The report is 42 pages long and contains a brief executive summary, which I am reproducing in part. This report is advisory in nature and does not itself carry the force of binding law.

The intent of the following items is to set in motion a step-by-step process for the development of detailed building blocks of a new, stronger, more effective growth management program. The Commission believes that such a new program can be put in place successfully only after the key components described below have been fully developed through the legislative and agency rule making process. Pending the completion of work on development and adoption of the elements highlighted below, it is the intent of the Commission that the growth management process currently in place, remain fully in effect. The Commission then went on to recommend that the 2001 Legislature consider the following:

1. Revise the State Comprehensive Plan to more clearly establish a primary vision statement for Florida with a healthy, vibrant and sustainable economy as its priority.

2. Develop a uniform methodology for reviewing the costs and benefits of local land-use decisions.

3. Empower citizens to better understand and participate in the growth management process.

4. Focus the state’s review of local comprehensive plan amendments on those that implicate compelling state interests as designated by state agencies and reviewed and approved by the Legislature.

5. Design and implement regional cooperation agreements for developments with extra-jurisdictional impacts to eventually eliminate the DRI process.

6. Require that each local government adopt a financially feasible public school facilities element to reflect the integration of school board facilities, work programs and the future land-use element and capital improvement programs of local governments.

7. Authorize incentives for an effective urban revitalization policy, including dedicated sources of revenues for "fix-it-first" backlog of infrastructure needs in targeted infill areas.

8. Develop an incentive based state rural policy which restores rural land values and protects private property rights, including dedication of additional revenue for public purchase of conservation and agricultural easements and a special overlay of transferable density allocations for rural property to be used for the implementation of cluster development in appropriate locations.

Each one of these eight points is supported by a specific recommendation or a series of recommendations. The commission also comments on the current status of growth management regulation in Florida as perceived by the commission. Some of these observations are extremely interesting and pertinent to assist in gaining a better understanding of this topic.

The entire report, including 89 specific recommendations was completed and presented to state policymakers in time for consideration by the 2001 session of the Florida Legislature. The "Our Communities" page on the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Web site contains a section labeled "Overview of the 2001 Legislative Session from the Department of Community Affairs." The DCA Web site also lists a "2002 Legislative Summary" under the section for Division of Community Planning. Both represent interesting reading. Again, the DCA Web site is: www.dca.state.fl.us

Did you know that the state has authorized and the DCA has jointly designated the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County as "Sustainable Communities?" Only five local governments in Florida have been declared sustainable communities and next week I will review the intent of this legislation and the six broad principles of sustainability.

Send letters to: THE VOICE of SouthShore, P.O. Box 476, Ruskin, FL 33575-0476 or e-mail: arjaywolfe@earthlink.net or, phone 813-273-8976.

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