Florida’s growth management program is struggling to keep up with the state’s rapid population growth. Citizen participation is important in finding solutions to this problem. A grassroots group called Florida Hometown Democracy wants to let voters decide on proposed changes to city and county plans. This has sparked a lot of debate. The 1985 Florida Growth Management Act was supposed to help control urban sprawl and involve citizens in planning for the future. But with so many people moving to Florida, the program is struggling to keep up. In 2000, Governor Jeb Bush wanted to change the laws about how cities grow. A commission studied the issue and said citizens should be more involved in the process. They also suggested that cities should create a plan for how they want to grow. But because of a lack of money and agreement, these ideas didn’t happen. NIMBYism, or “Not In My Backyard,” is when people don’t want changes to happen in their community. It can be for valid reasons, like wanting to protect the environment, or because of prejudice. But it can also stop helpful development from happening. Florida Hometown Democracy is trying to get more citizens involved in making decisions about development in their communities. They want to give people the power to say no to new projects that might affect their property value or the environment. But some people say this will just lead to more conflict and won’t actually help solve the problem of managing growth in the state. It could also make it harder for local governments to build new schools and other important facilities. Overall, it might cause more problems than it solves. The main problem is that most voters are too busy to care about local government and land issues. A new amendment could change that, but some think it’s not fair. A plan for citizens to have a say in development projects sounds like a good idea, and it could help bring the community together. But it’s important to make sure it’s done in a way that really involves the people and listens to their concerns from the beginning. Developers need to reach out to the community to get their approval for their projects. This can help avoid costly delays and negative media coverage. They can do this by meeting with community leaders, hosting neighborhood events, and creating materials to educate people about their project. This will help create a positive relationship with the community and make the approval process go more smoothly. The proposed amendment by Florida Hometown Democracy is causing a debate between emotions and careful decision-making. Former secretary Steve Seibert believes that the amendment won’t solve problems and will create new ones. NIMBYism is a local issue in Florida, but community outreach can help solve these problems and prevent extreme measures. Patrick Slevin, president of MediaMax Campaigns, thinks there are opportunities to build consensus and create a better future in Florida.
Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/a-discussion-nimby-ism-not-in-my-back-yardpart-one-nimbyism-a-mandate-for-citizen-participation/
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