Sunday, May 22, 2022

Now that developers are writing our Comp Plan, who needs regional planners?

Chairman Maio supports effort to detach counties from regional planning expertise:

In the 1980s, forward-seeing elected officials in Florida helped create a group of regional planning councils charged with the responsibility to take a wider view of planning and growth. They had the independent expertise to examine large development proposals and critique them, and the power to require developers to adhere to sound planning principles.

Under Gov. Jeb Bush the regulatory powers of the councils were weakened, then essentially removed by Gov. Rick Scott. 

The councils continue to provide regional perspective, population and traffic data and more to their member counties, but the rigorous effort to restrain growth in favor of quality of life, economic stability, and sustainable development is no longer a step in the approval of large developments (e.g. Hi Hat Ranch, Skye Ranch, Lakewood Ranch, etc.).

In a letter submitted for Board approval, Sarasota County Commission Chair Alan Maio supports a Lee County initiative to change state law regarding county commission attendance and participation in Regional Planning Council meetings from mandatory to "permissive" status. If the measure passes, counties basically would no longer need to participate or benefit from regional planning advisories unless they felt like it. 

Earlier this year, the Board enthusiastically agreed to have developers Rex Jensen and Pat Neal create a new component of our Comprehensive Plan - one which would allow Jensen to ignore constraints built into the plan.

The Comp Plan is the legal, binding vision of the people of Sarasota - or was, until this Board and its developer overlords begin to shred it. 

Here is the draft of Maio's letter attached to the Tuesday, May 24 Sarasota Board Agenda:



DRAFT 


May 24, 2022

The Honorable Cecil Pendergrass

Chairman,

Lee County Board of County Commissioners
P.O. Box 398
Fort Myers, FL 33902-0398

Dear Commissioner Pendergrass:

Thank you for your recent letter dated May 4, 2022, regarding the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC).

The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners has considered your request and authorized me as Chairman to advise you of our support of legislation amending Florida Statutes making membership in Regional Planning Councils permissive rather than mandatory.

This position will be included in our 2023 State Legislative Priorities which the Board will consider later this year.

Sincerely,

Alan Maio

Chairman

C: 
Sarasota County Commission
Jonathan R. Lewis, County Administrator
Robert R. Lewis, Director, Governmental Relations

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