A new acronym about growth and development is making the rounds. NIMBY — not in my back yard — sounds almost quaint compared with BANANA — build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone.
That could be one consequence of the Hometown Democracy movement. After years of collecting petition signatures, the organization won a place on the November 2010 ballot for a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voter approval of new county and city comprehensive plans and amendments.
Once the Florida Supreme Court struck down a state law allowing signers of citizen initiative petitions to revoke signatures, Secretary of State Kurt Browning certified the petitions as Amendment 4 in late June.
While many Floridians remain frustrated over the rampant development during the boom times, this amendment is an extreme overreaction that will swing the growth pendulum too far in the other direction. Amendment 4 will serve to throttle an economic recovery and compound unemployment.
With Florida already hard-hit with the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the past year — nearing the half million mark — this amendment is rightly called an “anti-jobs” and “vote on everything” attack on the state’s economy.
While the current system of comprehensive planning continues to be flawed, Amendment 4 will not correct the problem. Smart, planned growth is far superior to no growth.
Manatee County commissioners routinely alter the county’s comprehensive plan hundreds of times a year, sometimes for projects as small as the addition of a car wash to a convenience store and gas station. This Thursday alone, the Planning Commission will consider dozens of comp plan changes. Under this amendment, voters would be required to approve each and every one.
All the municipalities in the county also would be forced to hold comprehensive plan votes, at considerable expense to taxpayers.
This would result in nonstop political campaigns over each plan change and place an onerous burden on voters. Ballot-box frustration would ensue.
Under Amendment 4 , any influence that elected officials now have over development, such as making stipulations or negotiating compromises, could be lost as developers put completed plans directly onto the ballot.
St. Pete Beach instituted a similar planning referendum process after a citizens petition was passed in 2006. But experience proved a bitter pill as growth came to a halt. Voters reversed course after two years, passing a business-friendly initiative on comprehensive plans. But the anti-growth faction sued. Now the city is mired in an expensive court case over which set of development rules should apply.
Amendment 4, which must be approved by 60 percent of voters, is too draconian.
We elect county commissioners and city council members to work out comprehensive plan changes. Citizen input is a vital part of the process during the public hearings that are required. Officials often negotiate with developers for changes on behalf of constituents. Voters should be wary about losing that influence.
Instead of Amendment 4, voters should demand political candidates espouse smart growth management. And citizens should exercise their rights to express opinions during public hearings.
The amendment opposition — a coalition of more than 100 business, labor, community and environmental groups, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and 1000 Friends of Florida, — has united under the banner of Floridians for Smarter Growth. We can expect strong campaigns from both sides leading up to the 2010 vote.
The development industry will help Florida climb out of this economic hole. Amendment 4 will dig that hole deeper by thwarting growth.
