URGENT: Weakening Citizens’ Challenge to Local Development Decisions

April 1, 2011 1 Comment

I bring this matter to your attention, and especially to those who are concerned about ensuring organized community development and protection of the environment.

Please Call the Members of the Senate Environment and Preservation Committee and Oppose SB 1122
April 1, 2011

Senate Bill 1122–Your calls are needed to oppose the damaging Senate Bill 1122. While this bill establishes Alternative State Review as the amendment process and keeps language more favorable for citizen challenges to inappropriate local development decisions it still has a number of damaging provisions. It eliminates Rule 9J-5, thus eliminating years of favorable legal rulings regarding citizens’ rights to challenge local development decisions, urban service boundaries and other critical issues. It removes local government authority to require supermajority votes on development decisions, and has numerous other provisions of concern. Click herefor technical comments on the bill. Please call the members of the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee and tell them to oppose this damaging bill which undermines Florida’s growth management process.

Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee

To find out more about what’s happening this session, please visit 1000 Friends atwww.1000friendsofflorida.org.

 

Filed under Business and Commerce, Economy, Florida, Housing, Miami-Dade County

About Stephen E. McGaughey
Resident of the City of Coral Gables

One Response to URGENT: Weakening Citizens’ Challenge to Local Development Decisions

  1. Virginia Key says:
    May 5, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    Stop FL Senate from allowing dredging in Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve

    The Senate may soon take up a vote on HB 991 – considered by many in the conservation community as a “polluter’s dream come true.” It provides for dredging in the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, exempts phosphate mining from the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process, and expedites wetlands destruction permitting for an inland port in the Everglades Agricultural Area. On top of all that, it shifts the burden of proof to any citizen who challenges a license, permit, or conceptual approval

    In Biscayne Bay, here’s what it would do:

    –Undo Biscayne Bay’s hardship rule allowing dredge and fill operations in Biscayne Bay’s wetlands. Right now, Biscayne Bay’s 2 aquatic preserves are the most protected aquatic preserve of all 41 with a special provision to prohibit development on publicly owned lands.

    –not require permits to maintenance dredge even if the area was previously undisturbed.

    –allow turbidity (150 meters from dredge) which would significantly disturb our resources

    –contains several action items to make it easier for ports to dredge and conduct other activities with little to no regulation, even in Outstanding Florida Waters like Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve.

    Contacts:

    Miami-Dade Delegation of Senators

    Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R ) portilla.miguel.web@flsenate.gov (305) 643-7200 (850) 487-5109 Senator Larcenia Bullard (D) bullard.larcenia.web@flsenate.gov (305) 668-7344 (850) 487-5127Miami Senator Anitere Flores (R ) flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov (305) 270-6550; (850)487-5130

    Senators: Senator Oscar Braynon (D) braynon.oscar.web@flsenate.gov (305)654-7150 (850)487-5116 (888) 284-8589 Gwen Margolis (D) margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov (305) 571-5777 (850) 487-5121 (305) 668-7346 Senator Rene Garcia (R ) garcia.rene.web@flsenate.gov (305)824-5058 (850)487-5106 305) 364-3110

    Articles:

    Monster Bill passing house article from Miami Herald this weekend: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/29/2193415/fla-house-passes-environmental.html

    Harvey Ruvin (Miami-Dade’s Clerk of Court) article on protecting Biscayne Bay from Sunday: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/30/2193269/biscayne-bay-threatened-by-tallahassee.html

    Fred Grimm on why HB 991 would devastate Florida’s environment and Biscayne Bay. http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/03/2197722_stomping-out-the-frogs.html#storylink=addthis

    Let’s not go back to this: “For most of Florida’s history, up until the mid 1960s, our state was

    treated like a commodity. If you didn’t like it you changed it: land

    into water; water into land. The business of the state was business, and

    our enormous natural resources were just another input. The quality and

    safety of our coasts, fresh waters, open lands and the Everglades were
    regularly and enthusiastically sacrificed.” Senator Bob Graham

Leave a comment