The proposed Florida Hometown Democracy constitutional amendment calls for citizens to vote directly on whether to make changes in local comprehensive plans, instead of elected officials advised by professional and citizen planners.
"The idea of ballot box comp plan amendments, initiated by activist Lesley Blackner,has separated groups that are normally joined. Sierra Club supports the idea and has funded the effort to get it on the ballot. Another backer is the strongly anti-immigration group Floridians for a Sustainable Population."
"Charles Lee of the Audubon Society, says "At first blush, this is really an easy petition to sign. I signed it." But Audubon, after lengthy discussions, decided 'Hometown Democracy' raised too many questions without solid answers."
"Former State Department of Community Affairs Secretary Linda Loomis Shelley called the prospect ill-conceived. Shelley says the amendment would allow voters to nullify state decisions such as mandates on school concurrency. She pointed out that comp-plan changes can run to hundreds of pages of data and analysis that the voter would not see on the ballot."
"As Blackner sees it, immigration and migration make accommodating growth a Sisyphean task for Florida cities. 'The place looks like hell and is getting worse.'"
Thanks to Sheryl Stolzenberg
Read the full story: Who's Lesley Blackner?
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