Among the worst things the Legislature did this year - and for which you'll pay a steep price - was gutting 25 years of growth management laws in Florida.
Developers will no longer have to pay for the roads their projects bring - you will.
And huge developments that impact mulitiple cities and counties won't have to undergo regional review, creating enormous problems for transportation, water use and making certain more urban sprawl.
State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, was a co-sponsor of the bill and the rest of Brevard GOP delegation went along. Which is not surprising considering four of them - Sen. Thad Altman and Reps. Steve Crisafulli, Debbie Mayfield and Ritch Workman - make their living the development and real estate industries.
The rationale for passage - that the regulations were harming economic growth - was as phony as a $3 bill.
In truth, the laws didn't stop the over-development that led to the collapse of the state's housing market, with forclosures still rising, 300,000 housing units sitting vacant, and development plans already approved for 630,000 more.
Well, get ready for what could be serious blow-back next year.
That's when the bitterly contested Florida Hometown Democracy amendment will likely be on ballot, giving citizens a much larger say in managing local growth.
The Florida Supreme Court OK'd the petition's signatures this week after developers fought to get them removed. That sets the stage for a bruising fight in 2010.
Opponents such as Floridians For Smart Growth insist the measure will gum up the works of local government with thousands of land use permit challenges, "take an enormous toll on Florida's economy" and "may leave our state in a permanent recession."
To which Hometown Democracy says hogwash, contending the amendment will:
"Simply give voters a say on how their community is planned" and "gives voters a citizens veto over elected officials who just can't say no to speculative developer proposals."
You can check out both sides of the issue at:
Florida Hometown Democracy
http://www.floridahometowndemocracy.com/ Floridians for Smarter Growth
http://www.florida2010.org/
What do you think of the Legislature's growth management rollback move, and would you vote for the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment in 2010?Among the worst things the Legislature did this year - and for which you'll pay a steep price - was gutting 25 years of growth management laws in Florida.
Developers will no longer have to pay for the roads their projects bring - you will.
And huge developments that impact mulitiple cities and counties won't have to undergo regional review, creating enormous problems for transportation, water use and making certain more urban sprawl.
State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, was a co-sponsor of the bill and the rest of Brevard GOP delegation went along. Which is not surprising considering four of them - Sen. Thad Altman and Reps. Steve Crisafulli, Debbie Mayfield and Ritch Workman - make their living the development and real estate industries.
The rationale for passage - that the regulations were harming economic growth - was as phony as a $3 bill.
In truth, the laws didn't stop the over-development that led to the collapse of the state's housing market, with forclosures still rising, 300,000 housing units sitting vacant, and development plans already approved for 630,000 more.
Well, get ready for what could be serious blow-back next year.
That's when the bitterly contested Florida Hometown Democracy amendment will likely be on ballot, giving citizens a much larger say in managing local growth.
The Florida Supreme Court OK'd the petition's signatures this week after developers fought to get them removed. That sets the stage for a bruising fight in 2010.
Opponents such as Floridians For Smart Growth insist the measure will gum up the works of local government with thousands of land use permit challenges, "take an enormous toll on Florida's economy" and "may leave our state in a permanent recession."
To which Hometown Democracy says hogwash, contending the amendment will:
"Simply give voters a say on how their community is planned" and "gives voters a citizens veto over elected officials who just can't say no to speculative developer proposals."
You can check out both sides of the issue at:
Florida Hometown Democracy
http://www.floridahometowndemocracy.com/
Floridians for Smarter Growth
http://www.florida2010.org/
What do you think of the Legislature's growth management rollback move, and would you vote for the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment in 2010?
