According to Article XVI of the Leon County Land Development Code and the Blueprint 2020 Infrastructure Surtax Interlocal Agreement, on January 1, 2020 the 1% infrastructure sales tax that Leon County has had since its inception in 1989, was “relevied, extended and continued” until December 31, 2039. A new one-cent sales tax program began in January of 2020 with proceeds of the sales tax divided between five trust fund accounts as shown in Table 8. According to the Blueprint Real Estate Policy, “The Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency, created pursuant to Chapter 163.01(7) of the Florida Statutes, has the authority to establish real estate and land banking policies and procedures.” The policy continues by stating that the planning director has the authority to approve the purchase of real estate for future Blueprint projects, including the early acquisition of right of way along transportation corridors. Of the 27 Blueprint 2020 Infrastructure Projects, 6 include wording for funding towards “ROW [right-of-way], construction, stormwater for roadway improvements, water quality enhancements, and land acquisition for future greenway.” Table 8. Blueprint 2020 Trust Fund Accounts Trust Fund Account Share of Total Proceeds Blueprint 2020 Infrastructure Projects 66% Blueprint 2020 Economic Development Programs 12% Leon County Projects 10% City of Tallahassee Projects 10% L.I.F.E Projects 2% Source: 2020 Blueprint Executed Interlocal Agreement, Page 5. Tallahassee-Leon County also has a robust proportionate fair-share program to address developer mitigation of transportation impacts. In 2009, the County entered an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Tallahassee to allow those funds to accumulate in an account earmarked for the completion of major transportation projects rather than spread throughout the community on smaller projects. Leon County road impact fees are also placed in a County Wide Road Impact Fee Trust Account. Money placed into that account can only be used for constructing or improving designated state roads. This includes any costs associated with the acquisition of right-of-way. Money deposited into the trust fund account which are not immediately needed are invested by the county and city, and income derived from those investments go back into the trust fund. Street Network Connectivity and Block Length Standards Objective 1.4:[M] (Connectivity and Access Management) houses policies which address network connectivity and block length. Policy 1.4.7: [M] (Energy Efficiency District Network and Connectivity) calls for a (p. 174), “dense, interconnected network of local and collector streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, and shared-use paths.” The policy further stipulates that: “The street, bicycle, and pedestrian network shall be comprised of a system of interconnected and direct routes with a connectivity index of 50 or more polygons per square mile and for areas with a connectivity index below 50, the missing links in the network shall be identified and eliminated where feasible through the development and capital improvement process.” Additionally, within the Comprehensive Plan is the Welaunee Arch Master Plan which has some unique planning components. Welaunee Arch Master Plan calls for the design of an interchange that supports a gridded street network and city blocks. Policy 13.2.21 calls for landowners near rights-of-way of
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