Another action alert from our friends at 1000 Friends of Florida. This bill, if passed, would really help my work here in Duval County. Please consider contacting the Senate Community Affairs Committee and asking them to support it. -- QM

DCA Secretary Pelham needs your help! Contact Legislators Today!

Secretary Pelham's good growth management bill, SB 474, got bottled up in the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Thursday - legislators need to hear from you that thie Secretary is on the right track with these much needed improvements, especially the ones giving citizens a bigger role. Special interests are already objecting to provisions that:

(1) place reasonable restraints on out of control coastal development;
(2) mandate neighborhood meetings before plan amendments can be considered;
(3) require a super majority vote by elected officials when the planning commission recommends against a plan amendment;
(4) set a 5 day "cooling off" period when plan amendments are voted on;
(5) limit plan amendment cycles to once a year;
(6) require local governments within the Everglades Basin to adopt goals, objectives and policies to prevent inappropriate development;
(7) overhaul the transportation concurrency effort;
(8) streamline plan amendments processes for infill development;
(8) require developers and local governments to provide more affordable housing opportunities;

It is critical that you contact the below legislators as soon as possible to urge them to listen to the Secretary's good proposals. We will be working as well to make sure that these provisions are protected and not weakened.

Please contact as many members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee as soon as possible! This bill needs to be moved forward!