Panel
passes 2 energy plans
By Jim Ash
FLORIDA CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF
The
future of
Sen.
Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, wants to create a quasi-public corporation
that would dole out millions of dollars in grants and tax incentives,
largely to promote the use of alternative fuels, including bio-diesel
and hydrogen.
''I'm
consolidating the essentially splintered effort to develop a state
energy policy,'' Bennett said.
The
measure (SB 996) calls for utility companies to generate half of all new
power they create from ''renewable sources'' by 2015, an aggressive goal
that industry says can't be met.
Bennett's
plan would make it easier to get there by defining nuclear power and
so-called ''clean-burning'' coal as renewable energy.
Environmentalists
were fuming.
''We
can't express strongly enough how much this troubles us,'' said Holly
Binns, field director for the anti-global-warming group, Environment
Florida.
Sen.
Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, was wary about giving control of such a
massive program to a corporate entity, an idea that surfaced late in the
legislative session.
''It
seems like a very, very powerful committee that is not elected,''
Dockery said. ''Privatizing something so large so quickly is usually
problematic.''
In
an unusual move, the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and
Conservation also passed a competing measure by Sen. Lee Constantine,
R-Altamonte Springs, who has led a two-year effort to create a state
energy plan.
It
also would give an average of $900 in tax incentives for consumers who
buy alternative fuel or hybrid cars.
''I
feel very uncomfortable with throwing out a number without talking to a
lot of people,''
Both
plans will have to be reconciled with a similar House proposal (HB 7123)
that makes its last committee stop next week before going to the floor.
Bennett's bill has no House companion.
Meeting
at the same time, the Senate Communications and Public Utilities
Committee also approved a plan to create a ''Climate Action Partnership,
Global Warming'' commission that would study the problem and recommend
ways lawmakers can prepare
The
Senate plans appeared on the same day that Environment Florida released
its analysis of a federal study that shows
The
report also shows that
''We
think of
By
KEVIN BEGOS The
Published:
Apr 13, 2007
From
1990 through 2004,
The
report, issued by Environment Florida, suggests major reductions could
be achieved here using existing technology.
In
one sense,
One,
from Sen. Michael Bennett, would provide $55 million in grants for
renewable energy research and also increase existing biodiesel tax
credits.
"We've
worked with the governor's office on a regular basis. They're much in
favor of the bill," said Bennett, R-Bradenton.
The
corporate tax credit for biodiesel would go from $6.5 million to $13
million, and wholesale distributors also would have to offer the clean
fuel to marinas.
Environmental
groups praised the bill, but with some cautions.
"We
have serious concerns about some of the provisions" in Bennett's
bill, said Holly Binns, field director for Environment Florida. She
mentioned sections that allow nuclear and certain types of coal-fired
plants to qualify as clean energy.
A
bill from Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, provides $500,000 to create the
Florida Climate Action Partnership. It would be a high-level group
formed around the governor to direct the discussion on how climate
change may have an effect on the state.
The
25-member group would include the Senate president and House speaker,
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles
Bronson.
Saunders
said "it's about time" for
"The
good news is we have two senators who are extremely committed to putting
The
Environment Florida report also found that vehicle miles traveled in
WHAT'S
NEXT
Senate
Bill 2446 passed the Communications and Public Utilities committee by
unanimous vote Thursday. It still faces a hearing in the General
Government Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 996 passed the
Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee by unanimous vote
Thursday. It still faces hearings in Finance and Tax and General
Government Appropriations.
Sponsors
S.B.
2446:
Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples; saunders.burt.web@flsenate.gov"
target=_blanksaunders.burt.web@flsenate.gov,
(850) 487-5124
S.B.
996:
Sen. Michael Bennett, R-Bradenton; bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov"
target=_blankbennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov,
(850) 487-5078
Track
Bills
Reporter
Kevin Begos can be reached at (850) 222-8382.
Sides
in $300 million land deal head to arbitration
Friday,
April 13, 2007
And
one of the key individuals who made the deal possible - convicted former
County Commissioner Tony Masilotti - might have to testify in the
dispute.
Neither
mega-home builder Lennar Homes nor rock mining operator Palm Beach
Aggregates would comment about the matter. But both have a pending case
set to go before an arbitration board, a process that is more expedient
and secretive than a civil court proceeding.
Palm
Beach Aggregates' claims against the home builder are unclear. Lennar
Homes, however, is seeking reams of paper in its defense relating to the
series of once-secret land deals that netted the former commissioner and
his brother, Paul Masilotti, a $7.7 million land parcel in
One
of the eight individuals or entities to receive Lennar Homes' subpoenas
was the
"We're
not a party to whatever is going on, so we're not aware what it's
about," Village Manager Charlie Lynn said Wednesday. "We will
comply with whatever we're requested to do."
On
Tuesday, Lennar Homes requested Paul Masilotti's personnel file and any
documents regarding his employment with the village. Masilotti resigned
from the village in November, just as his bosses were preparing to fire
him for not disclosing his financial ties to the Aggregates deal and
other conflicts of interest.
On
Wednesday, Palm Beach Aggregates sent a letter to the village, along
with others who had received the subpoenas, urging them not to comply
with Lennar Homes' request.
"The
subpoenas for deposition ... are improper and premature," wrote
Louis Mrachek, an attorney for the company, citing arbitration
procedures.
The
subpoenas also sought information from the following individuals:
•
Lawyer-lobbyist William R. Boose III, who was charged in November with
helping Tony Masilotti hide his profit from a government land deal in
The
single charge against him was part of a plea agreement that fell apart.
The charge was withdrawn in January after Boose pleaded not guilty. The
government is expected to file a new case against Boose and is likely to
take him to trial on tougher charges.
•
The representative of
•
Palm Beach Aggregates attorney John B. McCracken, who registered Micco
Eastern in 2004 and later became its manager. The company purchased 305
acres in
•
Royal Palm Beach attorney Robert A. D'Angio Jr., who later became the
manager of Micco Eastern. D'Angio also was the private attorney of Paul
Masilotti.
•
Paul Masilotti, who paid the taxes on the
•
Tony Masilotti, who pushed for the rezoning of the Palm Beach Aggregates
property to allow the construction of 2,000 homes, thus increasing the
value of the property without disclosing his financial ties to the
project. He pleaded guilty in January to a single crime, honest services
fraud.
The
connection between the Masilotti deals and the Palm Beach Aggregates-Lennar
Homes dispute was unclear Wednesday.
Boca
Raton attorney Steven D. Rubin, the real-estate law committee chairman
for the Palm Beach County Bar Association, said behind-the-scenes land
transactions could be a justification for the home builder to modify or
abandon its contract if, for instance, it was unaware of the secret
deals.
"That's
a cause of action through either negligent misrepresentation or
intentional misrepresentation, and intentional misrepresentation -
another word for that is fraud," Rubin said.
But
problems with the deal could predate the Masilotti revelations late last
year.
"It
was my understanding that deal was in trouble as far back as Scripps
moving away from the
In
January 2006, Lennar Homes announced it was backing out of deal to buy
4,700 acres west of
Also
in January 2006, the home builder filed an appeal against Jupiter, after
the town blocked the national home builder from nearly tripling the size
of its upscale Jupiter Isles development.
"They
had a whole lot of bad things going bad at the same time,"
Schofield said.
Preservationists
miffed over surprise paving of mule hoofprints
By
BOB KOSLOW
Staff Writer
Several
mule or horseshoe tracks embedded in the concrete roadway near
"This
is something unique to the history of
According
to Blue, the concrete roads were poured in the center of town between
1926 and 1928 when Town Hall was built. Mules and horses pulled the
wagons filled with stone and cement that were used to make the concrete.
On occasion, the animals crossed over newly poured areas before they set
and left shoe imprints.
Animal
shoeprints are still visible on
About
10 years ago, residents successfully fought off the proposed paving of
There
was no warning or fight this time.
"I
would have liked to have been told before this happened," said
Gerald Morin, chairman of the city's historical preservation board.
"But I'm not sure what we could have done anyway. We are an
advisory board and have no powers."
City
Manager John McCue said the road is in terrible condition and has been
slated for resurfacing for at least two years. The resurfacing of
"The
need to improve the transportation network in the city outweighs
asphalting over the mule prints," McCue said.
Resident
Cal Depew, 60, disagrees.
"I
remember learning to drive on all these concrete roads. I hate to see
them covered up. There's nothing wrong with them," he said.
Two
parks, the Dickinson Memorial Library, and several historical homes line
the newly paved roadway. City officials have talked about creating a
walking and biking corridor along the road between the city's government
buildings on the north end and the parks. The city two years ago erected
decorative street lamps along
"My
first reaction is what's wrong with the road," Morin said. "I
don't like to see the concrete road capped and the prints covered. But,
weighing the pros and cons, it's a necessary evil considering what the
city is trying to do."
Putting
asphalt on top of concrete is not ideal, said Roger Schmitt, regional
director of research and materials for the Florida Department of
Transportation.
"What
will happen is that every place there is a crack in the concrete, there
will be a reflective crack in the asphalt. That will happen in about a
year and the asphalt will be as rough as the concrete road was," he
said.
Crisis
Situation
By
Douglas Carman of
Published:
April 13, 2007
Istokpoga's
water has been going downstream from the lake into a canal system
dumping into
This
is a normal event during the month of April, as the South Florida Water
Management District prepares the lake for the rainy season. But ahead of
the proposal to lower Istokpoga's levels well below its legal limit, the
routine maintenance opened the floodgates for panicked residents,
alleging that SFWMD is acting on the proposal right now.
One
e-mail sent to Highlands Today complained the water dropped more than
four inches the past week, citing the canal's opening. Seven or eight
callers reached SFWMD spokeswoman Missie Barletto to express concerns
about everything ranging from sea wall conditions to property values.
However,
Barletto emphasized that the current drop is routine and is not part of
the diversion plan, still awaiting approval from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
"When
they look at the structure, it opens from the bottom rather than from
the top, (and) there's a leakage from the bottom of the head,"
Barletto said, adding that it "makes it look as if we've got those
gates really ripping through."
A
Drop in the Bucket
Despite
the rain this week, neither SFWMD nor Erin McCarta, assistant lake
manager with the Highlands County Soil and Conservation District, said
it would make a difference for Istokpoga or any other large lake.
While
it could help lawns and vegetation, Istokpoga's level will not likely go
up without a discharge from Arbuckle Creek, and it would take a few days
before that effect is realized, McCarta said.
Meanwhile,
Carol Ann Wehle, executive director for SFWMD, spoke in dire terms about
the need to tap Istokpoga as a drinking water supply during a press
conference in
"The
need of drinking water must take precedent over the need for
habitat," Wehle said. "This is a very tough and a very painful
decision we have to make."
As
a part of the new restriction, the water would first have to go to the
Brighton Seminole Indian Reserve. SFWMD will figure the percentage of
the water to be given elsewhere later on.
Because
of a law in
By
ANTHONY CORMIER
anthony.cormier@heraldtribune.com
But critics have a different view of
And political opponents of Mayor Wayne Poston are positioning themselves
to use it as an issue during his re-election campaign this year.
On Wednesday, the City Council approved a contract to sell the land to
Neal for $3.2 million, about $1 million less than its appraised value.
The deal opens the door for new homes near a reservoir that is the main
source of
Councilwoman Marianne Barnebey, who said she is considering a run for
mayor, voted against the deal. Barnebey said she was uncomfortable
getting rid of land so close to the city's source of drinking water.
In addition to environmental concerns, which some worry could lead to
tainted water and the destruction of wetlands, there remain questions
about the contract's peculiar financing. While Neal saves $1 million, he
will partner with
Officials say the "unique" contract could boost the city's
take to $5 million. But critics -- primarily former Mayor Bill Evers and
the environmental group ManaSota-88 -- want to know why
"I'd never sell it," Evers, a mayoral candidate, said
Wednesday afternoon. "But if you had to, why not let others in on
it? How do we know Pat Neal is giving them the fair price?"
The plan was hatched last May, when Neal's firm started carrying clay
fill from the area in an unrelated project. At some point, the developer
asked if the 64 acres -- bought in the mid-1990s as a buffer for the
reservoir and treatment plant -- were for sale.
The city wasn't actively looking for a buyer, City Clerk Carl Callahan
said, but was open to negotiations.
Callahan and Neal negotiated for months and worked out the creative
financing plan. Callahan admitted that the proposal was a unique
relationship for a city and a developer, but insisted that Neal was not
given a favorable price.
"This is not a sweetheart deal," Callahan said. "This is
a fair market transaction."
But even some in the city acknowledged that becoming partners with a
developer is an unsavory proposition. In fact, Neal doesn't even know if
he can get the houses built. He must go through a long review process
with
"We're relying on the greed of all developers to maximize the
number of units," said Councilman James Golden.
For his part, Neal -- a former state senator who is one of the biggest
developers in Southwest Florida -- said he is giving
He also brushed aside environmental concerns, positing that 11 acres of
wetlands will screen out chemicals and other waste that could otherwise
be carried into the nearby reservoir. What's more, City Council members
-- including many of those who have received money from Neal during
prior campaigns -- called Neal a "developer with a great
environmental record."
Rainwater from the area is carried down a small knoll through the
wetlands, which act as a natural filter for sediment and contaminants as
the water feeds the lake. The water from the lake -- known as Evers
Reservoir, after the former mayor -- is then treated at a city facility
and sent by pipelines to faucets, showers and fountains throughout
Bradenton.
"The important thing to remember," Neal said, "is that
(the land) is not going away but is going to be done the right
way."
Water
limits begin as fear of crisis builds
Water
limits begin as fear of crisis builds
Friday,
April 13, 2007
Regional
managers tightened
Starting
today, people from Tequesta to
The
Glades will remain under the two-day-a-week limits that began there last
month.
Residents
will notice more dry canals and ponds, and a drop in water pressure in
the shower. The harshest cuts will hit growers around
In
addition, the South Florida Water Management District began moving
toward year-round restrictions that would take effect after the drought
ends.
Far
worse may lie ahead, water managers said, warning that the drought could
persist through 2008 if this summer doesn't bring an abundance of rain.
Without
conservation, ecologically devastating wildfires could wipe out
centuries of peat in the
"We're
talking about your drinking system going dry," Craig Fugate, the
state's top emergency manager, said during a news conference at the
district's headquarters near
Fugate
is best known for dealing with hurricanes, and his presence added to an
air of crisis at Thursday's district board meeting.
"It's
not a hurricane," he said. "But a drought can be just as
devastating economically."
Growers
around the lake already are finding hints of crop damage to rival the
drought of 2000-01, when the sugar, citrus and vegetable industries
reported as much as $120 million in losses, board member Malcolm
"Bubba" Wade said.
"Every
farmer out there is believing that this one looks, smells, tastes and
acts a lot worse than the one in 2001," said Wade, a senior vice
president of U.S. Sugar Corp. in Clewiston.
Some
residential wells in Jupiter are showing signs of drying, said board
member Lennart Lindahl, a Tequesta engineer. And scientists expect a big
drop in wading birds' nesting as their habitat dries, Executive Director
Carol Wehle said.
Separately,
the U.S. Geological Survey announced Thursday that monitoring wells
throughout
The
board took Thursday's actions in a series of 9-0 votes during a morning
of drizzling rain.
Although
this week's rain was welcome, water managers said it did little to ease
the parched conditions that have struck the region since last year.
Wehle dramatized the concept in front of television news cameras by
dumping a teacup of water into a big blue bucket - helpfully labeled
"Drop in the Bucket."
Wehle
said this drought is the first time on record that the district's entire
territory has been dry at once, from the Kissimmee River and Lake
Okeechobee through the
Instead,
saving the coast's drinking water means conserving its current supplies
and hoping for rain. The district also is seeking federal permission to
draw water from the
Besides
the restrictions, the district's staff announced what amounts to a
moratorium on new water permits. The district will continue approving
the permits, but using the new water will have to wait until the drought
is over.
On
the other hand, the board approved 79 variances from the water limits,
many of them allowing churches, schools and scouting groups to hold
charity carwashes. Those variances require low-volume equipment and ban
wasteful "water fights."
Other
variances went to elderly people who want to run their sprinklers at
night, rather than before dawn, and people who want to water on days
other than Saturday for religious reasons.
While
welcoming the restrictions, some environmentalists urged the district to
stop development and make conservation a permanent priority.
"This
shortage situation should be a wake-up call," said Alex Larson, an
activist from The Acreage, adding that the environment and agriculture
should get priority over lawns. "I don't care if the grass turns
gray or purple."
Fugate
said he hopes the state won't forget the drought's lessons once the
rains return.
"I
would just implore us not to make the mistake I think we made when the
last drought ended," he said. "We switched to other
issues."
Arid
By
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 13, 2007
WEST
PALM BEACH - South Florida residents must cut water use by up to 30
percent under new rules approved Thursday as the state continues to
suffer from unprecedented drought conditions.
The
board of the South Florida Water Management District approved
restrictions that call for a 30 percent reduction in water use in
Residents
around
"If
we don't get above average rainfall this summer, we may not come out of
drought" until after next year's dry season, said district director
Carol Wehle
The
new restrictions will be in place until rains return to the region.
Despite scattered showers Thursday, officials said
The
rules mean residents will have to cut back lawn and garden watering to
two days a week between 4 and 8 a.m. for the lower east and west coast
regions and three days a week in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
Residents
around
Officials
estimate that 50 percent of drinking water produced daily in
Water-use
permit decision appealed
County claims permit not in public's interest
BY SUSAN LATHAM CARR
STAR-BANNER
OCALA
- Marion County on Thursday appealed the St. Johns River Water
Management District's decision to issue a 20-year water-use permit to
pump half a million gallons of water a day in Citra to supply bulk water
to commercial bottling plants.
"They have misinterpreted the statute requirement that the permits
be issued in the public's interest," Assistant County Attorney Tom
MacNamara said about the district. "I think the public interest
includes whether the use is consistent with the zoning of the
property."
Attorneys for
The county contends the permit is not in the public's interest because
the land is zoned agricultural.
"It's not consistent with zoning and land use," MacNamara
said.
In order for the property to be used for water distribution to bottling
companies, the county commission, an elected body, would have to issue a
special-use permit, and none has been requested.
"They don't have the authority to exclude that fact from their
consideration of public interest," MacNamara said about the
District's board, which is an appointed body. "We are going to make
new law, we hope."
When Greene and Hastings applied in 2005 for the permit to pump the
groundwater out of an existing well in the Black Sink Prairie off
When the surface water permit expired, Greene and Hastings requested an
allocation of surface water to use for mining until the end of 2006. So,
the application became a request for both ground and surface water.
Since then, the applicant has received a temporary permit that
authorizes dewatering at the site until the end of 2007 in order to
continue the mining operation.
Both the well that will draw the water for use as bottled water and the
pump for dewatering the mine are located adjacent to the mine at Black
Sink.
The county already requested an administrative hearing, hoping to stop
the groundwater permit, but lost its argument. The District said the
permit meets the criteria for being a reasonable beneficial use, for
being in the public's interest, and it does not interfere with any
presently existing legal use of water.
Greene and
The county is appealing the District's decision to allow the pumping of
182.14 million gallons of groundwater a year to the 5th District Court
of Appeal in
"It usually is a six-to-nine-month process," MacNamara said.
"It could be shorter, but it also could be longer."
In the meantime, because the county, a government entity, has filed the
appeal, a stay would be in place preventing the groundwater from being
pumped until the matter is resolved by the court.
Susan Latham Carr may be reached at susan.carr@starbanner.com
or 867-4156.
Board
rescinds irrigation permit for golf course
Friday,
April 13, 2007
The
month-old vote that gave 209 million gallons of drinking water per year
to a new county golf course was yanked Thursday, after water managers
blamed "ambiguity," "gray areas" and "a few
other problems" with the irrigation permit they had issued.
With
no water to keep sprouting grass green, some
"It
would be nice to put affordable homes on it, wouldn't it?"
Commission Chairwoman Addie Greene said. "Nice spot for workforce
housing. Perfect. And paint it pink."
Commissioner
Jeff Koons questioned the commission's 1998 decision to change the plan
from a campground to a golf course.
"Obviously,
this decision was made 10 years ago," said Koons, who first was
elected to the commission in 2002. "Given that it's a unique
property up against the conservation area, maybe there's a higher and
better use for it. I want to take a look at it."
Commissioner
Karen Marcus, who had voted initially for the course, agreed.
"It's
a big park, and I don't think I knew it was up against the
Commissioner
Burt Aaronson, who had pushed for the golf course in his south county
district, had little to say about the permit being withdrawn.
"I
have no comment," he said. "They took their action and we'll
see. OK?"
The
county has so far committed to spending $40 million for a park that was
to feature 27 holes of low-priced golf plus an amphitheater, festival
and picnic area. Construction - delayed by hurricanes, contractor
problems and environmental difficulties - was nearly complete, except
for the planting of grass and landscaping.
The
turn of events frustrated members of the West Boca Community Council,
which had lobbied Aaronson for a course over a campground so that the
park could serve local residents rather than outsiders.
"If
it hadn't been for the hurricanes, we would have had a golf course a
year ago and we wouldn't even be talking about this," council
President Sheri Scarborough said. "We want to see the golf course
followed through. I'd hate to see that all this work had gone into it
and then it had just been a waste of taxpayer dollars. That would be a
crime."
The
decision by the South Florida Water Management District's board came one
day after they learned that the staff supervisor who had endorsed speedy
approval of the watering permit may have had an ethical conflict.
Robert
J. Moresi has been the director of the district's water-use regulation
division since June. He lives in a
County
consultant Robert Higgins told The
Palm Beach Post Wednesday that he rented out a room in his
Commissioner
Mary McCarty was annoyed. "I just want to find out why the permit
wasn't done properly," said the commissioner, who is married to the
chairman of the water district's board, Kevin McCarty. "Palm Beach
County should be setting the example on how to do things properly."
Leading
up to the vote, Kevin McCarty made only vague reference to the
problematic housing arrangement. He agreed with points raised by
environmental attorney Marcy LaHart, who last week filed a legal
challenge to the permit. LaHart contended that the county needed to
abide by a new rule limiting additional draw from the region's drinking
water.
"The
understanding is this permit needs to be in conformance with the
regional water availability rule that we passed, and that's a problem,
and we're not sure that it does," Kevin McCarty said. "And
there are a few other problems, too."
So
what next for the beleaguered course? County Administrator Bob Weisman
said only time would tell.
"I
guess we're going to wait and see what kind of re-review water
management is going to do," Weisman said. He accused the agency of
changing the rules in the middle of the game. If the permit can't be
granted without substantial additional expense, Weisman said, "we'd
work with Commissioner Aaronson primarily, since its in his district,
and then we would evaluate again. If they're going to tell us that the
current approval is not going to stand up, then we would have to
reconsider."
Water
managers now suggest that the county find another source, such as water
reclaimed from sewage treatment plants. The nearest is about 10 miles
away, near Atlantic Avenue and Hagen Ranch Road west of Delray Beach,
Weisman said. It could cost $10 million more to extend those pipes, and
only two other courses would likely benefit, he said.
Meanwhile,
Moresi continues to work at the district. Division directors at his
level are paid between $68,910 and $121,576 per year and supervise as
many as 50 employees, district spokesman Randy Smith said.
Weisman
said he hasn't decided what to do about Higgins, the consultant brought
in to solve the golf course's permitting difficulties.
"We
cannot have a situation where someone who is working for us has a
continuing conflict with an employee of the district," Weisman
said. "Clearly that situation has to rectify itself - perceived
conflict or otherwise."
A
Healthy Skepticism On New Roads
Tampa
Tribune editorial Published: Apr 13, 2007
The
latest poll of Hillsborough residents shows that four out of five people
think this increasingly congested urban area needs more transit, maybe
even passenger rail, in the future.
They're
right. Voters in most other cities this size have come to the same
conclusion and have built or are building rail systems. Detroit and
Tampa are among the few cities trying to solve the transportation
problem with roads alone.
But
more pavement is only part of the solution, and most people understand
that. Asked if they think building more roads will make traffic less
congested in the next half century, 55 percent said no.
They
responded based on their own observations. Wider and longer roads in the
suburbs are carrying more cars than ever, and creating bigger traffic
backups. And many city roads like Dale Mabry Highway south of Kennedy
are impossible to widen, no matter how bad the traffic gets.
Previous
polls have shown majority support for rail, yet voters in Hillsborough
County have never been asked to approve or reject a rail plan.
Odds
are improving that the question will someday reach the ballot.
Hartline's board has decided to ask federal officials how to revive a
rail plan that was put on the shelf a few years ago.
The
new poll by the Hillsborough City-County Planning Commission also
revealed an inconsistency that requires smart political leadership to
resolve. People say unaffordable housing is a major problem. They also
say that new development should pay more of the costs of growth, which
would raise housing prices.
The
only way to address the contradiction is to make both growth and
transportation more efficient.
Road
Fix May Mean Wider and Longer
By Tom
Palmer
The Ledger
BARTOW - Traffic congestion in the high-growth area of Lakeland between
Kathleen Road and U.S. 98 North may require a new road network to
prevent further gridlock, traffic planners told the Transportation
Planning Organization on Thursday.
The solution will likely involve extending and connecting existing
roads, planner Ryan Kordek said.
Affected could be portions of Banana Road, Marcum Road, D.R. Bryant Road
and Raulerson Road.
Duff Road is the main east-west corridor in this area, but an evaluation
revealed it was impractical to widen. There isn't enough right of way
along the heavily developed road, Kordek said.
Kordek said widening Banana Road and extending the others was more
practical because there were fewer property owners involved and the
homes there now are generally farther away from the edge of the road,
which means the project would not involve condemning houses.
But at this point street-widening projects have not progressed beyond
the planning stage.
"There are no plans to fund them," he said.
Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher asked planners at the meeting whether an
alternative might be to resurrect a proposal to carry the Polk Parkway
north of Lakeland, making a complete loop around the city.
"I thought we were going to have a rough idea of that
project," Fletcher said.
Ben Walker, a planner from the Florida Department of Transportation,
said that idea was examined but was rejected because there would be too
many environmental problems. The road would have to be constructed
through the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern.
"That idea has kind of died," Walker said.
Fletcher said he still thought it was a good idea and speculated there
might be a way to avoid the Green Swamp.
Getting back to the Duff Road issue, County Commissioner Bob English
asked whether it was possible to three-lane Duff Road even if wasn't
practical for four-lane it.
Kordek said it may be possible to install left-turn lanes at key
intersections, because traffic backups behind turning vehicles are a
major problem.
Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com
or 863-802-7535. You can read more on the environment at Palmer's
environmental blog, River Valley's Journal, at http://environment.theledger.com
and more on local government at Side Table Spectator, Palmer's county
government blog, at http://county.theledger.com.
Getting
into hearing in Briny no breeze
Palm
Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday,
April 13, 2007
BRINY
BREEZES — It was a rare sight: people trying to fight their way into
town hall.