Sick of sprawl, voters deserve chance to stop it
May 16, 2007
By PAMELA WINCHESTER
Daytona Beach News Journal
COMMUNITY VOICE

As treasurer of Florida Hometown Democracy, I would like to clarify misinformation contained in the recent flurry of commentary about our proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution, and answer some of the questions.

First, it's no surprise that Eric Olsen, president of the Volusia Home Builders Association, is terrified by the idea of voters having the final say about whether or not they want more sprawl in their communities. I suspect a majority of us are angry and disgusted with what is happening to our once beautiful state.

His commentary shows that the development machine is worried about preserving the status quo.

For example, Olsen claims that the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment would kill job growth within the construction industry. In fact, a 1999 study added up all the growth already authorized by all the city and county comprehensive plans in Florida and found land allocated for housing more than 100 million people. Since then, there have been thousands of comprehensive plan amendments adding density. In fact, if we never amended a plan again, there is too much growth already allocated.

There will be plenty of low-paying jobs for the construction industry, yet they want more. We just went through the biggest real estate boom in Florida history. What did we get? Over-construction, speculation, foreclosures and rising property taxes. Not to mention more traffic, sprawl and resource depletion.

Olsen says he's worried about the inability of voters to understand votes on growth. These votes are political decisions, not brain surgery. Our Legislature and elected officials haven't gotten the job done, so I'll take my chances with Joe Voter any day to make good votes to protect Volusia County's future.

In another "Voices" commentary on the subject, Audubon President Charles Lee stated that Audubon hasn't endorsed the amendment because it still has too many questions, although he himself has signed the petition. First, Lee was mistaken when he said that land use planning is not mandated in the Florida Constitution and the Legislature can simply abolish it by passing a law. That is not so. Article III requires comprehensive land use planning.

Lee is also concerned that the amendment isn't clear about whether a year's worth of amendments will be rolled into one referendum. On the petition itself, in plain language, the amendment requires that "a" (singular) plan amendment shall be subject to referendum. They can't be log-rolled into a train like the Florida Legislature is so fond of doing with its constitutional amendment proposals.

Lee doesn't like those 5- to 10-acre sprawl-ettes in rural areas authorized by existing plans. Actually, since Florida law allows for decreasing densities in rural areas, why doesn't he propose that we cut the density in half? I'll bet many voters would be interested in that idea.

If you are a Florida voter and sick of the status quo of sprawl, as I am, go to www.floridahometowndemocracy.com or call 866-799-5513 for petitions. Together, we can put people back in charge of where they live and let voters vote on their community's growth.

Winchester lives in New Smyrna Beach.