The mockery of a local Comprehensive Plan
The state of Florida requires that all local governments maintain a Comprehensive Growth Management Plan. Its purpose is to guide development to ensure compatibility and to meet the projected needs of the area in a financially prudent manner.
Polk County has developed such a plan. It has identified the growth patterns for all areas of the county. This plan is enshrined through what are called future land use maps. In theory, these maps are to be used to plan for roads, schools, utilities, police, fire and all other required infrastructure.
What happens to this planning when a land developer takes advantage of a loophole known as a “planned development”?…