The news from Tallahassee is alarming! The long-expected draft revision to Florida's Growth Management statutes and process has just been released by the House. The 1000 Friends of Florida and other public interest groups are asking concerned citizens to contact their Florida Representatives, and voice strong opposition to the 283 page proposed bill, now known as PCB MCAS 11-04.
The Coalition has e-mailed comments to our 87th District House Representative, Bill Hager (please see below). We are scheduling a teleconference with him next week. At this time, we do not know enough to recommend a citizen-action plan, but we feel that is important for all friends of the Florida Coalition to know that we almost certainly will need your help when the bill comes up for debate.
Key provisions of the bill include: (1) virtual elimination of citizen rights to challenge inappropriate amendments to local Comprehensive Plans (if the municipality and the developer support a project, it is almost impossible to stop it); (2) eliminates the requirements that a plan be "financially feasible" and weakens the provision that the project fulfills an actual need; (3) weakens concurrency requirements that new developments pay for roads, schools and other costs associated with the project (the developer can build it, but the citizens must underwrite associated expenses); (4) virtually eliminates state agency review of plan amendments.
Imagine that all four umpires are removed from the field, and the municipality and developer are playing on the same team.
You will be reading about the Growth Management Bill in the newspapers in days ahead. Opponents will claim that Florida is returning to the "anything goes" era of the 1960s and 1970s. Unless we do something about it, they will be right.
Stay tuned!************************
March 21, 2001
To the Honorable Bill Hager;
As a private citizen, and as President of the Florida Coalition for
Preservation (a grass roots non-profit corporation whose mission is to
champion responsible development on Florida's coastlines), I am writing
to plead that the House exercise reason and restraint in re-writing
Florida's growth management statues.
Four years ago, our Coalition successfully opposed an insane plan for
redevelopment of the Town of Briny Breezes, converting it from a
peaceful mobile home park to a small city whose population density would
have been 20-40 times greater than neighboring residential communities
on a sensitive barrier island. This event made national news. It
represented the very worst example of greed and lack of concern for the
environment, for which Florida developers have earned a notorious
reputation.
Had the proposed changes to Florida's growth management laws been in
place, the Briny redevelopment plan might have gotten off the ground
(probably to crash in flames when the economy tanked). Private citizen
challenges to the plan would have been virtually impossible to mount.
The "umpire" (DCA) would not have been in the game. The project would
have added 2500 new residents, and countless hotel guests, to a coastal
area where the existing infrastructure is already straining at the
seams. Neighboring communities would have to foot the bill to widen
roads, find new sources for water and sewer service, amend plans for
hurricane evacuation, pay even higher premiums for wind insurance, and
on and on.
I fully understand that the Governor and Legislators want to reduce red
tape and help to create jobs in the building sector. It is hard to
argue that DCA implementation of existing growth management statues has
inhibited such development over the past 25 years. At least DCA has the
sense to ask if proposed developments are "financially feasible", and if
proposed changes in Comprehensive Plans are based on "need", rather than
a developer's whim. Having an umpire in the game does add value.
Giving developers free rein on critical growth management decisions
constitutes a denial of citizen rights, and will most certainly result
in another attempt at "Hometown Democracy"---this time, with new
evidence that neither our elected representatives nor our business
community can be trusted to look out for our interests.
It will take courage for a few such elected officials to call a "time
out" and look for ways to streamline approval processes without
abandoning the principles underline sensible growth. I would be happy
to meet with appropriate rule-writers, or to appear at hearings, if such
action might be helpful. I care deeply about our State, and want to see
it grow responsibly in the future.
As a private citizen, and as President of the Florida Coalition for
Preservation (a grass roots non-profit corporation whose mission is to
champion responsible development on Florida's coastlines), I am writing
to plead that the House exercise reason and restraint in re-writing
Florida's growth management statues.
Four years ago, our Coalition successfully opposed an insane plan for
redevelopment of the Town of Briny Breezes, converting it from a
peaceful mobile home park to a small city whose population density would
have been 20-40 times greater than neighboring residential communities
on a sensitive barrier island. This event made national news. It
represented the very worst example of greed and lack of concern for the
environment, for which Florida developers have earned a notorious
reputation.
Had the proposed changes to Florida's growth management laws been in
place, the Briny redevelopment plan might have gotten off the ground
(probably to crash in flames when the economy tanked). Private citizen
challenges to the plan would have been virtually impossible to mount.
The "umpire" (DCA) would not have been in the game. The project would
have added 2500 new residents, and countless hotel guests, to a coastal
area where the existing infrastructure is already straining at the
seams. Neighboring communities would have to foot the bill to widen
roads, find new sources for water and sewer service, amend plans for
hurricane evacuation, pay even higher premiums for wind insurance, and
on and on.
I fully understand that the Governor and Legislators want to reduce red
tape and help to create jobs in the building sector. It is hard to
argue that DCA implementation of existing growth management statues has
inhibited such development over the past 25 years. At least DCA has the
sense to ask if proposed developments are "financially feasible", and if
proposed changes in Comprehensive Plans are based on "need", rather than
a developer's whim. Having an umpire in the game does add value.
Giving developers free rein on critical growth management decisions
constitutes a denial of citizen rights, and will most certainly result
in another attempt at "Hometown Democracy"---this time, with new
evidence that neither our elected representatives nor our business
community can be trusted to look out for our interests.
It will take courage for a few such elected officials to call a "time
out" and look for ways to streamline approval processes without
abandoning the principles underline sensible growth. I would be happy
to meet with appropriate rule-writers, or to appear at hearings, if such
action might be helpful. I care deeply about our State, and want to see
it grow responsibly in the future.
Sincerely,
Robert Ganger
President, Florida Coalition for Preservation
![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL75cv6zJQFjX15ojOIIz9AjnbqH4asHJTYSDhnGnYr7rJZRha1NcNTirj2xPcId158vkz5Hw-wXgOfrlztj8Zr8jLFFCfuEN6PyV44ZlpMRmJ68xbtFL9vzxNiG7xDs_HJvm/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
