The St. Petersburg Times
Florida's Legislature Torpedos Growth Management in the State
The Senate passed two bills late last week that essentially killed growth management in Florida, eliminating the Dept. of Community Affairs and repealing a law from 1985 that required developers to assess impacts.
Developer Appointed As Planning Director
In a controversial move, new Florida Governor Rick Scott has appointed Billy Buzzett, vice-president at a development company, to lead the state's Department of Community Affairs.
No Relief For Gridlock
MacDill Air Force Base has created a snarl of traffic in Tampa. Transportation planners are at a loss to find a solution so far.
"Hometown Democracy" Amendment Pending, Florida Cities Scramble
A controversial ballot measure in November could put all Florida general plan changes to a public vote. The St. Petersburg City Council is attempting some sleight-of-hand with their land use map to avoid facing the voters.
A 'No' Vote On Florida's 'Hometown Democracy' Amendment
The City Council of Zephyrhills, Florida is the latest public entity to come out against Amendment 4, a proposition that would require a public vote on any changes to local land use plans.
Light Rail and High-Speed Rail Conflated and Confused
In Tampa, voters can't seem to untangle an upcoming one-cent sales tax to fund light rail with the Obama administration's recent $1.25 billion award for high-speed rail, though the funding is completely separate.
Is There a Future in Politics for Urban-Minded Bloggers?
The "creative class" is using the Internet and the blog world to drum up new ideas for combating sprawl and placelessness. This article argues it's only a matter of time before these urban thinkers go from blogging to local politics.
Bad Part of Town... For Car Alarms
In a certain part of downtown Tampa, Florida, people have been complaining for years about car alarms randomly going off, or not working at all. It turns out that a local radio station's signal interference is the cause.
Tampa Starts Planning For Light Rail System
With the Tampa region one of only two top 25 metro areas without rails in the ground or on the drawing board, local leaders want to kick start the planning process. But is the region ready for light rail when only 1 percent of locals ride the bus?
Dry Southeast States Nearer To Water Deal
The governors of Florida, Alabama and Georgia have come to a tentative agreement on how to divvy up the water supplied by shared rivers, giving hope that the 17-year water rights battle between the states may soon come to an end.
A Density Too High
A traditional neighborhood development planned near St. Petersburg, Florida, is having trouble getting approved because its proposed density is twice as high as the city wants to allow.
Florida Approves Constitutional Amendment Limiting Eminent Domain
Sixty-nine percent of Florida's voters approved an amendment to the State's Constitution to limit government ability to take property for private development. How will this homeowner victory impact the revitalization efforts of cities?
New Urbanism Takes Hold In West Florida
Cities and counties in and around the Tampa Bay area are incorporating elements of New Urbanism into their planning and land use codes.
Protecting Wildlife, One Yard At A Time
Some homeowners are using their backyards as habitat for wildlife, providing food, water, shelter and a place to rear offspring for a variety of creatures.
Celebrating A New Urbanist Utopia
How is Celebtration, FL, Disney's experiment to build a New Urbanist utopia, faring ten years after the first residents moved in?
Is Commercial Architecture Ruining St. Petersberg's Skyline?
Are commercial architects ruining St. Petersberg's historic panoramic views as a result of penny-pinching investors?
Florida Wetland Permits Debate Heats Up
Environmental groups are warring with Congressmen on making wetland permitting more 'accessible'.
Store Size Caps Enacted For Big Box Retailers
The City of Largo, Florida is next in a growing list of cities that have enacted design restrictions and store size caps for big box stores.
City's Strategic Plan Attracts Town Center Developer
Within one year of adoption of its Strategic Plan, the City of Largo, Florida has attracted a $145 million investment for development a mixed-use town center.
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