More than 20 years after he helped the Florida Growth Management Act, Tom Pelham is back at the helm of the state's Department of Community Affairs trying to find a middle ground between residents and developers.
"During his first stint as secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs during the late 1980s, Tom Pelham earned a reputation as a "folk hero" for his zealous defense of the Growth Management Act. Now that Gov. Crist has put him back at DCA, Mr. Pelham finds himself rewriting the act he defended.
Balancing the forces for and against growth in Florida is an enormously complex task. While residents list rapid growth among their greatest concerns, and drought reveals the delicate nature of water supplies, the development pressure that transformed Florida from 20th-most-populous state in 1950 to fourth-largest today remains.
Mr. Pelham presents himself as a defender of the act, but he acknowledges his responsibility to 'accommodate' growth, not manage it or block it. Since leaving state office in 1991, he has worked as an advocate both for and against developers. While he represented GL Homes in its efforts to build 4,000 homes in western Palm Beach County, he recused himself from the issue after his appointment. His agency's opposition, however, helped to block GL's effort."
FULL STORY: Can state grow better, or just grow?
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.