By Irwin Connelly
The Florida Legislature is once again trying to push through legislation that would take away the rights of area citizens and local government to have any voice in the management of rural and agricultural lands. It is crucial that citizens contact their legislative members and demand that these egregious measures be stopped immediately.
We are living through a time when those who occupy seats of power at all levels of government (national, state and local) are silencing and destroying citizen input and participation in matters of critical importance to our communities.
At the national level an unelected foreigner from South Africa seems to have been given control over the most essential components of our economic and security apparatuses. He and his sponsor in the White House have pushed through foundational changes to our systems of government, with no meaningful legislative discussion or participation. All power seems to be vested in a very few, with access to billions of special interest lobby dollars. The checks and balances put in place by our founding fathers have been made meaningless.
At the local level the City of Flagler Beach a year ago quietly, and without proper public notice, abolished the citizens’ right to a direct voice through the process of referendums on annexation, a matter of great importance to the future of the city.
At the state level our governor and his cronies have repeatedly tried to commandeer management of our invaluable state parks and recreation areas in an effort to give management over those lands to powerful developers and donors who have virtual exclusive access to those in power in Tallahassee.
Now, through two proposed legislative bills, SB 1118 and HB 1209, there is an unprecedented effort to consolidate control over Florida’s agricultural and rural lands in the hands of those same few in power in Tallahassee who do the bidding of the wealthiest of in-state, out-of-state, and even international huge corporate developers.
The proposed laws are designed to silence the voices of Florida citizens and local governments on matters of critical importance to those of us who live in areas which until recently were comprised in substantial part of agricultural and open space rural lands.
We chose to live here in great part because of the absence of high density development and preservation of our open spaces and conservation lands. We gave up the convenience of having huge shopping malls and big box stores and parking lots, instead opting for supporting local merchants and keeping our streets and highways free of the inevitable traffic gridlock we see all around us in ever-growing and uncontrolled so-called “smart growth” developments.
As reported by the civic organization 1000 Friends of Florida, the proposed legislation, which is quickly wending its way through both houses in Tallahassee, will override local planning authority by requiring local governments to automatically approve development in areas considered “agricultural enclaves” and so-called “infill residential development.” Infill residential projects can be up to 100 acres and agricultural enclaves could be thousands of acres in size.
The legislation will expand the types of properties that qualify as agricultural enclaves and require local governments to treat parcels adjacent to an urban service district as if they were inside of the urban service district. It would take away many of local governments’ say-so about restricting residential densities and silence residents’ objections to development in sensitive rural and agricultural areas.
These very issues are facing citizens in Flagler Beach and in the county at this time. If passed, these laws would immediately stop any meaningful participation by citizens or local government in their attempts to secure reasonable limitations on massive developments. All power would be in Tallahassee.
Now is the time for citizens to say enough is enough. You must demand that our state representatives in both houses oppose and do all they can to stop further progress of proposed legislative bills, SB 1118 and HB 1209.
Volusia and Flagler’s Senator Tom Leek is on the Community Affairs Committee that will be voting on this bill Monday (March 17). Please contact him, and our State Representatives Sam Greco ([email protected]) and Bill Partington ([email protected]) now. These bills are being fast-tracked through both houses.
Rep. Sam Greco: [email protected] (850) 717-5019
Rep. Bill Partington: [email protected] — Telephone (850) 717-5028
Sen. Tom Leek (e-mail form at https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/S7) — Telephone: (850) 487-5007
Irwin Connelly is a Flagler County resident.
Jack says
Glad i moved out of palm coast! That whole area will become s giant crap hole of overpopulation , traffic, crime. Who wants to live and bake on asphalt!
Willy Boy says
The big issue here is as plain as the nose on your face! It’s all about money. Especially the funds that somehow find their way into the personal accounts of our legislators. They could care less about the people they serve.
Deborah Coffey says
People usually get what they vote for. Floridians love Republicans. So, it’s a bit late to be complaining, isn’t it?
S. Peters says
Isn’t this what Republicans in Fl want? You all keep voting these Republicans into office and all they do is whatever they want to line their pockets. You got what you voted for. It’s all about business and $$$$. Just like the Convicted Felon sitting in OUR White House is concerned about. They don’t care about you, haha.
Straight from this article….. “We are living through a time when those who occupy seats of power at all levels of government (national, state and local) are silencing and destroying citizen input and participation in matters of critical importance to our communities”.
You all asked for these guys, well you got them. Don’t blame me. I don’t vote for liars and crooks.
BillC says
Whoop-de-do! Who cares about nature, the destruction of the environment, global warming, the depletion of species? We’re making MONEY!
All in for Flagler says
Excellent summing up of what our state and federal govt are doing and not doing to our environmental resources and quality of life. The judgment is still out on our local governments but they seem to heading in a better direction as a reaction to overbuilding.
Send a message to our state legislators who represent us. Also to local commissioners and council members. If we do not speak up we cannot complain when the forests are laid bare.
Shark says
The florida legislature is run by republicans who could care less about peoples rights or the environment. The only way to make changes is to vote them out but this isn’t going to happen !!!
Palm Coast Citizen says
Thank you! I appreciate you Irwin helping all of us, those who been lazy enough to not dig deeper and get proactive about what we care about. Now, stop complaining and start emailing and calling!
Take Biden for example says
S.Peter…if you vote , you vote for liars and crooks. It never cease to amaze me how ignorant people are when it comes to politics….smh,lol!
Atwp says
When people vote for Republicans this is what you get.
Esther Clark. Bonds says
My advice is. Take pictures of all wildlife you see. Your grandchildren and beyond may never see a deer, Cardinal or even a Raccoon in their lifetime . Leave them pictures and label them too. Florida is out of land to relocate our natural wildlife that are considered nuisance animals. That’s what I was told when I called about a bear that wanders in our area looking for food. Saddest thing
Steve says
@JACK
Coming up on 5 years for me. I couldn’t be happier. I unfortunately witnessed the destruction of that place. Headed on down the line
Doris Martin says
I hope all of you who are commenting will write or better yet, call your representatives about these bills. And time is of the essence.
Wow says
Florida state motto should be “Money talks.” You get what you vote for.
Endless dark money says
Too late! Full blown collapse coming to you within the next decade! Make sure to work that overtime until then lol. The fascist just closed NOAA and haha sick and pathetic
What the hell says
One story is save the beach the next is republicans remove all environmental protections. Republicans remove climate change information from everywhere cause Exxon paid them too. Now go cut down the forests cause the magatard in charge of forests is a logging executive. Who cares right kids don’t need national forests well the “conservatives “certainly don’t think so. So ignorant and evil .
Endless dark money says
You mean the greed over people party of Nazis put greed over people hahahahahah.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Our state will suffer because of the idiots voted into the Florida House and Senate. Adam Morley , born right here and a savior of nature , an expert on environment and member of many groups to save us was NOT elected – Why? Because he ius a registered Democrat. Shame on all of you who vote PARTY PARTY PARTY and don”t give a damn about the PERSON running.
I am a registered Republican but I vote for the PERSON and what they stand for, their background , their goals, not just a big fat ‘R’!!
Unfortunately we will all suffer from the stupidity of the BLIND voters.
PATRICK TIM BOURKE says
I couldn’t have said it better!! Congrats to all of you!! Do you know right now???you only? In the panhandle have a VERY Small amt of small towns left to live in that area that you have large cities nearby for necessary things. Only other places in state are near lake Okeechobee, still small and undeveloped, and some up in the big bend area above cedar key, mayble the section around and above Gainesville and Ocala, that’s basically it. I don’t have the financial $$ resources to leave the state, I would gladly if I could(3rd generation Floridian) so get ready for the rest of Florida to be completely paved over by say 2040? Not that far down the road