Change in growth management rules possible for Florida

[OfficialPlanner]

The transition team for Florida's Gov.-elect is proposing to merge the state's growth management agency with the Department of Transportation to "streamline" regulatory reviews. I seriously doubt this proposal will happen. Nevertheless there are a number of underlying pro-growth themes which could be implemented in the near future:

-Weakening of Rule 9J-5
-Elimination of DRI State reviews
-Limiting the State's role in comp plan amendments
-Reduced environmental regulations

I'm curious to hear what's being discussed in planning departments throughout the state on this issue.

[The One]

The transition team for Florida's Gov.-elect is proposing to merge the state's growth management agency with the Department of Transportation to "streamline" regulatory reviews. I seriously doubt this proposal will happen. Nevertheless there are a number of underlying pro-growth themes which could be implemented in the near future:

-Weakening of Rule 9J-5
-Elimination of DRI State reviews
-Limiting the State's role in comp plan amendments
-Reduced environmental regulations

I'm curious to hear what's being discussed in planning departments throughout the state on this issue.

Having worked in Broward County for a short 3 years, the only apparent barrier to development in South Florida was the Atlantic Ocean, Everglades and farming interests, not those silly "growth" management rules and laws you cite. Just my take on this issue now that I've had a bit of time to digest the whole experience. I'd like to hear someone from Jacksonville/Orlando/Tampa/St. Pete/Miami/Palm Beach County/Ft. Myers/Naples dispute what I just said....with a straight face and educated eye I dare you....he he he.....

[urban2rural]

Having been a planning director in a Florida county you would recognize once upon a time, just one short observation:

I hope they don't eliminate the DRI process. While cumbersome and bureaucratic, for sure, and subject to manipulation by liars who do statistics, it's still a great tool. For the rest of you who might have happened into this thread, DRI stands for development of regional impact. Its practical meaning in Florida growth management has been that a development over a certain size must go through a thorough analysis, including being vetted through the regional planning commission, before it can be approved locally.

I always thought one of the major benefits was preventive--developments that made no sense on the face of them sometimes didn't even reach the formal proposal stage because smart developers would prefer to avoid public embarrassment plus the costs and work associated with the process, in the event the proposal was dicey.

In other environments I've often wished for the DRI tool.

[beach_bum]

I always thought the environmental review was one of the most beneficial parts to the DRI process. Going from FL to a state with little overhead planning review, no comp plan requirement, etc, I kind of miss the focus on long-term planning here. In my opinion the FL requirements for long range planning and development review were one of the strength's of planning there, not a weakness. If anything needs to be restructured, its the Concurrency rules because they create more sprawl which is ultimately more costly for communities to maintain.

[Richmond Jake]

Here's a link to the Governor-elect's regulatory reform transition paper.

The proposal would actually combine DCA, DEP, and DOT under a single director. He would also like to eliminate transportation concurrency. This is going to be an interesting few months in the Sunshine State.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/45714045/Regulatory-Reform

[Cismontane]

eliminate transportation concurrency

umm.. ugh.. so who's going to provide necessary transportation access improvements if somebody puts a 30,000 home subdivision in the middle of nowhere.. never mind allow such an insane development from happening in the first place (as has been proposed.. and even done.. on several ocasions)?

Isn't there something like a 7 year inventory of (empty) homes in your state, as it is?

[The One]

umm.. ugh.. so who's going to provide necessary transportation access improvements if somebody puts a 30,000 home subdivision in the middle of nowhere.. never mind allow such an insane development from happening in the first place (as has been proposed.. and even done.. on several ocasions)?

Isn't there something like a 7 year inventory of (empty) homes in your state, as it is?

Feel free to quote me on this one:
Transportation Concurrency should be tied to community supported Future Land Use planning that values appropriate adjacent expansion or contiguity over leapfrogging (chasing diminishing land values), which is often approved in the name of economic development or due to a lack of intestinal fortitude by politicians unwilling to enforce the vision of the people.
The One, Cyburbia 1-4-2011

There are a couple of ways to look at this issue in Florida:
1. Decades of concurrency, coupled with big time population growth = inevitable expansion (sprawl) over time, often only limited by the ocean or everglades or commuter willpower.
2. Decades of concurrency, coupled with all sorts of theoretical review constraints at the government level (all of which are compromised in one way or another by politicians, not so much technocrats), along with continuous population growth = inevitable expansion (sprawl) over time.
3. Allowing leapfrog development while at the same time demanding concurrency in infrastructure does set a precedent that results in infill suburban development (aka- sprawl). This also promotes massively expensive infrastructure expansion that will require long term maintenance.

No I'm not advocating growth boundaries, but I am suggesting that we give adjacency (or contiguity) a try.

Now if the will of the people is to allow sprawl, then we shall enforce that will and smile while we do it, because after all, aren't planners all about supporting the public, no matter how irrational they might act?

[Cismontane]

no matter how irrational they might act?

yes, but isn't the current governor a borderline teabagger, who probably wants to get rid of the DRI process and concurrency because he thinks they're overregulation and a tax? I doubt he's going to propose to replace them with real growth boundaries or some other form of progressive regulation. As likely, he just wants to do a few favors for his developer and landowner buddies... some of whom probably own land outside of the state's existing (and essentially meaningless) Urban Growth Boundaries program.

[Richmond Jake]

The writer of this story is wrong. Billy has not worked for St. Joe for around two years. He left St. Joe before they let him go. I know Billy. I've worked with Billy. He'll do the right thing. I think he's a guy we can trust. I feel good about this appointment.

....Late in the day, (Governor) Scott named Billy Buzzett, the vice president of strategic planning for the St. Joe Company, a major developer, as secretary of the Department of Community Affairs....

Here's the full story.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,3938100.story

[OfficialPlanner]

http://www.news-journalonline.com/op...-planning.html

Put flexibility in state planning

EDITORIAL


The change in administrations in Tallahassee seems to have caused an attitude adjustment at the Department of Community Affairs. Under the leadership of Gov. Rick Scott's appointee, Billy Buzzett, the agency is showing more willingness to work with local officials to resolve land-use disputes such as the one that has tied up the Farmton plan in Volusia and Brevard counties.

Recently, Volusia County officials met with Buzzett and his staff in Tallahassee. The DCA staff made recommendations that could lead to an agreement between the county, the state and the Miami Corp., the owners of the 59,000-acre tract. The current give-and-take contrasts with DCA's approach during the previous administration, county officials told The News-Journal. Last year, DCA rejected the county-approved plan to change the land-use designation for Farmton, setting into motion administrative hearings in which DCA witnesses contended the proposed new development would disrupt wildlife corridors and cause unacceptable urban sprawl.

A court decision is pending in the Volusia and Brevard cases, but the new DCA leaders and county officials have agreed to put the cases on hold while the parties try to work out a settlement...



http://www.review.net/section/detail...ave-1-billion/

Scott wants to save $1 billion

February 01, 2011

Gov. Rick Scott hopes to save taxpayers $1 billion over two years by eliminating potentially duplicative parts of state government, and by consolidating and reorganizing several other government functions.

Scott will recommend that the Department of Community Affairs be shut down when he delivers his budget proposal to the state legislature on Monday, and that its functions be reassigned to other parts of the state government, a statement said.

[jeafl]

Having worked in Broward County for a short 3 years, the only apparent barrier to development in South Florida was the Atlantic Ocean, Everglades and farming interests, not those silly "growth" management rules and laws you cite. Just my take on this issue now that I've had a bit of time to digest the whole experience. I'd like to hear someone from Jacksonville/Orlando/Tampa/St. Pete/Miami/Palm Beach County/Ft. Myers/Naples dispute what I just said....with a straight face and educated eye I dare you....he he he.....

Things are little different in Jacksonville. Urban growth is not as easy as you found it to be downstate. We do have the St. Johns River and Orange Park to contend with.

[OfficialPlanner]

Some of the legislation being floated around the legislature is going to equate to a lot of unemployed planners in this state.

On a side note, I wonder if more urban infill development will start to appear (in addition to the non-stop sprawl) now that growth management rules have been gutted.

[Richmond Jake]

Growth management in Florida has been gutted. The legislature has passed the law and Gov. Scott is expected to sign it.

http://www.floridaplanning.org/legislative/index.asp

[beach_bum]

Growth management in Florida has been gutted. The legislature has passed the law and Gov. Scott is expected to sign it.

http://www.floridaplanning.org/legislative/index.asp

wow

..........

[Richmond Jake]

Touched bases again with the Secretary on Friday.

"Hey, RJ how you doing?"
"Great, Billy, how you been?....opps, sorry, I mean Mr. Secretary...."

You should have seen the look on this face when I corrected myself....classic. Billy in khaki colored pants and a blue button-down oxford shirt....classic.

Rule 9-J-5 is gone... eliminated.

He told us that when DCA gets absorbed into the new department of economic opportunity, he is gone. October 1st?

[The One]

I'd like to welcome Florida to Arizona

[Cismontane]

I'd like to welcome Florida to Arizona

well.. check out this ULI article:

http://urbanland.uli.org/Articles/20...ampaign=051611

Of the top 10 metros for retirees, 8 are in FL, 2 are in AZ. Bradenton-Sarasota - a metro of 700,000, is nearly 20% retirees. Unplanned and unchecked sprawl for the elderly: the future of America's communities for the least mobile.

[Richmond Jake]

On June 2nd, Gov. Rick Scott sign into law the amendments to Florida's growth management act. Chief among the changes:

* Eliminates the Dept. of Community Affairs--the state's land use agency. Community Affairs becomes part of the new Dept. of Economic Opportunity, but in a much smaller capacity.
* Unlimited number of large-scale plan amendments to the future land use map and comprehensive plan (previously limited to two cycles per year).
* No requirement for a "needs" analysis for amendments.
* State agencies that review plan amendments are limited to review of impacts to "important" state resources and facilities.
* All jurisdictions may opt out of concurrency for transportation, schools, and parks but must still meet level of service standards.

In short, the shift is toward more local control on land use decisions and less oversight from Tallahassee. Growth management is still required in Florida.

Here's an opinion from today's Orlando Sentinel.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/orl...ut-growth.html