Growth Plan Suit Forces Apartments To Come Down

The razing of a luxury apartment complex in Florida has heartened environmentalists in their aim to keep out a Wal-Mart, Hernando Today reports.

1 minute read

September 17, 2002, 1:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"A long court battle last week ended in the demolition of an already-built $3 million apartment complex in Martin County, Florida. Neighbors there had argued that the complex was not compatible with their homes, as required by Martin County's growth plan, and that the development hurt property values. Now that the apartments are going, an environmental group believes it may not be too late to stop a Wal-Mart in Spring Hill, Florida, even though construction on the store has already commenced. A leader of the group opposing the store said: "People have hesitated in giving us money. They think it's over and done with, that our efforts are wasted. I say it's not a lost cause." A county commissioner suggests that Wal-Mart may seek a legal opinion before continuing construction, but predicted that the store would go through because 'it was consistent with our comprehensive plan.'"

Thanks to Dateline APA

Tuesday, September 17, 2002 in High Country News

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

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.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

Rendering of autonomous cargo train moving across bridge across river in wooded area between Texas and Mexico.

Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor

The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.

June 17 - FreightWaves

Rendering of white three-story single-stair building in Austin, Texas with staircase in the middle.

Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway

Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.

June 17 - Building Design & Construction

MARTA bus with Atlanta skyline in background

Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access

MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.

June 17 - Mass Transit