In response to the population boom in the early 70's, the state of Florida, the land with a history of dramatic booms and busts, passed a landmark Growth Management Act.

As a further measure to discourage sprawl, the act encouraged local government to create Planned Urban Service districts. These are delineated by Urban Service Boundaries that designate the area where local government will supply services such as water, sewer, fire and police, schools, libraries, parks and services that residents need.

The Urban Boundary's intention was to:
  • Contain sprawl
  • Ensure citizens opportunity to participate in the process of growth
  • Protect the rural, agricultural areas from urban sprawl
  • Preserve our natural resources and environment
  • Provide fiscally sound growth planning  
In Martin County, our Comprehensive Plan has been heralded and recognized for its excellence, despite repeated and continuous attacks.  Our Comp Plan was written back in the 1980's and was a masterful contract promising prudence and restraint in land use and development.

It is our Comprehensive Plan that has kept us better off than our neighboring counties with less debt, fewer foreclosures, and more green space.

The original state law that required local governments to have Comprehensive Plans ensured a system of reviews by local, regional and state planning boards.  However, all that changed last May, when the state significantly degraded Florida's Growth Management Act.  No longer would the state review a local government's changes to their plans, and it made development much easier.  
In the area of land use and development, there is less oversight coming from Tallahassee. This makes it imperative that local government represent citizens and not special interests.

Martin County is at a crossroads, and it is one vote away from changes that will dramatically alter life as we know it here. We are one vote away from going down a road from which there is no going back.
  
As a Martin County Commissioner, I will keep the integrity of our Comprehensive Plan that has protected Martin County from the blight, sprawl and economic disaster that has occurred in so many Florida counties.

Anne Scott, candidate for Martin County Commissioner, 2012