CANDO's Position on Amendment to Height-Limit Charter

CANDO members have voted to support the final version (approved June 24, 2008) of the City's amendment to its Charter, trusting that this new amendment in no way weakens the 75-foot height limit that was overwhelmingly approved by the City's voters in 2006 with respect to any future construction other than the single development order it references.

CANDO looks forward to working with the City Commission in remaining true to the Comprehensive Land Development Plan which emphasizes keeping Ormond Beach a beautiful low-rise community.

Note: See column at left to view amendment in .pdf format.

Florida's Growth Management Plan

In the winter/spring 2008 edition of Florida State University Research in Review there is an excellent article by Parker Neils on Florida's Growth Management Plan which was passed into law by the State legislature in 1985. In 1975 the Local Government Comprehensive Planning Act was passed which required local governments to prepare and adopt comprehensive development plans. According to the article, these plans have been "largely ignored by planners throughout state government" while Florida's population and development have soared, gobbling up pristine "wild areas."

Included in the article is text of a conversation with Tom Pelham, head of Florida's Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Pelham is a land-use attorney who was head of the DCA from 1987 to 1991 and has recently been reappointed to that post by Governor Crist. According to Pelham, efforts to enforce Florida's growth management have been thwarted by lobbying by developers and road builders.

This article is an interesting read for any citizen concerned about local and state-wide urban sprawl and a disconnect by state and local leaders from their own comprehensive development plans put in place to protect Florida's natural beauty and prevent over-development.

For the entire text of the article, click here >>>

Citizens and Neighbors Devoted to Ormond

Citizens and Neighbors Devoted to Ormond, or CANDO, is a registered political action committee organized to support or oppose quality of life issues impacting Ormond Beach, Florida. Issue examples are delineated in the mission statement approved by the organization in February, 2006.

The scope of CANDO's purpose, as filed with the State of Florida, includes the right to gather petition signatures to initiate a ballot referendum as was done with the charter amendment to limit building heights which was passed by voters in November, 2006.

Mission Statement

This political action committee (PAC) is formed to:

• Protect and preserve beaches and single-family residential neighborhoods
• Protect our historical sites and preserve our natural beauty
• Protect the integrity of our political system and our elected officials
• Protect waterfront properties and preserve beach access
• Protect Ormond Beach property owners from CRA's and eminent domain