Advisory Opinion to the Attorney General Re Florida Growth Management Initiative Giving Citizens the Right to Decide Local Growth Management Plan Changes

2 So. 3d 118, 33 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 966, 2008 Fla. LEXIS 2391, 2008 WL 5245678
Supreme Court of Florida·Decided December 18, 2008·No. SC08-318, SC08-492·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinions

WELLS, J.

The Attorney General of Florida has requested this Court’s opinion as to the validity of an initiative petition sponsored by Floridians for Smarter Growth, Inc., and the accompanying Financial Impact Statement submitted by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference. We have jurisdiction. See art. IV, § 10, art. V, § 3(b)(10), Fla. Const. For the reasons explained below, we conclude that the proposed amendment complies with the single-subject requirement of article XI, section 3 of the Florida Constitution, that the ballot title and summary comply with section 101.161(1), Florida Statutes (2008), and that the financial impact statement complies with section 100.371, Florida Statutes (2008).

I. FACTS

The Smarter Growth initiative petition seeks to amend article II, section 7, of the Florida Constitution. The ballot title and summary read as follows:

Florida Growth Management Initiative Giving Citizens the Right to Decide Local Growth Management Plan Changes Allows Floridians to call for voter approval of changes to local growth management plans through a citizen petition. Voter approval of growth management plan changes will be required if 10% of the voters in the city or county sign a petition calling for such a referendum. Defines terms and establishes petition requirements.

The full text of the proposed amendment states:

a) Statement and Purpose:
The Legislature has enacted growth management and land use planning legislation; these laws do not provide for voters’ direct approval of the resulting plans or amendments. The purpose of this amendment is to provide a limited opportunity for voters to approve or disapprove these plans or amendments. Because thousands of growth management plans and amendments are adopted statewide each year, this amendment would limit such referenda to situations where a sufficient number of persons file a petition seeking such a referendum during a set period of time. The criteria for signing and filing a peti[119] tion are intended to demonstrate that there is substantial interest in a referendum, and are based, in part, on existing Section 550.175, Fla. Stat. This amendment is intended to modify existing law, permit flexibility in future growth management-related legislation (except rules which would affect voters’ ability to petition for referenda), and pre-empt or supersede recent proposals to subject all comprehensive land use plans and amendments to votes, thus balancing competing interests without over-burdening voters.
b) Amendment of Florida Constitution:
Art. II, Section 7, Fla. Const., is amended by inserting the following new subsection at the end thereof, to read:
Florida Growth Management Initiative Petitions.
a) In addition to any power or ability of voters to participate in growth management planning processes provided by this Section or by general law, the registered voters of a local government may offer a Florida Growth Management Initiative Petition regarding any growth management plan or amendment to such a plan.
b) If a valid and sufficient Florida Growth Management Initiative Petition is filed and verified by the appropriate election authorities for a local government, the local government shall conduct a referendum approving or disapproving the specific growth management plan or amendment. The referendum shall be conducted as provided by applicable general law of the State or the local government. If a plan or amendment is disapproved in such a referendum, it is not effective and may not be adopted or implemented by the local government or relied on by others. The fact that a plan or amendment has been the subject of a referendum under this Section does not preclude future changes to that plan or amendment, or exempt such changes from these or other procedures and requirements. If a valid and sufficient Florida Growth Management Initiative Petition is not filed for a particular plan or amendment, notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or of general law, no referendum on that particular plan or amendment shall be held pursuant to this Section.
c) Definitions: For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1) “Local government” means a county or municipality.
2) “Growth management plan” means a plan to guide and control future land development in an area under the jurisdiction of a local government, including a comprehensive land use plan or similar document, and includes amendments to such plans, however described.
3) “Florida Growth Management Initiative Petition” means a written petition, on a form designated for that purpose, containing and describing all elements of the applicable growth management plan or amendment, and otherwise conforming in all respects to any requirements imposed by general law. Not more than one applicable growth management plan or amendment may be included in any one petition.

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Advisory Opinion to the Attorney General Re Florida Growth Management Initiative Giving Citizens the Right to Decide Local Growth Management Plan Changes, 2 So. 3d 118, 33 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 966, 2008 Fla. LEXIS 2391, 2008 WL 5245678 (Fla. 2008).

2 So. 3d 118 (Advisory Opinion to the Attorney General Re Florida Growth Management Initiative Giving Citizens the Right to Decide Local Growth Management Plan Changes) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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