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FAPA’s Opposition to Hometown Democracy
(Proposed Constitutional Amendment)

What is “Hometown Democracy”?
Why does FAPA Oppose Hometown Democracy?
Recommendations for Action
Learn More about the Hometown Democracy Issue
Links to Related Information

The Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (FAPA) provides statewide leadership in the development of sustainable communities by advocating excellence in planning, and working to protect and enhance the natural and built environments. Our members come from both the public and private sectors, and include government planners, consultants, attorneys and interested citizens.  Many belong to other organizations, ranging from environmental to economic development. 

FAPA advocates for good planning and good communities, which includes meaningful citizen participation. The Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc. ballot box initiative will not ensure good planning and will not ensure meaningful public participation. The Hometown Democracy ballot initiative is presented as a single solution to shortcomings in Florida’s growth management process.  However, the proposed constitutional amendment is not the best or most effective solution to address these concerns, and will have numerous unintended consequences.  As described in more detail below, FAPA does not support the Hometown Democracy initiative and advocates that people do not sign the Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc. petition.

What is “Hometown Democracy”?
Hometown Democracy is the common reference for a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a public referendum any time a local government adopted or amended its comprehensive plan.  Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc. received approval to seek the signatures needed to place an amendment to the Florida Constitution on the ballot in the next general election.  The proposed amendment, Referenda Required for Adoption and Amendment of Local Government Comprehensive Land Use Plans, can be viewed on the Department of State, Division of Elections website.  The deadline for gathering the required 611,009 signatures is February 1, 2008.

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Why does FAPA Oppose Hometown Democracy? (see adopted FAPA White Paper)
FAPA recognizes that the Hometown Democracy petition drive is a reaction to shortcomings of the current planning process and a mistrust of local government to manage rapid state-wide growth.  The petition itself is a clear signal that all is not well with Florida’s current growth management system.  Proponents of Hometown Democracy believe that there are too many amendments to local plans, often to the detriment of the local community.  To resolve this concern, the proposed initiative would shift final approval of comprehensive plans and  amendments from the local elected officials to the voting public through referenda. 

This approach is not the answer.  Public referenda are not the best or proper solution to growth management problems.  The Hometown Democracy amendment proposes a single solution to a complex and important set of issues that face communities on a daily basis. This simplistic approach will have numerous unintended consequences.

  • It will encourage parochial and potentially short-sighted decisions.
  • It will lead to an over-simplification of otherwise complex land use planning issues, as they will necessarily have to be reduced to short statements on a ballot.
  • It could actually increase the influence of special interests by encouraging aggressive public relations and media campaigns to sway the electorate.
  • It could reduce the accountability of elected officials.
  • It will cause growth issues to be addressed on a piecemeal basis, without consideration of the number of factors that go to supporting sustainable economies which conserve and enrich property values in the long term.
  • It does nothing to protect Florida’s scenic beauty or sensitive natural areas, despite its proposed placement in Article II, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution.
  • It could inhibit a local government’s ability to provide essential services and facilities through the addition of expense, delay and uncertainty associated with requiring a referendum. 
  • It cannot guarantee better land use planning.  
  • It may actually dismantle successful participation processes, as the use of referenda will not guarantee meaningful public participation in the comprehensive planning process.

Hometown Democracy is not the answer.   Local comprehensive plans are intended to evolve over time as a community grows and matures.   Hometown Democracy encourages the status quo, which in many communities and counties may mean a low density, sprawling pattern of development.  We need to make it easier to identify and give people what they really want -- environmental protection, open space, community amenities, neighborhood identity, and an advanced transportation network.  Hometown Democracy does the opposite by making it nearly impossible to change plans to accommodate the features that people want most.  

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Recommendations for Action
Citizens have the right and the responsibility to participate in their government. Florida’s current laws allow and encourage citizen participation in the comprehensive planning process, including requirements for public notice and opportunities to speak at public hearings. Can public participation opportunities be improved? Of course -- no system is perfect and despite Florida’s reputation for having some of the strongest open government and citizen participation laws in the U.S., there’s always room for improvement.

FAPA supports efforts to educate the public concerning planning process and opportunities to participate in that process. FAPA also supports developing more meaningful ways to ensure citizen participation and improve citizen involvement in the comprehensive planning process through local planning initiatives and legislative changes to Florida’s growth management framework.

Actions to Ensure Citizen Participation and Improve Citizen Involvement in the Comprehensive Planning Process
To address the concerns that led to the Hometown Democracy proposal, FAPA recommends the actions be taken by state and local government agencies:

  • Public involvement processes should be strengthened through legislation and practice at the state and local levels.
  • The State should appropriately fund the implementation and administration of Florida’s growth management system.
  • Since comprehensive plan amendments often have larger than local impacts, meaningful public participation opportunities should be ensured at all levels of government review.
  • A more aggressive approach to community workshops should be required as a way of educating citizens and gathering citizen input earlier in the project development process, making it easier to meaningfully respond to citizen concerns and suggestions.
  • Where the local elected body has designated itself as the local planning agency, an additional and independent citizen’s advisory board should be required, tasked with reviewing proposed plan amendments making recommendations to the local Commission or Council.
  • Local governments should establish a process for notifying neighborhood groups, community councils, neighborhood zoning boards, etc. that an amendment has been filed.
  • The Department of Community Affairs should create a model “neighborhood or citizens bill of rights.”
  • Local governments should be required to hold a neighborhood meeting before an amendment goes before the decision-making body.
  • Develop a citizen participation guide and make it readily available.
  • The Department of Community Affairs should provide training for local government staff in public participation techniques.
  • A Governor’s Citizen Advisory Committee should be established to develop minimum public participation requirements and recommend a best practices process.
  • The use of new technologies, such as internet techniques, should be fully explored to enable citizens to easily obtain information and provide input in multiple ways.
  • The Department of Community Affairs should compile existing success stories in citizen participation and market their use to local governments.

Actions to Help Citizens Understand Unintended Consequences of the Amendment
FAPA believes that Florida’s citizens should be informed of the issues related to the unintended consequences described herein in order to make an informed decision in the election booth next year. As planners, we have a responsibility to add to the public knowledge. Below are several actions that FAPA members can undertake at the community level:

  • Distribute the information about unintended consequences portion of the FAPA position paper to community-wide organizations, neighborhood associations or service groups, and offer to come to a meeting to discuss them.
  • Contact major employers in your area and provide copies of this paper for distribution.
  • Educate and advise employees at local businesses by giving “employee briefings.”
  • Inform business owners of their rights as to the distribution and collection of Hometown Democracy petitions on their property.
  • Meet with local editorial boards and provide copies of the unintended consequences portion of the FAPA position paper.
  • Collaborate with other organizations or entities on appropriate strategies and venues for getting information about this ballot measure out to the community.

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Learn More about the Hometown Democracy Issue
Please use the following links to learn more about the Hometown Democracy issue:

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Links to Related Information

 

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