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Modification of measure to help farmers develop land may save it

By JONI JAMES
Published April 26, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - A bill to help Florida farmers develop their land lost its most controversial provision Monday to help win the governor's support.

Senate sponsor Nancy Argenziano, R-Dunnellon, dropped a provision that would automatically approve a farmer's rezoning request after six months if the local government failed to act.

Now the bill (SB 716) would require local governments to respond within six months, or the matter goes to the state for review.

The bill, backed by the agricultural lobby, would apply when 75 percent of a property is surrounded by current or proposed urban development.

"I've done this to address the governor's concerns," Argenziano told a Senate panel that approved the change. "I just hope I haven't watered it down too much."

Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed a similar bill last year, fearing it would prematurely convert farmland to development, encourage litigation and increase the state's role in local decisions.

Bush's staff is still reviewing the change.

In an unusual alliance, environmentalists and county governments continued to oppose the plan, saying it strips power from local officials and encourages urban sprawl.

"This is an improvement, but we still oppose the bill," Janet Bowman of 1000 Friends of Florida told the Senate Environmental Preservation Committee. "This is supposed to be the year of growth management reform and here ... the bigger picture is lost."

But Republican and Democratic legislators said it isn't fair to deny farmers hemmed in by urbanization a chance to develop their land.

"To say to the farmer, "We're going to wait to develop that' after they have held onto it for generations isn't right," said Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua.

The bill applies to parcels of 500 acres or less, or 2,650 acres if in agricultural use for the past five years, or up to 5,120 acres if the property is under citrus canker quarantine.

A key backer is Callery-Judge Grove, a citrus grower fighting to rezone 4,400 acres in Palm Beach County.

[Last modified April 26, 2005, 01:04:06]