Enterprise Florida to acquire land to buffer Duke Field • $1,459,400 in local funding, REPI, and state Defense Infrastructure Grant funding • within the Northwest Florida Greenway; a plan that will protect the land and air space corridors from Apalachicola to Eglin AFB
Conclusion Eglin has played a prominent role in airpower history for our country for 75 years …and has been a good neighbor and employer for the surrounding communities The Northwest Florida Military Sustainability Partnership is working to continue that relationship
Contact Ken Little, Military Sustainability Partnership Coordinator Okaloosa County Department of Growth Management 1804 Lewis Turner Blvd, Ste 200 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 klittle@co.okaloosa.fl.us (850) 609-3014 www.tri-countybrac.com