Governors Who Promoted and Strengthened Planning - and those who didn't

Several governors have significantly influenced Florida state planning, with legacies often defined by either strengthening or rolling back growth management systems.

  • Bob Graham (1979–1987): Widely regarded as Florida’s most influential "planning governor," his administration established the modern framework for managing the state's rapid population growth.
    • Growth Management Act (1985): This landmark legislation required every county and municipality to adopt a local comprehensive plan consistent with state and regional goals.
    • Infrastructure Concurrency: He introduced the principle that roads, sewers, and other infrastructure must be planned and funded concurrently with new development.
    • Agency Creation: His tenure saw the creation of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), which served as the state's lead planning agency.
  • Reubin Askew (1971–1979): He is credited with initiating Florida’s comprehensive approach to growth management through the 1972 Environmental Land and Water Management Act. He also expanded the state’s Water Management Districts to align with geological watersheds rather than political boundaries.
  • Lawton Chiles (1991–1998): He continued building on the established planning frameworks, specifically emphasizing land acquisition for conservation through programs like Preservation 2000, which later became Florida Forever. 
Governors Who Scaled Back Planning Oversight
  • Rick Scott (2011–2019): He moved to significantly deregulate the state's planning system to promote economic development.
    • Abolished DCA: In 2011, he signed the Community Planning Act, which abolished the Department of Community Affairs and transferred its duties to the new Department of Economic Opportunity (now FloridaCommerce).
    • Reduced Oversight: This act shifted planning authority from the state back to local governments and removed many state-level mandates for growth oversight.
  • Ron DeSantis (2019–Present): While prioritizing environmental funding for the Everglades, his administration has continued the trend of reducing state planning oversight.
    • Development Dispute Limits: In 2023, he signed SB 540, which requires those who unsuccessfully challenge development plans in court to pay the legal fees of the prevailing party, a move critics call a "death knell" for smart growth advocacy.
    • Senate Bill 180 (2025): He signed a law that restricts local governments from enacting planning changes that are more stringent than state standards for a three-year period following disasters. 

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Governor Bob Graham's primary motivations for emphasizing growth management were driven by a desire to protect Florida's unique natural environment and address the infrastructure and quality-of-life challenges posed by the state's rapid population growth. 



Key motivations included:
  • Environmental Preservation: Graham sought to protect Florida's sensitive ecosystems, particularly the Everglades, from the degradation caused by sprawling, unmanaged development. He launched major initiatives like the "Save Our Everglades," "Save Our Rivers," and "Save Our Coasts" programs to acquire and protect vital wetlands, rivers, and coastal areas. The growth management laws required local plans to identify and protect environmentally sensitive lands.
  • Preventing Inappropriate Development: A core concern was stopping construction in areas prone to natural disasters, such as land sure to flood or be destroyed by hurricanes. He also aimed to preserve necessary agricultural land from being covered by new development.
  • Infrastructure Crisis: Florida's fast-paced growth had outpaced the development of public facilities, leading to overcrowded roads, inadequate sewer and water systems, and strained public services. The growth management legislation, specifically the "concurrency" requirement, aimed to ensure that infrastructure would be in place concurrently with new development, not lagging behind.
  • Maintaining Quality of Life: Graham recognized that uncontrolled growth and sprawl were degrading Florida's quality of life, leading to increased traffic congestion, elimination of green space, and potential reductions in property values.
  • Coordinated Planning: He aimed to replace a fragmented system where local governments made isolated land-use decisions with a coordinated, statewide approach. The goal was to have all local comprehensive plans consistent with regional and state plans, creating a cohesive strategy for the entire state's future. 

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