Florida Amendment Could Shake Up Local Planning

The amendment would require a referendum on any change to local comprehensive plans. This oped from St. Petersburg City Council Member Karl Nurse argues that the amendment could be disastrous.

"Amendment 4 may encourage sprawl, which is harmful to our environment and costly for taxpayers. In the long run, it will make it much harder for local governments to set aside parklands, encourage energy-efficient building, promote smarter growth and preserve green spaces.

By requiring a referendum for every change to a local government's comprehensive plan, Amendment 4 is likely to prompt votes on dozens - and potentially hundreds - of minor housekeeping issues. Plan changes that are good for the environment such as building a transit system, turning agricultural land into conservation land, or transforming an abandoned commercial space into a public park, would become the victim of endless delays, higher costs and possible litigation."