Big Possibilities, Big Dangers

A new growth management law in Florida is both good news and bad news, says Jane Healy of the Orlando Sentinel.

1 minute read

June 9, 2009, 8:00 AM PDT

By Liyuan Huang


"Florida's controversial new law to manage growth offers both the good and the bad - plus a chance for local elected officials to come to the rescue by taking things into their own hands.

The good: The new law, signed last week by Gov. Charlie Crist, actually has the right intentions. For the first time ever, developers will have economic and bureaucratic incentives to build in the urban areas and stay away from the rural ones. It has been far more expensive to build in urban areas because land costs more and, as a result, so do the roads that developers must provide.

The bad: If you thought the Florida Legislature couldn't leave well enough alone when it comes to managing growth, you're right once again. The law allows way too much land to be considered "urban." An area has to have a population of only 1,000 people per square mile to qualify for the benefits of the law. And those benefits are huge. They allow building to proceed even if the roads aren't in place to accommodate it. But an area that is truly urban has far more than 1,000 people per square mile; it has at least 7,000 people per square mile."

Sunday, June 7, 2009 in Orlando Sentinel

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

3 hours ago - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

4 hours ago - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

4 hours ago - Axios