Hiaasen.."And the bucks keep flowing in"....Crist panders to developers

[madfloridian]

and he just keeps getting more money for his senate run against Kendrick Meek.

And the bucks keep flowing in

Unlike Sarah Palin, Charlie Crist has chosen not to quit his governorship early. Florida's own one-term wonder is using his remaining time to ingratiate himself with as many deep-pocket interest groups as possible.

..."Take Senate Bill 360, which he signed into law last month. Authored by lobbyists for developers, it's one of the worst pieces of legislation to come out of one of the country's most buyable legislatures. The law emaciates Florida's Growth Management Act by removing state oversight of massive residential and commercial projects known as Developments of Regional Impact, which put enormous stress on neighboring communities.

More outrageously, the new law will stick taxpayers -- not developers -- with most of the high costs for roads and other infrastructure that housing subdivisions require.

It's a recipe for more reckless sprawl, which is the last thing Florida needs, and the last thing a self-baptized environmentalist like Crist should be endorsing.

Good for Carl Hiaasen for speaking out this.

Howard Troxler of the St. Pete Times had a lot to say about this sell-out as well.

What the state House did Wednesday was essentially to gut the Growth Management Act for big chunks of the state.

Big cities and counties could allow growth without worrying about whether roads and other services can handle it. Small counties would be laid open to entire "new towns" of big development without the usual review.

The name of this bill, the House's revised version of Senate Bill 360, is ironically titled the "Community Renewal Act." It would be better titled the "Katie Bar the Door and Strip Mall Act of 2009."

Crist signed the bill.

Charlie also gave developers more power when he put the control of Florida's water in the hands of just 5 people.

With a stroke of his pen last week, Gov. Charlie Crist put the future of Florida's water resources in the hands of five people. Now the five - four men and one woman - are trying to figure out how to wield their significant new power over development and water-use permits, yet still give the public a chance to be heard.

..."Until this week, if a bottling company wanted to slurp millions of gallons of water out of the aquifer or a developer wanted to pave over thousands of acres of swamps, the state permits had to be approved by one of five water management district boards appointed by the governor. The board's vote took place in a public meeting where residents could stand up and give their opinion.

Charlie keeps giving Florida away to developers....and Hiaasen is right. The money keeps pouring in.

[DonCoquixote]

1. Crist

What scares me is not just that he is running for Senator, but you know this fellow can be polished up for the masses come 2012. If this guy gets in 2012, this nation will see a pandering to Wall Street that makes everything else seen look like the appetizer to a 12 course feast.

[madfloridian]

9. Crist could be a problem for us in the future.

He is able to appear moderate and nice as pie, but will not hesitate to placate the right wing base without hesitation when you least expect it.

[Hugabear]

10. There are DUers who think that Crist is a nice enough fella

Nevermind that this is the same guy who earned the nickname "Chain Gang Charlie" when he was our Attorney General. Some DUers seem enamored with this guy because he portrays himself as a "liberal" rethug.

[madfloridian]

11. He has harmed Florida so much the last few months.

Just by pandering to developers. No conscience about it.

Yep, chain gang charlie...tough on criminals easy on developers.

:eyes:

[Dr.Phool]

12. There's a difference?

[rzemanfl]

2. Shouldn't the thousands and thousands of foreclosed homes be

sold before we have more development in Florida? Until they are, any new development should have to designate a homeless camping area in the center of the subdivision.

[Lorien]

3. That's what I keep saying. Nation wide there should be a moratorium

on spec homes and new developments. In my own historic neighborhood in Orlando developers have run wild-as they have everywhere- and are knocking down charming, well built affordable 1920s bungalows and replacing them with sprawling stucco McMansions that cost over a million dollars each...and they just SIT there. Unsold, year after year, as the destruction around us continues. Developers are only making the economic crisis WORSE. If States wanted to fix this, they would put a moratorium on spec homes and new development while offering a tax break for those who do fixes and renovations to existing homes. You could keep contractors and builders busy while not putting additional strains on the housing market.

[JCMach1]

4. Surely you jest! The faux growth of development is all that has fueled Florida's economy

since JEBtm was governor... and they won't be happy until every sand dune is paved between Miami and Jacksonville.

If you come to Florida, skip Disney and go to Cedar Key... What Florida was like when it was still a little bit of unspoiled paradise.

[madfloridian]

5. Look what I found. Big development

Huge development. Not needed.


Developers have state's OK to begin building section of proposed 18,000-acre site, now seek city's approval.

BARTOW | Armed with the state's blessing, Clear Springs managers stand poised to start building the proposed 18,000-acre development along Bartow's eastern and southern borders.

Clear Springs received final approval from the state Department of Community Affairs last month on its 7,606-acre plan, clearing the deck for managers to begin building in those areas. Doug Conner, vice president of land development for Clear Springs, said managers are ready to seek zoning approval from the city to build the 478-acre corporate park.

It's been a long time coming.

Sounds like they are moving ahead and that the city's say is pretty much automatic. I know there has been opposition to this, but it just looks so simple now.

In the meantime, Clear Springs wants to move ahead with the corporate park and the college, and the state's recent approval of the 7,606-acre detailed special area plan makes that possible. Conner said Clear Springs is seeking the city's zoning approval for the corporate park now, and if all goes well, construction should begin on the college site sometime next year.

Bob Wiegers, Bartow's planning director, said city officials are reviewing that application, which must be approved by the City Commission before construction can begin. The proposal first must go before the city's Planning and Zoning Commission, which will make a recommendation to the City Commission. Those hearings are expected to take place later this fall.

[JCMach1]

7. Putnam has gone through several threats like these in recent years

They would get killed under the old development rules... However, under the new rules most likely the developers would prevail.

It will essentially castrate what rights locally authorities have to block overgrowth and overburdening of the infrastructure.

[madfloridian]

8. Speaking of Putnam...

I found a video of him speaking to a group in Broward County, and he sounds like the Republicans have already won in 2010 and 2012. Scroll down for the video...

http://www.flapolitics.com/diary/3879/florida-political-news-july-26-2009

[madfloridian]

6. 16 municipalities have joined lawsuits to have it declared illegal.

" The governor signed his name anyway, saying, ``It's probably one of those bills where nobody's going to be overly happy on either side of the argument.''

Really, Charlie? The developers were beyond overly happy; they were turning cartwheels.

That wasn't the reaction in most city and county halls. So far, at least 16 municipalities have joined a lawsuit seeking to have SB 360 declared unconstitutional."

http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/1156985.html

That's a good thing to do when your governor screws you.

[Dr.Phool]

13. It gets worse. The decision to charge ratepayers for 2 nuclear plants?

It was Crists idea to do it behind closed doors.

I got that from a source who wishes to be unidentified. The person was on the scene for the discussions.

Progress Energy can throw a lot of campaign money his way.

[madfloridian]

14. What? You have got to be kidding.

I missed that. That's terrible.

[Dr.Phool]

15. It's never been made public.

I'll send you a document in PM later. It's devastating to Progress. Prepare for a day of reading. It's long.