Big Vote On Florida's Future
Business interests and politicians are sounding the alarm over an upcoming ballot initiative.
Amendment 4, backed by Florida Hometown Democracy, has stirred heated debate as the November vote nears. Proponents say amendment 4 will place a check on unfettered growth (before the downturn). Opponents say the amendment will kill job growth and infringes on property rights. After three failed attempts to get on the ballot, supporters got the signatures necessary to get on this November’s ballot, so both sides are making their case in the remaining months to election time.
What’s #4?
Amendment 4 reads, “before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land-use plan (comp plan), or amend a comp plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency, consideration by the governing body, and notice to the public.” In other words, if you are a land owner and a business is interested in buying your land to build a facility for a use that requires a change to the comp plan, the public must first vote during the next election to approve the building of the facility. Special elections can be called, but the developer would have to cover the cost of the election.
One can imagine the outcry from property rights advocates, but the group behind the ballot argues that too many local governments do not respect a comp plan that all counties and municipalities already have in place by law. They argue all wealthy developers have to do is persuade the majority of a city or county commission to grant their requested change, resulting in unplanned, runaway growth, overcrowded roads, depleted water supply, rising taxes, and reduced quality of life.
However, Congressman Adam Putnam warns the amendment will be a job killer. Putnam also is a leading candidate for Florida Agriculture Commissioner. “The bottom line is putting every comp plan change up to a vote of the people will place a skull and crossbones on Florida in terms of being a place to do business,” he says. “In my view, it will extend the real estate recession and will have a profound effect on land values, which, of course, impacts agriculture.
“The practical effect of this could be to trap the existing land use for a property into that use forever. That would eliminate all future options for families who may require changes in their property uses as family circumstances change.”
Consider a citrus grower heading toward retirement who may want to cash out the value of his property near development. That land would have to be re-zoned from agricultural to commercial or residential, requiring an amendment to the comp plan. In effect, the growers’ private property would be in the hands of voters.
If amendment 4 is adopted, Florida would become the guinea pig for a measure that has never been adopted in any other state in the country. However, the small Florida town of St. Pete Beach adopted a local version of amendment 4 in 2006. Since then, the town has seen fewer jobs, higher tax rates, and endless litigation at taxpayer expense.
“Our experiment in amendment 4 has turned St. Pete Beach into a battleground for special interests,” says Ward Friszolowski, the former Mayor of St. Pete Beach. “And, at a time of economic hardship, it has caused extraordinary damage to our economy.”
Real Life Examples
Supporters of amendment 4 argue opponents are trying to use scare tactics to get people to vote no on the amendment. On its website, Hometown Democracy notes it covers only comprehensive plan changes. It does not cover re-zonings, variances, permits, or annexations.
According to Butch Calhoun, director of government relations for FFVA, that assertion can be misleading and he provides a personal example. “I live in Wakulla County, bought my home on a 5-acre track, and bought surrounding lots with the intention of putting that property into agriculture uses,” says Calhoun. “It was zoned residential, so I had to go before the county commission and ask it to be re-zoned to ag uses.
“I had to go through the whole process and the commission had to amend the comp plan to approve my request. My attorney looked at my situation and said most definitely it would have had to have been voted on by the people under #4.”
Giles is editor of Florida Grower, a Meister Media Worldwide publication.
Comments (2)
(Thu Dec 22 04:57:19 2011)
If the comp plan had to be amended then it would have had to be voted on by the people - correct. Do you think that the people would have voted against you?? Amendment 4 will be put in place to stop the dilution of our property values and so we can get some politicians into office that want to be more than real estate fortune makers for their campaign contributors. Stop with the scare tactics and get to the truth. Vote YES on 4, the neighborhoods, water, and farms we save will be our own.
(Tue Sep 27 06:18:41 2011)
If the comp plan had to be amended then it would have had to be voted on by the people - correct. Do you think that the people would have voted against you?? Amendment 4 will be put in place to stop the dilution of our property values and so we can get some politicians into office that want to be more than real estate fortune makers for their campaign contributors. Stop with the scare tactics and get to the truth. Vote YES on 4, the neighborhoods, water, and farms we save will be our own.
