Published: November 17, 2005, Sarasota Observer,
November 17, 2005 Pelican Press,
November 13, Venice Gondolier

This editorial explores the relationships between the demand for luxury homes, the supply of vacant property and their impact on affordable housing. It suggests that supply alone can not account for the shortage of affordable homes being built or sold within Sarasota County’s red hot housing market.

Published: September 13, 2006, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Many of the state’s counties are governed by a constitution-like document known as a Charter. An unfortunate trend during the development boom was for developers to annex lands into cities in order to avoid the more stringent development codes of the counties. This editorial supports a Sarasota County Charter amendment that would require cities to maintain rural zoning for rural lands even if annexed into a city.

Published: February 15, 2006, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
March 2, Pelican Press

Impact fees are a one time charge to new development. The proceeds are used to fund the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the needs of new development. This editorial asserts that present impact fees rates are inadequate to fund the true costs generated by new development and result in a higher tax burden on residents already living in the community. The claim is supported with the use of actual capitol improvement budgets and schedules.

Published: September 22, 2001, Venice Gondolier Sun

“2050” is a proposed Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan amendment that provides for an overlay district in eastern Sarasota County where New Urbanist form “villages” can be developed. This editorial suggests that if the developer incentives to create villages create tax burdens on existing residents, or compromise natural resources, the incentive are too high.

Published: December 6, 2006, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Smart Growth Online, January 2007

This editorial explores the succession of the term “Smart Growth”.
Within two decades Smart Growth went from being seldom used to widely used and ultimately to abused. Many so called “Smart Growth” developments are smart in name only and don’t conform to the principles that define a true Smart Growth project. Here they are termed “Dumb Growth” with a smart name.

Published: May, 2006, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

This editorial suggests that Sarasota County’s dependence on the residential home building industry is an unstable and unsustainable economic development model. An economic study that estimates the cost of urban services to various land uses suggests that many residential uses generate the need for more services than the tax revenues they generate can pay for. Sarasota County needs to diversify a more balanced economic development portfolio with value added industries.

Published: November 30, 2001, Sarasota Herald-Tribune,
November 29, 2001, Pelican Press
November 28, 2001, Venice Gondolier Sun

“2050” is a proposed Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan amendment that provides for an overlay district in eastern Sarasota County where New Urbanist form “villages” can be developed. Rather than adopting an overlay district that approves multiple villages at one time, this editorial outlines a plan for a phased and systematic approach to approve the villages one at a time.

Published: August 4, 2006, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The concept of inevitable growth is use by many as an unavoidable default approach to community planning. This editorial dares to offer an alternative view and suggests that under certain conditions, some within the community’s control and some not, that growth is in fact not inevitable. As the result of poor planning, the economy and social trends, many communities have no growth.

Published: August 29, 2008, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Road widening is the typical answer to road “improvements” needed to expand roadway capacity. This editorial describes a paradigm shift in adding roadway capacity by improving bike ways, lighted sidewalks, pedestrian amenities and enhanced landscaping rather than travel lanes for cars.

Published: March 7, 2001, Venice Gondolier Sun

The Growth Management Study Commission was convened by Florida Governor Jeb Bush and charged with making recommendations to improve Florida’s pressing growth management issues. This editorial lauds the report for its realization that the present system is not performing as desired, and criticizes the report for a lack of clarity with proposed solutions.