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Monday, March 28, 2005

Code revision will help city accommodate growth

David Wamsley
From the Tallahassee Democrat

MY VIEW

A recent study by the Brookings Institution projects the U.S. population will grow by a third in the next 25 years. That's approximately 94 million more people than in the year 2,000, the equivalent of filling up Florida State University's Doak Campbell Stadium 1,150 times. Housing all those people without destroying our communities will be no small challenge.

In Florida alone, almost five million new housing units will be needed by 2030. In other words, only half of the homes needed to accommodate Florida's growth currently exist.

Given those sobering statistics, it's imperative that local government officials and Tallahassee homebuilders find ways to work together in a collaborative fashion and eliminate unnecessary impediments, while still maintaining important controls that protect both consumer interests and the environment.

Many cities already have streamlined their permitting processes to meet this burgeoning need. Now, Tallahassee is poised to do the same, with a thoughtful revision of the Land Development Code, to be considered at the next City Commission meeting.

The ordinance revision (No. 05-O-05) option B, eliminates unnecessary construction delays by allowing builders to begin the construction of homes at the same time they work to complete roads, water, sewer and stormwater improvements to the site. This all begins, of course, only after the city has granted the developer an environmental permit and approved a stormwater plan for the site.

Under the revision, a builder can begin construction as soon as the environmental permit is approved, saving time - potentially as much as 12 to 15 months in bringing a home to market. This stands to save consumers money by ultimately reducing the price of lots in Tallahassee. Currently, builders cannot pull permits for new home construction until the site work is completely finished and approved by the city. Building homes at the same time roadways, water and sewer systems are constructed and installed allows the developer and builder to time the project so everything is finished at the same time.

Our city commissioners and staff deserve credit for recognizing a problem and working creatively and collaboratively with homebuilders to forge a smart solution that benefits everyone - especially homebuyers who will enjoy savings realized by ending unnecessary delays. Among others, commissioner Debbie Lightsey is due recognition for her leadership in forging a model solution.

On behalf of K2 Urbancorp and others in the development community, including Dean Development and Turner Heritage Homes, I applaud the efforts of the entire Tallahassee City Commission and the city's growth management and stormwater management staffs for their work on this sensible solution. By working constructively, rather than adversarily, they have created a process in which everyone wins. That's no small achievement.

David Wamsley is CEO and Managing Member of K2 Urbancorp. Contact him at dave@k2urbancorp.com.