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Leveling The Playing Field With Developers

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 11, 2008

Updated: 02/10/2008 05:44 pm

Rampant growth and uncontrolled development are forever changing the face of Florida. Elected officials, business leaders, and others need to take action, before our state's quality of life and rich natural resources are damaged beyond repair. 1000 Friends of Florida is calling on state leaders to empower Floridians to play a greater role in planning for the future of their communities. 1000 Friends has outlined a "Citizen Bill of Rights," which would give the people of Florida:

• The Right to Shape Changes to Your Neighborhood, Community, and Region. Developers are required to prepare a citizen participation plan, notify impacted property owners and neighborhood associations (using formal lists compiled by the local government), and conduct developer workshops with citizens to identify all issues of concern prior to any public hearing. The developer must then present to the commission a list of all issues raised, and indicate if and how they were resolved. Unresolved issues then become the focus of discussion, rather than an afterthought covered in two or three minutes of public testimony.

•The Right to a Process Free of Last Minute Changes. Comprehensive plan amendments cannot be changed in the seven days prior to the advertised public hearing. This allows citizens, commissioners, and others to fairly evaluate the document and not be subject to an endless "shell game" of last minute changes.

• The Right to a Supermajority Vote on Major Decisions. It shall be easier to require a "super majority" vote for many types of comprehensive plan amendments that directly impact on growth and development decisions.

• The Right to More Easily Challenge Decisions Made by Your Local Government. Current citizen standing and legal-review standards shall be improved to make the process more equitable, quicker and less costly.

• The Right to be Free of Fear of Unwarranted Legal Retaliation. In order to promote more active involvement, private citizens and organizations shall be shielded from any developer-initiated SLAPP suits.

Florida's population and developed land are projected to double over the next 50 years, and the state faces many uncertainties due to the impacts of rampant sprawl, the loss of rural lands, and climate change. Now, more than ever, Florida needs a visionary and workable planning process.

1000 Friends is urging the Department of Community Affairs and the 2008 Legislature to begin enacting these provisions. We are pleased that DCA Secretary Tom Pelham has incorporated many of these recommendations into the preliminary draft of his proposed "Citizen Planning Bill of Rights," to be presented to the Legislature this session. Please help by contacting your state legislators and asking them to do their part to empower the citizens of Florida, before our state's natural beauty and quality of life are lost forever.

Charles G. Pattison, AICP, is President of 1000 Friends of Florida. 1000 Friends was founded in 1986 to serve as this state's not-for-profit growth management "watchdog." Charles G. Pattison, AICP, is President of 1000 Friends of Florida. 1000 Friends was

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