HomeMy Public PortalAboutRES 10/05RESOLUTION 010 -5
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM OPPOSING
AMENDMENT 4 ON THE 2010 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, WHICH
PROPOSES AN AMENDMENT TO THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION
REQUIRING THAT EVERY AMENDMENT TO A CITY'S OR COUNTY'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BE SUBJECT TO A VOTE OF THE
RESPECTIVE CITY'S OR COUNTY'S ELECTORATE.
WHEREAS, a proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by Florida
Hometown Democracy, Inc. will be placed on the 2010 general election ballot as
"Amendment 4 "; and
WHEREAS, this proposed constitutional change would subject every amendment
to a city's or county's comprehensive plan to a vote of the local government's electors;
and
WHEREAS, planning and growth management decisions in Florida's
municipalities are presently made through a representative form of democracy in which
elected governing bodies are entrusted to make policy decisions on behalf of their
constituents; and
WHEREAS, in 1985, the Florida Legislature enacted Chapter 163, Part II, Florida
Statutes, the "Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development
Regulation Act," mandating that each municipality adopt a comprehensive plan to
manage and guide the use and development of property within the municipality; and
WHEREAS, the intent of the act is to empower local governments, including
municipalities, to preserve, promote, protect and improve the public health, safety,
comfort, good order, appearance, convenience, law enforcement, fire prevention and
general welfare; to prevent the overcrowding of land and avoid undue concentration of
population; to facilitate the adequate and efficient provision of transportation, water
supply, sewer treatment, schools, parks, recreational facilities, housing and other
services; and to conserve, develop and protect natural resources within their
jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, the act requires extraordinary public notice, review, comment and
hearings before a comprehensive plan may be adopted or amended by a municipality;
and
WHEREAS, municipal comprehensive plans are adopted and amended by a
municipal governing body only after significant review and input from the public,
professional planners and municipal staff; and
WHEREAS, the elected body's decision to amend, or the manner in which to
amend, a comprehensive plan is based upon legal requirements as well as policy
issues that require a balancing of the needs and desires of the overall community; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Gulf Stream finds that the Hometown Democracy
amendment will trample minority interests and ignore the community's long -term
planning needs and goals, including affordable housing measures, urban infill
measures, redevelopment initiatives and the development of essential infrastructure;
and
WHEREAS, the Town of Gulf Stream finds that the Hometown Democracy
amendment will subject important planning and policy decisions to potentially
misleading and inflammatory media campaigns; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Gulf Stream finds that the Hometown Democracy
amendment will require the unnecessary expenditure of additional municipal revenues
to fund numerous elections on comprehensive plan referenda; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Gulf Stream finds that the Hometown Democracy
amendment will require the unnecessary expenditure of additional municipal revenue to
fund the defense of lawsuits filed by persons aggrieved by the outcome of
comprehensive plan amendment elections; and
WHEREAS, these unnecessary costs will be borne by the citizens of Florida's
cities and counties either through increased taxes or decreased municipal services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM:
Section 1. That the Town of Gulf Stream urges Floridians to carefully consider
the potential adverse consequences of Amendment 4 before voting in the 2010 general
election.
Section 2. That the Town of Gulf Stream urges Florida's municipal residents to
exercise their existing rights to influence the quality of life in their city by participating in
the development and amendment of its comprehensive plan.
Section 3. That the Town of Gulf Stream urges Florida's residents to regularly
attend public hearings, workshops and meetings and otherwise take an active role in
shaping local policies that affect growth within their communities.
Section 4. That a copy of this resolution be provided to the Florida League of
Cities, Inc.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 8th day of October, 2010.
I
MAYOR
ATTEST:
TOWN CLERK
TOWN COMMISSION