Defining Statements
Smart Growth in Lee County
Horizon Council Task Force
July 27, 2000
DEFINING STATEMENTS
THE HOPE THIS HOLDS FOR ME IS...
Basic Elements
The goal of Smart Growth is to achieve a good balance between
community livability, economic viability, and environmental
sensitivity.
Smart growth acknowledges the inevitability that Lee County will
continue to grow, not only because of historical residential growth
factors, but also due to new growth drivers, such as the Southwest
Florida International Airport and Florida Gulf Coast University. It
seeks the best means of managing and accommodating growth while
insuring the long-term sustainability of our resources.
Smart Growth also recognizes the people cannot be forced to live where
they do not want to live. The process should emphasize market-based
solutions to growth problems.
Most people inherently want the jobs, tax revenues, and amenities that
come with growth and new development. Smart Growth should leverage the
new development to improve the overall community of Lee County.
A. Community Vision
The future growth of Lee County should be vision oriented, not rules
oriented.
Smart Growth is inclusive and
collaborative, and brings diverse people to the table with diverse
views, in an effort to develop consensus on how we achieve our vision
and mutually beneficial outcomes.
One of the basic principals of
Smart Growth is the involvement of the community in growth management
decisions and in the visioning process to define our future. To this
end, education and input will be very important.
Smart Growth will require Lee County government leadership and its
collaboration with businesses, citizens, and other governmental
entities.
B. Planning Principles
Community and/or sector planning will be an essential element of Lee
County's visioning of future growth patterns.
To achieve economic health and
community health, the environment, transportation, jobs, and housing
must be interrelated.
Smart Growth includes developments
that are pedestrian-friendly, clean, safe, convenient, and
environmentally sound.
Smart Growth should define and address sprawl and density issues in
Lee County.
Smart Growth emphasizes in-fill of
existing urban areas, redevelopment of existing urban areas, and
managed expansion of our urban boundaries. Urban centers and
neighborhoods are integral components of a healthy regional economy.
Smart Growth Taskforce
The hope this holds for me is . . .
To create a vision for "Smart Growth" that will continue to grow, yet
will preserve the quality of life. Vision. Goals. Objectives. Process.
Protection.
1. Identify a process to
create an approach to define in a better way the balance for growth
that will occur and how communities can segue their local roles with
identified common elements and instigate the opportunity for their
originality.
2. Find ways to better
communicate to the public growth and sustainability and what and how
it is happening.
I think there is an important point
to address that we need to consider that the purpose we are here is
that Lee County has an amenity that attracts people. As a result,
people and businesses are coming here quickly. This growth has the
potential to diminish that amenity. How do we facilitate that growth
while maintaining the amenities? At the same time, how do we maintain
the amenity without being exclusive?
My hope is that we will increase
the ability of growth and life to live more resources efficiently,
increase the use of developed land, reduce and avoid further
externalities such as congestion, pollution, crime, etc. We may also
consider how to increase diversity (but this is not Smart Growth per
se, but is more one part of my idea for it).
Our next round of development adds
to our community’s livability, rather than subtracts from the
desirability to stay a resident.
Consensus visions for Lee County
and process for engaging the entire community in achieving it. This
defines better FPL’s role in helping achieve the community’s vision.
Once we agree on the common elements and unique characteristics of
Smart Growth in southwest Florida: To create a model tool, technique
or process that can be used on both a community and regional scale
that will bring substantial, meaningful, diverse and balanced
community input to the comprehensive planning process. Define the
essential elements that are needed. The result will be a clearer and
stronger vision of the future of southwest Florida that is based on a
foundation of reliable information and thorough analysis, best
planning practices, and public involvement.
That we can identify in Lee County
the ways growth can continue, the areas where and reasons why growth
cannot occur and a factual basis for whatever "process" or growth
"pluses" and "minuses" we develop.
The result will be that the
community will regain confidence that comprehensive planning can be
creative, anticipatory, effective, and creates incentives that
stimulate community pride, and improvement of environmental, social
and economic well being of each citizen, through "fresh" innovative
approaches that lead to nurturing a sustainable Lee County.
To participate and contribute to
the responsible economic growth for the southwest Florida area; to
communicate with all concerned and involved parties at the table and
learn from each others’ view points; to come to a consensus that will
be beneficial to all citizens of this wonderful area we call southwest
Florida; and to utilize each individuals’ skills and expertise in the
area.
Smart Growth recognizes connections
between development and quality of life. It leverages new growth to
improve the county. In general, smart growth invests time, attention,
and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities,
older suburbs and even undeveloped areas of the county. Briefly, smart
growth is more community centered, is transit, and pedestrian
oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail
uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental
amenities and endeavors.
That we develop a participative
public/private process that can better define growth issues, identify
opportunities and solve problems in a proactive, creative, and
objective way.
That incremental economic growth within the geographic area will
result in significant business diversification for the community to
prosper long term, it is essential that community welcome and support
an influx of people who can support professional, technical, trade and
service industry growth.
