“At some point, you have to fight things”: County Commission discusses adding equity and environmental justice definitions to the Comprehensive Plan

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At a Special Meeting on June 6, the Alachua County Commission discussed adding equity and environmental justice definitions and policies to the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan, and commissioners expressed concerns that the State could push back on their efforts.

Ben Chumley, a Senior Planner for the County, presented the proposed changes, noting that the proposals arose from the County’s Equity Work Plan Phase 1, adopted in August 2021 by the County Commission. The Equity Strategic Leadership Team identified the need for short-term amendments to the Comprehensive Plan to clarify the definitions of “social equity” and “environmental justice” and to articulate a goal of protecting “neighborhood character” as it relates to institutional land uses.

Chumley laid out the short-term goal (to be completed this year) of updating these definitions and policies, a medium-term goal (beginning in late 2023) of performing an equity audit of the County’s Comprehensive Plan to identify areas to potentially be updated, and a long-term goal (2024-25) of a full update of the Comprehensive Plan to “include greater focus on equity in terms of both policy and process.”

Chumley said, “The idea of providing a balance of economic opportunity, social equity, environmental justice, and protection of the natural environment, has been a foundational principle of the Future Land Use element of the Plan since the early 2000s.” He said equity is specifically addressed in the Future Land Use, Economic, Capital Improvements, Housing, and Community Health elements of the Comprehensive Plan, but there are other elements where it can still be introduced.

The definition of “environmental justice” previously said that no group of people, “including a racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group,” should bear a disproportionate share of the negative consequences of land use decisions. The new definition changes that to “including those from marginalized racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups” and adds that the burdens of industrial land uses have historically fallen on poorer and marginalized communities. It also adds the statement, “Environmental justice is a principle and practice that emerged historically from people of color organizing to protect their environments, community rights, lands, and health.”

Chumley said, “The implication [is] that if a land use is expected to cause some environmental burden, there should be consideration of how those burdens are being distributed within a community so that they’re not concentrated in any one particular area or areas.”

The definition of “equity” previously used the phrases “attention to… those portions of the community that are less well off” and “without regard to sex, race, age, religion, ethnicity, national origin, etc.”

The new definition starts off by saying that “equity” means “redressing injustices that were previously incurred… and establishing measures to prevent future inequities from occurring.” It also states, “Equity in sustainability includes putting forth efforts toward rectifying previous environmental injustices, avoiding environmental injustices going forward, and providing equal access to participate in sustainability activities and shape their development.”

Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler said, “I just have a quick concern, mainly because–going from what I’m watching happen statewide in public education and in terms of how we are addressing inequities and moving forward with specifics directed toward people of color: Are we under any kind of scrutiny from the State as to how we address these things locally?”

Commissioner Ken Cornell replied that the State looks at Comprehensive Plan amendments when they are transmitted, “so if they don’t like it, we’re going to hear it.”

Wheeler replied, “They feel like we are woke” and laughed. She added, “I just didn’t know how far the government was going in terms of looking at how we’re addressing things in Florida… These are interesting times.” Chair Anna Prizzia said, “Even if it’s an issue, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it,” and Wheeler said, “I’m with you. We’re kind of a target here, anyway.”

The policy update on Industrial Land Uses now says that land use decisions concerning the location of industrial uses must take “particular consideration… to recognizing, protecting and preserving the resilience, collective desires, and resources of historically burdened communities. Historically burdened communities are those where the residents, often from racially or ethnically marginalized communities, face inequities and have disproportionate burdens associated with land use.”

Chumley said the policy would come into play when the board considers a land use change or zoning change or a special exception or special use permit that involves an industrial use. Similar changes will be made to policies that apply to manufacturing, warehousing, landfills, utility and transmission facilities, “light industrial” uses like offices, and institutional uses. 

Prizzia said she would like some language adding “marginalized communities due to economic distress… If they’re economically distressed, oftentimes they don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves or show up at meetings to be able to advocate for themselves when something like this is happening, so us taking their needs into consideration, regardless of their race or ethnicity… is important.” After some discussion, she settled on, “Historically burdened communities are those where the residents, often from racially, ethnically, or economically marginalized communities…” 

Commissioner Chuck Chestnut interjected, “And that was done on purpose,” and Prizzia responded, “I know, absolutely.”

Prizzia asked whether any progress had been made on improving community engagement because “if they have a different lifestyle, if they have to work two jobs or they’re a single parent, for us to have that equal opportunity means we’ll have to have a different process for them to engage. They probably can’t come to an 11:30 a.m. hearing on this, or if they are, we’re going to have to provide childcare.” The answer she received was that more information on improving community engagement would come back to the board in the next month or so.

The proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan will now go through a community engagement process, including public workshops, then there will be a first hearing, the amendments will be transmitted to the State, and the County Commission will hold a second hearing on final adoption after comments are received from the State. Chumley estimated that the community engagement would happen over the next one to three months, then the public hearing process takes about four months, depending on whether any comments are received from the State.

Wheeler said her concern was that “the Supreme Court is looking at equal opportunity questions, that we might be scrutinized, as well… I saw an article yesterday [about the federal government]–ESG, Environmental, Social, and Governance–and so the focus is on environmental and social coming from the federal government, so we’re ahead of the game on that, I feel like we’re leading the charge on that… Maybe we could think of something else to call it other than ‘equal opportunity’… but that seems to be the buzzword that they’re going after these days… I just want to make sure that we’re aware that there’s also opposition to some of the things that we’re trying to do here, too.”

Chestnut said, “At some point, you have to fight things. You just can’t continue to let this happen. I mean, one can voice their opinions and stuff like that, but as a community, we need to fight, we just need to fight back on all of this stuff… And then start electing people who see our way of thinking in the future. This antiquated stuff going back in history, it’s not working today, and I don’t think the younger folks in our community is [sic] going to accept it, period. I mean, get on board or get lost.”

Wheeler replied, “I’m with you. I’ll be glad to go march and carry my pitchfork and stake, you know, like we did 50 years ago. It’s just a shame to see it this way.”