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Survey: Where is the growth planning?
By WILL VAN SANT BROOKSVILLE -- Residents want Hernando County government more involved in managing growth. That's the finding of a wide-ranging Planning Department survey conducted in October and November whose results have just been compiled. One part of the study asked residents to rank nine service categories in order of importance. Coming out on top, and beating out roads, libraries, emergency services and open space along the way, survey participants said they wanted to see government offer more planning services. "I was a little surprised it was the top thing," said county Planning Department director Larry Jennings. Both county commissioners and Planning Department staffers attribute the result to a growing desire to monitor development as its impact becomes more palpable and the county embarks on a state-mandated review of the effectiveness of its comprehensive plan. "You can hear it at various meetings," said County Commissioner Nancy Robinson. "People in our community have said better planning. They have gone to the heart of the issue." As an activity that affects virtually all government service, dictating what can go where, planning may indeed be the heart of the issue. It is also a complex task that constantly pits competing interests against one another, each with their own vision of what "good" planning amounts to. Al Sevier, who has sat on the county Planning and Zoning Commission for five years, said that when it comes to dealing with planning issues, people are very good at describing what they don't want near them. Describing what it is they do want, he said, is not as easy. "It becomes a frustrating thing," Sevier said. "They say they want good planning, but when you ask what good planning is, they are at a loss." While Planning Department staff evaluate the results of the survey and embark on a series of public workshops on the comprehensive plan, they agree that a pattern is discernable in the results: The majority of county residents want growth curbed and limited to defined areas. Easier said than done, according to officials. The desires of particular groups or individual residents can often be at odds with sound planning practices that are a benefit to the broader community, they said. And too often, they said, that is where politics further complicates the process. Sevier said that while good planning is often a matter of perspective even for uninterested parties, political leaders may decide against their better judgment when it comes to development issues in order to stay in office. Rooting out the fear of political backlash, he said, would at least make the process cleaner. Jennings said planning and politics simply cannot be divided. County commissioners ask for public comment when they must vote on planning related issues, he said, and the voice of the public is meant to play a role. "I don't think you can separate the two," Jennings said. "The decisionmaking process is in a political setting." Complete results of the Planning Department survey can be found online at www.co.hernando.fl.us/plan. The first of the public workshops on the county's comprehensive plan is set for 5 p.m. March 6 at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Building in Hernando Beach. -- Will Van Sant covers Hernando County government and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to vansant@sptimes.com .
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From today's Hernando Times |
