The following document is provided by the LWVVC for your information,
and posting on this site does not imply an endorsement by the LWVVC. It was written by Aiden Magee of the Volusia Flagler Environmental Action Committee, Inc.,
and Mr. Magee has agreed to have it posted on this site. It has been converted for the web, but it has
not been edited.
VOLUSIA GROWTH MANAGEMENT
COMMISSION report
Volusia Growth Management Commission (VGMC) is a 21 member
representative advisory board funded by the residents of
The advocates of the Smart Growth Report suggest you pack your bags.
The cities are not happy with your role because they want to be in control of their own development destiny in fast developing Volusia.
The media continually refers to you as the ‘ghost of Christmas past’ because you have outlived your use fullness.
My oh my folks. I look at you all and I am acutely aware of the meaning of ‘endangered species’.
My submission this evening might be interpreted by some as a
wake-up call. Like Robin Williams in “Good morning
You must advise the political masters in the County that you wish to broaden your remit to that of an honest broker in the current climate of run-a-way development within the County. It is what is lacking when the ‘players’ sit down to carve the fast disappearing carcass of beautiful Volusia. There is no honest broker, honest enough and strong enough readily available, willing to put their head above the parapet.
There has to be a reputable honest broker available to exercise common sense between the ‘players’ when they attempt to achieve financial gain at the cost of us all.
The cities are on a frenzied diet of annexation to satisfy
their addiction to fill their tax base with as much unincorporated rural
Volusia as they can grab before the
neighboring city gets there first. They think they are playing ‘
The home builders of Volusia want to provide new homes for the masses of arriving baby boomers. Little houses ( or should I say large houses) built in rows and they all look the same. Their idea of utopia is, clusters however let me remind you that clusters are sub-divisions and sub-divisions are sprawl no matter how you dress it up. The home builder developers prefer green field sites rather than brown field sites because of the greater return of profit through greater building density and low costs. They are not interested in building ‘ranchette’ homes in the rural community. Economies of scale are not easily available there and anyway only 2% of rural Americans earn their living on the farm now. Not a market the home builders see as a priority.
There are winners/losers in every form of development however
the biggest loser of all is the fast disappearing
This apocalyptic trend has to end. Someone has to call halt.
We have to develop a common interest that satisfy’s all the players. We have to
develop TRUST. I submit VGMC must present itself as a candidate for this roll. VGMC will have
to reconstitute itself to do so however, it must present itself. There is no
more important cause in
What can VGMC do?
I submit you can;
1. Advise Volusia County that it needs a new comprehensive plan agreed between all the local governments. One that identifies growth boundaries’ agreeable to most We do not have one.
2. Advise everyone that the new comprehensive plan must be adhered to and enforced. It would help to have all the comprehensive plans in the County/cities running on the same time scale along side this new plan.
3. The new plan must be amendment resistant by ‘seekers of variances’.
4. Land change use applications for annexed properties that choose to jump boundaries must retain the land use the property held before application.
5. Presently
there are 5 governing agencies with at least 5 different ordinance standards
pertaining to the rural environment and wetlands in
US Army Corps of Engineers
St Johns River Water Management District
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Local city/town governments.
Our agreed new County wide Comp. Plan has to reflect common standards in ordinances to achieve a common goal.
6. Environmental
mitigation credits must be exercised on-site and not shuffled off to
VGMC members, I do not wish to infringe further upon your advisory role so I will conclude and allow you to exercise your minds.
However, I will conclude by reiterating:
We need a plan
We need a comprehensive plan
We need a comprehensive plan that is agreed.
VGMC has a role to play………………………….Start playing.
Aiden. Magee, Volusia Flagler Environmental Action Committee. Inc. aiden.magee@hotmail.com