FL Department of Community Affairs Demise

In Not Reauthorizing DCA, Legislature Widens Debate on Amendment 4

Published Tuesday, May 11, 2010 2:15 am

by Dennis Maley

BRADENTON -- In the final days of its recent legislative session, the Florida House of Representativesdeclined to hear a routine bill to reauthorize the Department of Community Affairs. The DCA is Florida's land planning and community development agency. It ensures that new growth complies with the state's vital growth management laws and oversees requests to make changes to local comprehensive plans.

Failing to reauthorize the department is seen by many as an attack intended to reduce its influence and has given proponents of Amendment 4 fresh ammunition for this fall's vote. The Hometown Democracy Amendment seeks to add a vital step to the current process of changing comprehensive land plans. If passed, the local commission would still study, hold hearings and vote on proposed changes, but citizen's would be able to approve or veto such changes by way of referendum at the next regularly scheduled election.

Florida Hometown Democracy is a political action committee focused on promoting the amendment. Its founder, Lesley Blackner, feels the slight to the DCA makes their argument that much stronger.

"The Legislature makes the case for why we need to pass Amendment 4 on Election Day this fall,” said Blackner. “Politicians rubber stamped so many developments for Big Business that they crashed our economy with over-building. Now they want to eliminate the state agency that oversees growth.”

Blackner stresses the idea that no special elections would be required and that it would only apply to changes to the overall master plan and not routine zoning issues already authorized by the plan in place.

“We voters need a seat at the table so we can have some oversight on this “pay-to-play” politics – especially if the legislature plans to do away with the state’s land planning agency. What we’re saying with Amendment 4 is – since we, the existing residents, pay our tax dollars to extend fire, police, roads, water, sewer, and school services to these new, sprawling developments; we should get to weigh in. We should get a vote before we’re forced to pay.”