Crist To Sign Controversial Growth Bill promoting sprawl

[StingingStick]

Just FYI, Governor Crist still has not signed this bill, nor vetoed it.  It's a bad deal for everybody but developers, plain and simple, so I urge everyone to call the Governor and ask him to veto SB 360.  If you're not sure why you should care, consider this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01EhpYxih_o

The environmental impacts are obvious but even if you, like me, don't necessarily consider yourself a tree-hugger, consider how much SB 360 will hit your pocketbook.  Consider that Hillsborough County records indicate it could deprive that county of up to 80% of its transportation infrastructure budget.  The same will be true for JAX and just about every other city and large county in the state.  That's billions in revenues lost statewide, and there's really only one place to make up for the lost money -- taxpayers.

Please call Gov. Crist at (850) 488-4441 and ask him to veto SB 360.  He has until June 2 (Tuesday) to sign or veto the bill -- even if he doesn't sign it by then, without his veto the bill will become law.

[thelakelander]

Update: He signed it and he "hopes" that it won't spur sprawl.

ADVOCATES: ECONOMY TO BENEFIT
Crist Signs Growth Bill; Critics Predict Sprawl

By Lloyd Dunkelberger & Joe Follick
& Joe Follick

Published: Monday, June 1, 2009 at 8:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, June 1, 2009 at 8:52 p.m.

TALLAHASSEE | Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Monday that critics say will weaken state growth-management laws, while supporters hailed the move as way to revive the state's economy.

The bill (SB 360) will ease requirements that communities have adequate roads in place before allowing developers to build new subdivisions or shopping malls. Supporters say by loosening the restrictions in urban areas it will help spur economic development that has been blocked by the transportation requirements.

But opponents, which include most major environmental groups and local governments, contend the bill will only worsen the state's already overburdened roadways and marks a significant retreat from the state's growth-management laws.

Crist said the hopes that the new law would encourage economic growth led him to sign the bill over concerns that it would open the door for unregulated sprawl.

"I hope that it doesn't," said Crist. "I've seen a lot of editorials that are trying to convince me otherwise. I'm trying to be balanced on it and I know that it is probably one of those bills where nobody is going to be overly happy on either side of the argument. So hopefully it's right down the middle and will be able to stimulate our economy and not do harm to our people of the state."

According to a memorandum from the Governor's Office, the new law will "incentivize entrepreneurs to undertake economic development projects in designated urban areas."

But critics charged the law's definition of an urban area - at 1,000 residents per square mile - was way too broad and would lift the transportation restrictions for areas encompassing 80 percent of the state's population.

The Florida Association of Counties, which opposed the bill, estimated it would remove the transportation requirements from eight urban counties - including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Orange, Broward and Miami-Dade counties - as well as in 220 cities - more than half of Florida's municipalities.

"Eliminating transportation concurrency will lead to Florida's residents and businesses actually suffering in the long run," Rodney Long, the Alachua County commissioner who is the counties' association president, wrote to Crist in a recent letter.

Long said the law will mean "congested areas will simply become gridlocked."

Additionally, the counties and other opponents criticized the law for lifting the review by state and regional regulators of major urban developments that impact nearby cities and counties.

Long said without the regional review, cities and counties that are affected by development decisions by their neighbors will lose a forum to raise those issues.

"The result will likely be endless challenges and lawsuits between communities impacted by the decisions of their neighbors," Long said.

While environmental groups and local governments opposed the law, business groups and the Realtors praised the governor's decision.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce called the measure "a thoughtful, reasoned package of legislation that will create jobs and get Florida moving again."

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090601/NEWS/906015031/1374?Title=Crist-Signs-Growth-Bill-Critics-Predict-Sprawl

[tufsu1]

This says it all

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1006369.ece

[JeffreyS]

Great article "Governor Gridlock" I wish I had been the first to say that.

[chipwich]

This could turn out to be a disaster and lead to very constrained capacity on local roadways. 

However, to play devil's advocate, holding off concurrency fees is going to do wonders in terms of encouraging new construction projects at a time when we really need it most.  Concurrency fees can be very cost prohibiting to projects who cannot afford the high fees levied by local municipalities.

I do not fully know how to feel about this bill.  I guess if it expires in a couple of years, I cannot see much harm coming from it.  It will provide a needed shot in the arm of real estate developers and businesses.  However, if it lasts too long, it will prove to be disastrous in terms of sprawl and infrastructure inadequacy.

[stjr]

Crist just jumped off a cliff for me with this one.  He has absolutely no backbone and is only interested in raising campaign contributions as he lets his ego drive him to seek "higher offices" no matter his fiduciary responsibilities to the citizens of Florida.  His "justification" sounds like he decided by just flipping a coin.

Environmental concerns aside, he just widened the State and Local government deficits by saddling them with another unfunded mandate which he is famous for (remember he wants world class education while cutting school funding and not allowing the State's universities to raise the nation's lowest tuition rates).  Now, more road building will be required with no concurrency fees, reduced property, sales, and corporate tax revenues, and no increased revenue proposals allowed.

From the State's standpoint, this is a boneheaded BUSINESS decision and we taxpayers will now just subsidize developers even more while "enjoying" a LOWER QUALITY OF LIFE due to uncontrolled growth and urban sprawl.

What's so hard to understand? This just sucks. 

[lindab]

DCA Hosting Two Events to Explain Impacts of SB 360

June 12 Virtual Forum with DCA Secretary Tom Pelham on Senate Bill 360

The Florida Department of Community Affairs will host an on-line event on June 12, 10:00 AM â€" Noon on the subject of Senate Bill 360, which became law on June 1, 2009.
· The program will focus primarily on the provisions of SB 360 relating to transportation concurrency and how these provisions affect local governments.
· The Secretary will present remarks and information about the new law, including DCA's interpretation and implementation plans.
· The floor will then be opened to questions from statewide participants.
· Questions may be submitted in advance of the event on-line or by email, through June 11. Questions may then be submitted live on-line.
· The event is free to the public and advance registration is encouraged but not required.
· Those who wish to listen in by phone rather than taking part on-line may do so as well. Speaker phones and cell phones are permitted.
To register for this timely event, go to: http://www.dcatechnicalassistance.com/Event_and_Replays.html. There you also will find an on-demand replay of the Secretary’s May 21 virtual forum on planning and growth management.

The registration link provides the opportunity to submit your questions early and to access information on the phone-in option. In addition, you will receive an automatic reminder by registering in advance.

Mark your calendars and register now to be a part of this important event on legislation affecting Florida communities.

[stjr]

Does anyone know if this law has a sunset provision?  If it doesn't, it will be very politically difficult to reinstate concurrency fees later when the economy rebounds and/or sprawl overcomes us because developers will yell "tax increase" and get away with it.  Even Congress was smart enough to sunset many of Bush's tax cuts knowing that they would not be sustainable at some point.  One really has to wonder who is elected that actually works for the taxpayers?  The more we see, the more apparent it is that elected officials are totally disconnected from their constituents.

[JeffreyS]

Governor Gridlock you hope it won't cause sprawl?  How much was the check?

[Charles Hunter]

It was mentioned in the Transit Chat that the bill has a provision allowing local gov'ts to enact "mobility fees" on developments.  Anybody know anything about this?  Any idea how a "mobility fee" compares to concurrency in revenue?

[YellowBluffRoad]

I keep reading that 220-270 cities and 8 counties (Duval, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Broward, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, but who else?) are now considered "urban areas" and transportation concurrency requirements have been eliminated from those areas. Does anyone have a link to a map of which cities and counties in  Florida are covered under their new definition of "urban area"?

[tufsu1]

the official list will be on the DCA website after Jul1....but I think there is a list there right now

www.dca.state.fl.us