Rocco vs Dukes and Amendment 4

There is only one political contest of immediate import to residents of Hernando County: the county commissioner seat for District 2, the position currently held by Rose Rocco. Her challenger is Wayne Dukes, a man of political determination, a perpetual candidate whose attested goal is to bring county spending under control. As his website contends, “We cannot continue the Tax-and-Spend path we have been taken down.”

Mr. Dukes professes smaller, leaner government. To his chagrin, County Administrator Dave Hamilton, perhaps the only competent decision made by the county commissioners in the past four years, has thus far done more to that end than could have possibly been accomplished by any elected official. On October 22, Dave received the Outstanding Public Administrator Award from the Suncoast Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration. Rose cast the sole dissenting vote on the appointment of Mr. Hamilton in 2008.

In each of their careers, Rocco and Dukes have taken the same route to achieve their goal to influence the future of Hernando County. At different and opportune times, both have labeled themselves as either a Democrat or Republican, whichever party affiliation is open for the contested seat - whatever might get them to their destination!

Rose was elected county commissioner in 2006 as a Democrat. Out of necessity, Wayne is running as a Republican in the 2010 midterm election.

Rose’s voting record plainly shows she has aligned herself with the only power brokers in Hernando County. Her backing of developers has been demonstrated with each and every land use hearing since she took office four years ago. At the very least, she has been consistent in her voting record.

Hickory Hill, Sunrise, Lake Hideaway, Quarry Preserve – Rose has been homogenous in voting “the right thing to do” to embellish herself with the support of developers of urban sprawl. Wayne Dukes has stated he, too, would have voted in favor of Quarry Preserve. Ho-hum.

“Government gone wild’ has been a quaint, tiresome battle cry criticizing out of control spending during the boom years. In another context, and to a greater extent, over the past four years Hernando County commissioners have gone hog wild piggy-backing one super development of regional impact after another – four in total.
Data from the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council website shows that Sunrise and Lake Hideaway subdivisions will provide 8,500 new dwelling units. The completion date of each is 2013. Assuming only two people per unit, the county’s population is expected to grow by 17,000 within the next three years.

Quarry Preserve will complete 6,000 dwellings by 2019 – 12,000 additional residents. On a smaller scale, Hickory Hill will provide 1,800 homes for 3,600 new residents by 2021. That’s a grandioso total population growth of 26,600 in little more than a decade, a whopping 15% increase, a dubious assumption.

Yes, yes, yes, Hernando County Board of County Commissioners kept a-galloping along a well-beaten path on a wild ride of unbridled, assumptive growth. Therefore, Amendment 4 should be of little concern to developers and their chummy government officials. There are plenty of homes already approved for development, enough to put every unemployed construction worker on the payroll for the next decade. Amendment 4 will not change that fact.

Any ole government employee can point out that residents have multiple opportunities for public comment on proposed developments. Unfortunately, prominent attendees at public hearings are retired. Working people seldom have the means to take time off work. If local government sincerely wishes there were more public attendance/awareness, hearings would be held evenings.

Also, the primary means of advertising public hearings is through the newspaper. (The internet is another.) According to marketing group U.S. Suburban Press, which specializes in targeting advertising in local markets, shows that out of 71,900 households in Hernando County, only 27,900 (38.8%) subscribe to either The Tampa Tribune/Hernando Today or The St. Petersburg Times/Hernando Times. Again, a large number of these readers are retirees.

A strong case for the need of public awareness is the ultimate cost as a result of Quarry Preserve. Although the developer will contribute $62 million to widen US 98, county transportation coordinator has said the, as a result, the count will then have to widen Cobb road – at an expected cost of $60 to $70 million to Hernando County taxpayers.

Without Amendment 4, residents will continue to be uninformed, unaware and disenfranchised from those they elect to public office. Voters are distrustful of politicians at all levels of government; replacing opaque governance with transparency will provide an informed and more respectful constituency. Of course, powerful interests prefer to keep those most affected by change in the dark. Worthwhile development projects ought to be a soft-sell to the population in general. Otherwise, decisions of major importance will remain in the self-interests of those determined to maintain control over the masses. Entertaining a select group of five politically motivated commissioners is a sham to open dialogue with the voting public.

As to Rocco vs. Dukes – it’s a washout. But change is good. Regardless, developers will maintain a controlling interest.

This Amendment's 4 You

Hot topic: Referenda Required For Adoption And Amendment of Local Government Comprehensive Land Use Plans

Better known as Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, this referendum will likely prove to be more of a contentious measure than Amendments 5/6 – Congressional/Legislative districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. These creatures were set in motion in an attempt to force elected government officials to put aside bureaucratic indulgence through a manipulative redistricting process that serves no purpose but to benefit the in-power political party; a topic for future consideration.

Local debate on Amendment 4 has, as yet, been relatively mild. On August 6, 2009, George Niemann, regional coordinator of Florida Hometown Democracy, wrote a Guest Column ‘The truth about Florida Hometown Democracy’. The most notable passage was:

“Rezoning, as well as the ability to develop land within existing land use criteria, will remain unaffected and will not require voter approval. The vast majority of land use would remain unaffected because changes to the growth plan are not needed to develop land. If no further changes were made to local comprehensive plans across Florida the current planned land use provisions could still accommodate the addition of 70 million people.

“Changes to the growth plan would still be processed, reviewed and decided on by the local governing bodies (an elected county commission, as an example), as they are today. FHD adds just one more step to the current process — voters must concur before the change can be officially adopted.”

Jumping forward to a June 30 article by Michael D. Bates, ‘Amendment would empower people on land use issues’ stated “Supporters of Amendment 4 say they are only asking for a ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to planning their community.”

Both the Guest Column by Mr. Niemann and the article written by Mr. Bates immediately drew backfire from Planning & Zoning Commissioner Bob Widmar whose Guest Column on August 8, 2009, ‘Amendment 4: A vision by special interests to stop planned growth’ and Letter to the Editor on July 7, ‘We do have a seat at the table’, advised readers there are processes already in place for concerned residents to “have input into the comprehensive plan and changes to the plan.”

In both instances, Mr. Widmar explained that citizen input begins with the every seven year Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) meeting, “which over several months review the entire Comprehensive Plan to bring it into line with legislation and other factors that have occurred during the period.” Mr. Widmar invites residents to attend the upcoming EAR meeting in September.

Subsequent opportunities for citizens to express their views are through attendance at monthly hearings held by the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Thereafter, judgment lays with the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee with “a report containing Objections, Recommendations, and Comments (the ORC report) on the proposed change. Until these three items have been reviewed and addressed to the satisfaction of the DCA, the proposed change is not accepted. The public does again has an opportunity to address the DCA”, after which “…the BOCC can finally put the stamp of approval on the plan change, again at a public meeting.”

Mr. Widmar expressed dismay that for the most part public participation in the process remains near non-existent.

Mr. Bates’ June 30 article included many disconcerting comments on the possible passage of Amendment 4, all voiced by governmental/political pitchmen.

County Commissioner David Russell: “I’m afraid that the public will be swayed one way or another by advertising campaigns on either side of the issue rather than based on pertinent data relating to the amendment.” It’ll be interesting to see to what extent either side resorts to ‘the nasties’.

The Hernando County Republican Executive Committee: “Hometown Democracy will prevent and negate responsible planning decisions by county engineers and county planners and turn the process over to a political campaign.” Out of necessity, politicking demands that voters be aware, especially during periods of time between Election Days.

HCREC Chairman Blaise Ingoglia: “The electorate is not going to have access to all the records that county engineers and planners will have. Plus, we’ve elected commissioners for a reason.” Do not deny residents the rights of transparency.

Hernando County Planning Director Ron Pianta: “It could also encourage aggressive public relations and media campaigns by special interests who either support or pose proposed changes to the comprehensive plan.”

Speaking of ‘special interests’, there are many to be found among the influences of government officials and the many facets of the construction and land development business communities. These power brokers relish their dominions of prestige. There is just cause for their worries. Amendment 4 would lessen their omnipotence.

According to data from the Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research, there are over 7,000 vacant housing units in Hernando County. According to RealtyTrac, in May of this year, 1 in every 157 housing units received a foreclosure filing; in the seven-county Tampa Bay metro area, Hernando County ranks #1 in foreclosure property statistics.

Still, a number of approved housing developments have yet to begin groundbreaking. Hickory Hill – 1,750 single-family dwelling units by 2021. Lake Hideaway – 2,400 single-family dwelling units and 1,300 multi-family units by 2013. Sunrise – 4,200 single-family dwelling units and 600 multi-family dwelling units by 2013. Each of these subdivisions was approved in 2007 and 2008, most surely in anticipation that the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment might have appeared on the 2008 General Election Ballot.

Although the total sum of over 10,000 approved ‘dwelling units’ have yet to be built and even though there are hundreds of vacant homes from foreclosure and hundreds more vacant lots in blighted housing developments (such as Southern Hills Plantation), another development group, Powell Road Partners LLC is seeking approval of building 252 apartment units and 12 five-acre estate homes.

On July 12, P&Z gave the project a stamp of approval for rezoning the 80-acre tract from agriculture to a planned development project. (Although not yet named, perhaps 'Hernando Hometown Estates' would be suggestive of community-mindfulness.) On August 10, the BOCC will give further consideration to the planned development.

What might be expected? Perhaps a 3-2 decision from the BOCC, the same marginal vote on the approval of Quarry Preserve which would add 2,000 single-family dwellings, 200 resort lodging units, 444 town home and 756 apartments? Quarry Preserve is doubtful to come to fruition considering the DCA deemed it ‘urban sprawl’, an evaluation not easily overcome.

The Powell Road Partners project would be small potatoes in comparison, so the go-ahead is extremely likely. The 3-yes vote would come from the commissioners not up for re-election in the upcoming November elections; a 4th ‘yes’ might easily be Russell-ed up since there is no opposing candidate, thus not a concern about voter opinion of Amendment 4.

For these many reasons – 10,000 homes yet to be built, including 7,000 by 2013 which in itself is an unrealistic completion date – Amendment 4 should be a rally cry for tea party folks. Why? Because American citizens are solidly disgruntled and distrustful of governmental conduct at all levels. Poor decisions, poor planning and poor representation of ‘we the people’ has proven that government has indeed gone wild, and continues to do so, in supporting the same superfluous demagogues that helped bring this country to near economic ruin with lost jobs, lost investments, lost home values, home foreclosures, etc. New housing developments will not resolve these issues; they will worsen existing homeowners’ property values.

As to public ‘disinterest’ in attending government hearings on comprehensive land use changes on developments of regional impact, the perception is misplaced. Few resident citizens are aware of what goes on outside their immediate area; word of mouth travels short distances. Time and again, when I mention Hickory Hill, Sunrise and/or Like Hideaway, people are unaware and aghast at how elected government officials continue to play patsy to the interests of developers.

Amendment 4 will allow all residents of any given community the wherewithal to become aware of what impact future growth decisions will have on water supplies, the environment, existing home values and infrastructure, while being mindful of the increased dangers of sink holes.

The Florida Hometown Democracy Land Use Amendment 4 will give Florida residents a much needed means to reign in uncontrolled growth in their communities. Take a front row seat and enjoy the view.