Florida's Sierra Club Pursues Urban Growth Boundary

"Polk County's version of Florida Hometown Democracy may be on the November ballot even if the statewide version won't be.

State election officials decided that the growth-control measure known as the Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment didn't have enough verified signatures to make the November ballot.

However, a local group organized by Sierra Club activists is working out the details for a petition drive to seek a county charter amendment that would put a cap on residential development countywide and impose an urban growth boundary around cities to discourage sprawl.

John Ryan, a local Sierra activist, said he and other supporters are still working out legal and technical details before they launch the petition drive.

'By the end of next week we should have a game plan,' Ryan said."