Concerned About Development?

If you've lived in Marion County for any serious period of time, the issue of growth management and development is probably one of your big issues - and you would be correct about this being a big issue.

For decades, our county has allowed massive and rather wasteful developments to be built. None of these developments ever truly paid for themselves, and so we've been left with the chronic and growing problems of overcrowded and underperforming schools, crumbling roads, a lack of community open space, and an environment increasingly in danger.

However, there is a chance to become more involved in the growth management debate in our community. There will be several community visioning sessions over some large growth/development-related issues over the next several months. They will be held at the Growth Management building (right next to the libarary on Silver Springs Boulevard.) Here's the schedule thus far:

March 27: Growth Strategies, population and growth forecasts. Land use strategies for accommodating future growth.

April 24: Economic Development, priorities and strategies for economic development opportunities and employment centers

May 22: Agriculture and open space: High Density and Mixed use; preservation of open space, environmentally sensitive lands and agriculture lands, strategies to address areas and standards for mixed use and high density commercial & residential development & incentives for mixed use development.

June 26: Funding infrastructure, urban service boundary and changes to the comprehensive plan. Facilities and services needed to accommodate growth. Financial feasibility of providing services. Designation of an urban service boundary. Proposed future land use map and specific changes to comprehensive plan.

August: Planning commission community vision public workshop, planning commission transmittal public hearing

September: County commission transmittal public hearing.

Thanks to Bill and Susan Woods in addition to Gale Sylvester for letting me (and you) know about these important upcoming events.