Florida Legislators Plan to Gut Growth Management Agency

"State legislators are pushing to dismantle the agency in charge of managing growth, arguing that it's standing in the way of reviving Florida's economy.

A proposal unveiled Monday for consideration by a House committee on Wednesday calls for taking the Department of Community Affairs apart, handing over nearly all of its duties to Secretary of State Kurt Browning.

The move is one of a host of measures proposed by lawmakers to stimulate the state's economy by loosening the rules on construction permitting. Other proposals include eliminating impact fees designed to make developers pay for roads, sewers and schools needed for growth, and cutting in half the time allowed for reviewing permits for wiping out wetlands.

Environmental activists say speculation-fueled development, not government regulation, is what caused Florida's economic downfall. State figures show there are more than 300,000 houses sitting vacant throughout Florida."