Feet To The Fire Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet got it right last week when they flatly rejected a project in the middle of Ocala horse country. They recognized the insanity of approving an unplanned subdivision that won't be needed for at least 45 years.
Yet everyone hasn't gotten the message on the reality of unplanned growth.
Distortion No. 1: Florida will somehow collapse if there are more checks on growth.
Lately, this is coming from Floridians for Smarter Growth, the main organization aimed at opposing Hometown Democracy, a constitutional amendment on the 2010 ballot. If approved, citizens would have a chance to vote on projects that conflict with a local government's master plan. In other words, unplanned growth, as the Ocala project was.
In that case, a landowner wanted to build 792 houses on 400 acres. The local government approved the project, but two citizens appealed because they realized it would be detrimental to have so many more houses there. But few challenges ever take the arduous and expensive path to the Cabinet. More common is for local governments to go unchecked in changing their plans. Hometown Democracy would change that.
But whether or not you agree with the amendment's approach, it doesn't help for the debate to be dominated by hysterical, misleading arguments. Yet that's exactly what Orlando's Ryan Houck, executive director of the group, continues to do.
According to his latest missive, Florida would have virtually no more economic development projects if the amendment passes. Instead, he claims, they would go to friendlier states like Alabama because Hometown Democracy would mean it would take years for these projects to be approved here.
Who exactly is Ryan Houck trying to kid? Why is he ignoring the lessons from Scripps Institute in Palm Beach County and Burnham Institute in Orlando? They both were highly coveted bio-tech firms that Florida lured with incentives.
But guess what? Because Burnham was to be located in Lake Nona's "medical city," which was already zoned appropriately, its location didn't carry a whiff of controversy or delay. And that would still be the case for other such ventures if Hometown Democracy were approved. They would be permitted there -- and in other research parks -- immediately.
Compare that to the Scripps Institute brouhaha and its three years of delay. Palm Beach County wanted to put Scripps in a remote area that was supposed to be used for Everglades water storage. Scripps was so frustrated with the ensuing delays and lawsuits that it was ready to leave Florida before it was resolved by Scripps going to a better Palm Beach location.
Did this have anything to do with a citizen vote on the project? Hardly. It had everything to do with local government wanting an unwise and unplanned location.
Houck makes the same specious argument about police stations, parks and schools, claiming that somehow they will be delayed for years if the amendment takes effect. But why would local governments put a lot of police stations, parks and schools in areas that weren't planned for them? There's plenty of room for these services already in existing growth plans. It's just a matter of local governments abiding by their earlier decisions. Is that really too much to ask?
Distortion No. 2: It is nonsensical for voters to have a say.
One of the big arguments against Hometown Democracy is that our governments should be ruled by the elected representatives rather than voters themselves. That does make some sense. But then why do many of the same people who make that case also argue that local elected officials can't increase sales taxes or even a rental-car surtax on their own? Whenever the Legislature touches those issues, it requires a vote by the citizens.
Double standard, anyone?
You can contact Jane Healy at janehealy49@gmail.com. She'd like to hear about public officials who need their feet kept to the fire.
COMMENTS
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The FSG (Floridians for Smarter Growth) doth protest too much, methinks. I have not seen any real evidence that our local governments will suffer, or that Florida's economy will implode if 4 is enacted. It is more of "the sky is falling" tactics coming from those that have a financial interest in stopping 4 from passing, and continuing the developer first and foremost system of government. It's a natural evolution for power to be put back into the hands of citizens. We simply can't afford to keep this corrupt system in place. 4 for Florida is the last and best chance we have.
OnlyTrustCitizens (09/21/2009, 6:53 PM )
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From someone who is in the business and on the fence, I must say that the substance of this article seems to support the notion that the Hometown Democracy amendment is not needed at all and will be nothing more than another "lawyers relief act". If the current process can overcome the Scripts issue and the Ocala issue, why do we need more government involvolvement. The current process seems to be taking care of this issue. There is no doubt that the Amendment will create great hardships on local govenments despite its transparent attempt to slow growth. Personally, I vote against all proposed amendments due to its highjacked affect on our State's government (pregnant pigs, highspeed rail). One way or another, the Hometown Democracy effortss have brougt to the forefront the public's demand for smarter growth. One last thing, if this Amendment passes it will force the State to grow in a more urbanized fashion promoting density, height, congestion and, like all urbanized areas, higher taxes. Let be careful of what we wish for, set the bipartisan egos aside, and have a meaningful solution to this issue.
Chiumento3 (09/21/2009, 9:03 AM )
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Wait a minute, Jane. 2 citizens of Ocala stopped a development that was approved by local government? Isn't that the opposite of your point? A private landowner has his rights stripped by 2 citizens? Only an Obamaist (Editorial writer past/present) would applaud that tyranny.
WPCitizen (09/21/2009, 7:24 AM )
A little research on Mrs. Healey's part would have uncovered the fact that the remote site picked for Scripps was not the site favored by Palm Beach County. It was a site that Governor Jeb Bush insisted that the COunty buy, after Scripps officials had toured sites and decided that this was the one they wanted. Governor Bush was personally involved in the process of bringing Scrippts to Florida. Only after a lot of tax dollars were spent both to buy the site and begin to install previously unplanned infrastructure did Scripps and the Governor conclude that that delay and costs involved with the lawsuits filed by opponents present too much of an obtacle. The site ultimately agreed to by Scripps, located in a previously approved Development of Regional Impact in the Town of Jupiter, has a campus of FAU and was approved for housing that could be used by Scripps workers. If Mrs. Healey were not so busy bowing to her beloved state officials and state planners all the time, she might have time to raise her head occassionally and notice that not all local officls are to blame for all the goes wrong in Florida, and not all state officials are gods. Is that really too much to ask?
Udriveme2drink (09/21/2009, 12:39 AM )
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With "4" there is a chance of representation and restoring the process of democracy. Without "4," past history and current events tell us nothing will change for the better.
*********WE'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WE SUPPORT AMENDMENT 4********
i'mintheknow (09/20/2009, 11:05 PM )
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Let's get this straight: I am not paid by Floridians for Smarter Growth or any other group opposing the Vote on Everything amendment. I volunteer my time to defend my state against the tyranny of a few rich, far-out no-growth activists who can't see past their own opinions.
Perhaps you should check your facts before you comment. Mr. Houck is the director of FSG; I left the group long ago. But I still commit time to this issue because people like you - and writers like Ms. Healy - will say anything and do anything to pass this crazy idea.
Thank goodness you are in the minority. Florida can't afford your kind of policymaking. As for your puppet comment - who puts their hand up your backside to parrot this claptrap?
michaelcaputo (09/20/2009, 9:03 PM )
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The City of St. Pete Beach did take their responsibility seriously and had created an award winning comprehensive plan. As the plan was close to becoming adopted, the Hometown Democracy movement (under the name of Citizens for Responsible Growth (CRG)) mobilized and lead a campaign making changes to the charter that required the residents to vote on any future comprehensive land use changes. They were successful by 22 votes in November 2006 and so began the Hometown Democracy Movement.
Let's look at St Pete Beach today. In June 2008, the residents had a special election to vote on state required items and a new resident-initiated comprehensive plan. The community was educated about the plan through meetings, literature, DVD's, & ads. The voters overwhelmingly approved the resident-initiated comprehensive plan.
So, does that mean things have moved forward? No! Almost 16 months later, the City is spending money to defend themselves against numerous lawsuits (filed by the same people who funded CRG)& administrative challenges filed with the Department of Community Affairs being argued by Ross Burnaman, co-founder of Hometown Democracy.
No major redevelopment has occurred in the City since 2006 as a result of the politically charged environment and the uncertainty of what can and cannot occur since the comp plan is still being legally & administratively challenged.
SPBResident (09/20/2009, 3:19 PM )
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Dear Mr. Caputo, you are well paid for your services with Floridians for Smarter Growth, so, just as Mr. Houck is another 'paid' political puppet, your reasoning is self-served. It is true that some communities have fallen behind with creating well-planned comprehensive plans, but NOT to the fault of the citizen or Hometown Democracy...again, elected leaders have failed to do their job. So what if they revamp their comprehensive plans and need a citizen referendum, at least it will follow the State Growth procedure and give citizens a chance to decide how their community is developed. Community leaders still have first approval of any plan(under Amendment 4)and we would still depend on their thorough examination. People know a good thing or bad thing when they see it, it only takes one vote to pass a revised comprehensive plan just like it is currently handled by local Commissioners, only it is the people's final vote.
Mr. Caputo, your vision for Florida's future continues the same as it's past, You should hope for 'Better' for the State you live in, as the rest of us do.
Msdori (09/20/2009, 9:15 AM )
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Ms. Healy it is dishonest for you to write as if all municipalities have appropriate growth plans; you know this is not true. In fact, almost half of Florida's local governments fell down on their responsibility to write their plans two decades ago. Instead of working through thoughtful processes they procrastinated - it was a very hard job. When state deadlines loomed, they simply tossed much of the state into agricultural status - one home per five acres.
They never did proper growth studies. They never set real projections. They punted.
You know this because you told me you know it. But you disregard these mistakes of the past and expect Florida to live within those sophomoric Growth Plans - I suspect because freezing Florida in 20th Century patterns fits your vision for the Sunshine State.
Fewer and fewer Floridians agree with that notion for the future.
We all know you love Hometown Democracy; we all know you disdain developers. But calling out Mr. Houck for his opinion is a low blow - especially when you know the real reason much of Florida is zoned for agriculture, and you don't write it.
Please be more honest with your readers. Such duplicitous opining - your own personal double standard - has made us so tired of the old media model. We're casting about for fresher insight on the news and leaving old-line Liberal newspapers to drown in their own stale ink.
michaelcaputo (09/19/2009, 11:28 PM )
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