1000 Friends Recognized for Grassroots Initiatives

We are pleased to share that 1000 Friends will receive American Planning Association (APA) Florida’s Award of Excellence for Grassroots Initiatives. APA Florida will present this award at its annual statewide conference of professional planners on September 4 in Tampa.   “We are gratified to get this recognition from APA Florida,” said 1000 Friends President Paul Owens. “Educating Floridians to participate knowledgeably and effectively in the community planning process is our top goal.” Established in 1986 to support managing growth in one of the fastest growing states in the nation, 1000 Friends of Florida’s mission statement notes: Above all, we strive to give citizens a meaningful role in shaping the futures of their communities and state. We at 1000 Friends take this mission to heart. For more than two decades we have focused on supporting an informed cadre of “citizen planners” to provide meaningful input at the local, regional, and state levels. Through free webinars, landmark studies depicting the impacts of population growth and development on our lands and waters, legislative advocacy, special reports, a robust “clearinghouse” website, and more, 1000 Friends prioritizes empowering Florida’s citizens to engage in their planning process. Here are some of the highlights: Dr. John M. DeGrove Webinars – Since 2011, close to 45,000 attendees have participated in our more than 120 free Florida-specific webinars which feature recognized leaders sharing strategies to build better communities and save special places.  Legislative Advocacy – Each session we maintain a user-friendly webpage to track key legislation, conduct legislative preview, update, and wrap up webinars, and send regular email updates to close to 20,000 contacts with updates and calls to action when relevant. Visioning – In partnership with the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, our 2040/2070 studies depict the potential impact of millions of new residents and sea level rise on Florida’s natural and agricultural lands and waters and have served as the basis for ten county-specific workshops, with four more planned in coming months. Website – Our robust website serves as a clearinghouse for all things planning in Florida, including citizen-friendly information on conserving Florida’s lands and waters, supporting sustainable and resilient communities, fostering community engagement, and more.  Special Reports – We prepare concise planning reports on a host of topics, post them on our website, and share widely to make planning issues understandable to a larger audience.  Traditional and Social Media – We amplify our message through traditional and social media and, according to the media platform Meltwater, articles and information by or about 1000 Friends and our planning work had a reach of almost 1.8 billion over the last year.  In all we do, we attempt to crystallize the key issues, offer workable solutions, and provide step-by-step strategies to spur change.   We embrace innovative technologies and traditional grassroots tools to promote shared values such as quality of life, clean drinking water, and fiscal responsibility.  We believe that 1000 Friends’ multifaceted grassroots initiatives have, collectively, elevated awareness of the importance of sound planning, citizen engagement, and sustainability throughout Florida.  We thank the highly respected APA Florida for this recognition. We also are indebted to Florida friends like you who partner with us to bring about positive change in one of the fastest growing states in the nation. With appreciation for all you do, Vivian Young, AICP

The 2023 Florida Legislative Session

 A few slides from the 1000 Friends of Florida's May 17 Review of Florida's 2023 legislative session.

Bills passed: 

ESG Invesments explained

Bills that should have passed, but didn't:

This legislative failure is why a Right to Clean Water Amendment needs to be in the Florida Constitution.

Tallahassee is about to destroy our right to protect Florida

1000 Friends of Florida says: 

SB 540, “Local Government Comprehensive Plans,” and its counterpart in the Florida House of Representatives, HB 359, have moved rapidly through the legislative process, with only one committee stop left in the Senate. Join us in calling for Senate leadership to stop SB 540 from being placed on the Rules Committee agenda and shut down this bad bill. More here.

Why is this crucial? Let's remember:

Rick Scott

'RedTideRick' defanged Florida's Regional Planning Councils, depriving them of enforcement power over large scale developments. This power had kept DRI's (Developments of Regional Impact) from their worst excesses.

 Scott also extinguished the Dept of Community Affairs (DCA). 

Without those regional and state regulatory layers, the only thing standing between Carlos, Pat, Randy, Rex and their unlimited ambitions was local government. So Carlos, Pat, Randy and Rex bought the Sarasota and Manatee Boards. 

That left only We the People to oppose developments with bad impacts. 

When (if) SB 540 and House Bill 359 pass, if we file suit to oppose a terrible project, like building right alongside wetlands, the state and DeSantis will make us liable for huge attorney fees. 

The Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association says 

"HELP US STOP SB 540"

Click here to oppose SB 540 and HB 359

1000 Friends: Approve citizens' plan for Old Miakka

Editor's note: Excellent letter from 1000 Friends of Florida explaining the reasons why a citizens' initiative to preserve the rural heritage land of Old Miakka is valid and should be approved. It also offers a brief overview of ways in which developers have vitiated the core principles of Sarasota's 2050 Comprehensive Plan through a subtle war of attrition. The letter was received in draft form. Passages with key points have been bolded for emphasis and schoolhouse image added.

The citizens' amendment is set for a public hearing at the Sarasota County Commission on Wednesday Sept. 23 at 1:30 pm.  

September 16, 2020

Sarasota County Commissioners

Chairman Mike Moran mmoran@scgov.net

Nancy Detert ncdetert@scgov.net

Charles Hines chines@scgov.net

Al Maio amaio@scgov.net

Christian Ziegler cziegler@scgov.net

Re: Support for CPA 2019C

Dear Sarasota County Commissioners:

On behalf of 1000 Friends of Florida, the state’s leading smart growth management advocacy organization, we respectfully request that you APPROVE CPA -2019C.  

How we got here: The rollback amendments to the 2050 Plan

Back in September of 2014, our organization reached out to you and commended the county’s history of robust comprehensive planning dating back to the John Nolen plan of 1925.  ndeed, the county was the recipient of a Charter Award from the Congress for New Urbanism for the Sarasota 2050 Comprehensive Plan. But our congratulatory stance pivoted with the proposed major amendments that were being proposed for the the county’s 2050 Plan that sought to roll back the provisions that would protect the quality of life for residents and increase taxpayer expenses for infrastructure improvement associated with new development. 

Hamlets = Urban Sprawl

A primary concern back in 2014 was the loosening of development standards for Hamlets.  The Hamlet land use form outside of your Urban Service Boundary Area (USBA) was originally designed to accommodate new growth in a sustainable and innovative manner. Limits on residential capacity were established and density and intensity of use were to be derived by removing the Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) on Environmentally Sensitive Land as well as other rural and open land uses.  It sounded reasonable and was embraced as a form of new urbanism. 

But those visionary intentions were rolled back through a series of major amendments creating an easy pathway to urban sprawl.  Indeed, your own planning staff has explicitly noted that, “Hamlet designation is urban sprawl.”  The rollbacks allowed for limited development within greenways and/or open space areas, reduction of open space, reduction of buffers, and the elimination of protective, recorded conservation easements that contradict the requirement that there be a clear separation between rural and open spaces as well as the protection of native habitats.  The rollbacks also weakened requirements that communities be walkable, include a mixture of uses and, significantly, they reduced open space.  Density bonuses were offered to developers in return for affordable housing that was already required under existing law.  In short, the rollback amendments eviscerated whatever visionary planning that the hamlets land use form had originally contemplated in the initial adoption of the 2050 Plan.

Fiscal Neutrality: Needed now more than ever

What Sarasota residents are left with instead is a “Sprawl Land Use Form” that has the net effect of promoting costly, sprawling development and violates your fiscal neutrality requirement.  Fiscal neutrality requires that new development pay for itself. 

The proposed CPA 2019-C seeks to correct that expensive issue because there is far less fiscal impact to the County’s coffers from the Rural Heritage/Estate form of development than what is currently allowable under the 2050 Plan (and the fiscal impacts to taxpayers will only be exacerbated if CPA 2018-C is adopted as it seeks a tripling in density).  As staff has noted, these lands are not developable in the form of Hamlet Land Use without the financial assistance afforded through a utility extension easement agreement with the County fronting the costs of utilities installation, among other burdensome expenses that the county will have to shoulder to accommodate Hamlet sprawl.  This is failed fiscal neutrality.

Compatibility of land uses 

As you know, CPA 2019-C seeks a re-designation of Village/Open Space Resource Management Area (RMA) to Rural Heritage/Estate RMA.  The change would apply to the easternmost 6,000 acres in northern Sarasota County, as far from the urban corridor as possible.  The amendment would eliminate the density incentive that is currently an option (and part of the rollbacks noted above).  Density would be limited to 0.2DU/acre (1DU/5ac) rather than an optional 0.4DU/acre.  It should be noted that none of the landowners in the affected 6,000 acres were seeking a rezoning at the time this amendment application was filed. 

The objective in the amendment is to establish a land use designation that closely maintains the rural character of the land uses in the Miakka Community area.  Under your 2050 Plan, the RMAs are designed to preserve and strengthen existing communities.  Communities are defined by their history, natural boundaries and service areas.  It is undisputed that the Hamlet overlay protrudes into the Community of Old Miakka.  Fixing this incompatible land use is appropriate and necessary.  CPA 2019-C accomplishes that requisite fix.

Publicly initiated comprehensive plan amendments

Finally, there has been considerable debate about the process for this citizen-based comprehensive plan amendment.  Initially, when reviewing this proposed amendment, this is the single issue I focused on.  The substantive factors in favor of the amendment were all highly meritorious, but after over two decades of litigating land use cases in Florida, I was surprised that this was an option.  I examined the process carefully to determine if it was reasonable and afforded procedural due process.  I concluded that it does, primarily because of the procedural protections put in place by the County.

Publicly initiated CPAs are insulated from random attempts by residents to force land use changes on property they don’t own.  That is because all publicly initiated CPAs require a series of steps to safeguard private property owners.  First, County staff works with the citizen group that obtains the requisite 20 signatures to establish a proposed scope for the amendment.  Much like when staff meets with developer applicants, potential issues with moving forward are identified, flagged and discussed. Then, a public workshop on the proposed scope is required.  All affected landowners are welcome to participate.  The matter is then placed on a Planning Commission agenda, publicly noticed and public comment is taken.  

At that stage, the Planning Commission makes a recommendation on whether the proposed amendment should be processed.  In the event the proposed amendment gets a recommendation to proceed with processing, it then moves up to the County Commission, again for another publicly noticed hearing where the recommendation from the Planning Commission is considered and public comment is received.  Only then does the County Commission make a decision on whether or not to proceed with processing review of the CPA application.  This regulatory pathway is certainly more rigorous than what developer-initiated CPAs must endure.  In this case, CPA-2019C passed muster with the County Commissioner at all levels and the application became a County initiated Comprehensive Plan Amendment and was sent to the Planning Department Development Review Coordination (DRC) staff, which then provided comments.  

This innovative process is a highly responsive mechanism that affords the citizens of Sarasota County a pathway to implementing quality-of-life planning options, all while being subjected to rigorous review of county controls.  For these reasons, not only do we find the citizen-based CPA process to be procedurally reasonable, we commend Sarasota County for affording its residents a robust voice in growth management.

For all the reasons set forth above, 1000 Friends of Florida strongly urges you to approve CPA 2019C.  Please include this letter of support for the amendment in the agenda package for the upcoming hearing scheduled on September 23, 2020.  Thank you.

Respectfully,

Jane West, Esq.

Policy & Planning Director, 1000 Friends of Florida

cc: 

County Attorney, Frederick Elbrecht, Esq. felbrecht@scgov.net

County Planner, Vivian Drawneek vdrawneek@scgov.net

Model letter opposing SB 410

Skye Ranch off of Clark Rd. in Sarasota 

While Covid19 might have put a hold on building large housing developments like "Skye Ranch" in Sarasota County, it hasn't slowed the progress of the state legislature. 

A bill on its way to Governor Ron DeSantis's desk would hamper the ability of local governments to create their own comprehensive plans, annex land, and initiate other land use actions.

Sierra Club Florida says: SB 410 is a bill that will further weaken Florida’s already crippled growth management laws that attempt to provide for the intelligent use of the state’s lands. SB 410 passed both the Florida House and Senate and will go to Gov. DeSantis to become law UNLESS he vetoes it. 

SB 410  The bill is here. If passed, it would

• Turn growth management upside down.
• Eliminate the applicability of county-wide land use regulations to cities in the county, if the city has adopted its own comp plan. 
• Require new “property rights” element to be included in all comprehensive plans.
• Require automatic approval of utility application to use right-of-way if 14-day deadline is not met (regardless of impact on community)

1000 Friends of Florida, the Herald Tribune, Sierra, and many other organizations are asking Governor DeSantis to veto this bill - which would in part, they say, clear the way for high-density development in designated rural areas. More on this here.


>>Please call Gov. DeSantis at 850-488-7146 and urge him to veto SB 410.<<

Here's a model letter with the Governor's email address:

Dear Governor DeSantis, 

SB 410 would curtail the authority of most county governments to manage growth within their borders, making residents more vulnerable to negative impacts to their environment, quality of life, property values and tax bills. The amended bill would allow county controls to be superseded by municipalities. It could clear the way for high-density development in designated rural areas. 

Please veto this bill. 

Your name
Address
Phone 

Send to governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com

----

Another letter:

Dear Governor DeSantis, 

SB 410 would curtail the authority of most county governments to manage growth within their borders, making residents more vulnerable to negative impacts to their environment, quality of life, property values and tax bills. 

The amended bill would allow county controls to be superseded by municipalities. 

This bill could clear the way for high-density development in designated rural zoning areas.  

Urban sprawl does not belong in rural lands. Deforestation destroys critical habitats, open space and quality of life. The creation of Impervious surface causes storm water run off pollution in water resources and increases the heat island effect.   

Overdevelopment is in fact the #1 cause of climate change and sealevel rise in Florida. 

Florida's citizens pay three times for over-development, through loss of our natural heritage and environment, the cost of infrastructure and then again to clean up the mess developers leave behind. 

Please protect our state and citizens by veto of SB 410.  

Sincerely, 

Your name
Address
Phone

Send to governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com

Grand Lakes draws two lawsuits for "promoting sprawl"

PRESS RELEASE -- August 13, 2018


Citizens’ Group Files Two Lawsuits to 
Stop Pat Neal’s Grand Lakes 2050 Village Development

Two lawsuits filed against Sarasota County on Friday, August 10, 2018, by a group of affected neighbors will likely put a 1,100 home subdivision in east Sarasota County on hold.

The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners approved the Neal Village development, known as Grand Lakes, on July 11, 2018, in a series of 4-1 votes.  Casting the dissenting votes, Commissioner Charles Hines asked: “Where is the walkability?  Where is the compatibility?  Where is the connectivity with the larger overall village?”

The 2050 Village concept is an optional development framework that permits additional density.  This extra density is in exchange for  public benefits that guide development in the rural areas east of I-75 into compact, mixed-use, pedestrian friendly villages by protecting large areas of open space, and ensuring that supporting infrastructure is paid for by the development.

A large group of Serenoa, Serenoa Lakes and nearby large lot homeowners, along with Twin Lakes Park users, presented their objections during the public hearings leading up to the commissioners’ July decisions.

Developer Pat Neal

The citizens group says that Pat Neal’s privately initiated comprehensive plan amendment, which enabled the rezoning to proceed, violates the county’s long-range growth plan. They also say the rezoning itself violates several of the county’s zoning regulations.

The comprehensive plan amendment lawsuit requests that the State of Florida hold an administrative hearing to find that the Neal amendment is inconsistent with the other goals, objectives, and policies in the county’s comprehensive plan because eliminating the village mixed-use requirement promotes urban sprawl.

Eliminating the mixed-use requirement was previously considered in 2014 during a public initiative known as 2050 Revisited. At that time, several large landowners and developers, including Neal, proposed eliminating the mixed-use center. County staff rejected the developers’ proposal because staff’s analysis determined that, without direct access to a commercial center, a core 2050 plan principle would be violated.

Grand Lakes Map

Nothing has changed since 2014.  Nevertheless, when Neal proposed eliminating the mixed-use requirement as a privately processed amendment, the 2018 county staff reported that they had no objections and recommended approval.

The second (rezoning) lawsuit asks the Sarasota County Circuit Court to reverse the rezoning approval because the Grand Lakes application did not satisfy the protected open space and non-residential use requirements in the county’s village zoning regulations.

The petitioners’ attorney, Ralf Brookes, says the outcome could have major implications throughout the county for future 2050 village development.

The Manatee-Sarasota Sierra Club, a leading environmental group, and 1000 Friends of Florida, Inc., a leading smart growth advocate, see the merits of the lawsuits and are providing financial support and legal assistance in the Grand Lakes challenges.

David Anderson, spokesperson for the petitioners, says, “It is a shame when citizens have to dig into their own pockets just to make sure the planning officials follow their own rules.  It is very discouraging that the commissioners ignored the merits of our arguments and approved the Grand Lakes proposals, so, our only recourse available is very costly litigation.”

For more information contact:

David Anderson, President, Serenoa Lakes,
941-921-9302  mdanderson4@verizon.net