Florida House to take up bill today that has environmental group in uproar

TALLAHASSEE — After voting in favor of offshore oil drilling Monday, the Florida House today is expected to consider changes to growth management laws that environmental activists are trying to defeat.

The group 1000 Friends of Florida is mobilizing its members to call and e-mail senators and representatives in opposition to one bill in particular (SB 360, by Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton). In its alert sent Monday, the group objected to proposed amendments that would weaken the needs analysis the state uses to review proposed developments and allow an agricultural enclave in Palm Beach County to sidestep road-service requirements.

"The Senate had vowed to keep this bill 'clean,' " the environmentalists' mail alert said. "Because of the damaging amendments, 1000 Friends and DCA (the state Department of Community Affairs) are now opposing this bill."

Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, defended the proposed changes, saying that rural areas that may not be growing in population but which have high unemployment badly need flexibility from growth laws to allow development and economic diversification.

"What it (the bill) says is … not only do you consider population but you consider other factors when you are allowing growth in rural areas. The rural areas are crying for this," Hukill said.

Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.