Florida Government is made up of Developers and those who are bribed by developers. The blame rests on the long time residents for letting this happen. They voted for it without any realization since thay did Not bother to investigate who they were voting for. They did Not attend County meetings to raise their voices in opposition. They did Not boycott builders nor did they try to stop them in any other way and there Are Many other ways. Just use your imagination before Floridas Environment is completely destroyed

It was known many DECADES ago that Florida's environment was in EXTREME trouble and nothing was done about it (or very little was done), so to me it looks like the quality of life here will keep going down the toilet until the environment totally collapses and people start moving out .. kinda like what happened back in he "Dust Bowl" days.

Yes, Florida is too crowded and the environment is going to hell because if it. But greed and the Almighty Dollar rules, so enjoy it while you can, I guess.

(the drinking water here is some of the worst I've ever tasted .. I would describe it as a mix of "alligator pee" and dirty goldfish bowl water)

We do not have adequate water supply or resources to accommodate an increased influx. Gainesville is reporting salt water in the natural springs, and the major spring in Zephyrhills is completely dry. During the last drought, there was huge debate between Florida and Georgia over water rights. It will only get worse. Increased population is unsustainable.

Good point! I really don't think most locals care about the natual history, NOW, there are those who really do and don't really stand up to the sprawl and just blame the damn Yankee's for every bad thing in Florida. But I think there's a lot of people who are from down here that want the same things they see in the big city's in the north but still have Tampa or Florida to be the way it was in the 50's. Tampa is so rich with history it's not funny, but as long as the Buc's are winning and there's plenty of beads to go around that's all that really matters to most here. I went on my blue moon trip up to New Tampa today, and I was thinking how even if we put this light rail in, the roads would still be a nightmare, it's real navie to think that there would be throngs of people riding each day, we need senseable growth, not hurry and overbuild, then play catch up years later trying to widen road,etc.

One idea that might slow growth and make it more sustainable is to follow the example of Portland OR and stop new growth on new land, and require already developed land to be redeveloped. This would be beneficial to us all.

Population brings growth and problems. This is predominate where I live being
the Largo area. Mass transit has to brought into the next century. 1-1/2 hour from Largo, Fl to St Pete by the PSTA bus system is horse and buggy days. Sidewalks,
pedestrian crosswalks need to be upgraded. No longer able to driause of age,
and moving here almost two years ago from a large city, the everyday feeling i have
when I leave my house is that Florida is waving a big flag tjhat rreads "if you do not drive, you are not welcome. Shopping malls, street crossings are geard for cars and trucks only, and not for pedestreian traffic. In many cases getting from point A to Point B on foot is like having a death wish.

The State and especially this County are over-crowded. "They" keep moving here for whatever reasons and most do not contribute financially. They rent a place, (no taxes paid for the county services used) take a job from a local, never transfer their car plates or get a Florida drivers license. Yet those of us that have lived here forever feel like we are being crowded out. And yes is you don't drive, forget it! There are no safe places to walk, crossing the street, oh well, its like they speed up to try to hit you..sometimes I wonder what goes through their minds if anything. No courtesy, always in a rush!
And our beaches, well Clearwater Beach USED to be beautiful, now its just a lot of concrete and parking lots, not so nice. And congested, I haven't been there in years, why bother. And our eco systems and wildlife are "dead" more deer are killed every day and why. Our water stinks. I have never seen such a poor excuse for water and we get charged a lot of money for this crappy liquid. I think the beauty of Florida is gone-too much development and no thought as to how it will affect the area. There are more shopping centers and office buildings sitting empty yet still new ones are bring built on once pristine land...why??
Its getting close to time to move...BUT where????Florida is NOT what it used to be and never will be again. To you newbees who come here and think everything is wonderful, well guess again, its not.......Have a wonderful day

The quality of life in Florida is definitely in danger ed by escessive population. Fresh water resources are already being streesed. More people means more air, water and ground pollution. When I was a child, Florida was full of beautiful, wild places with only 2 and 1/2 million people. Most of that is already gone. Stop the growth!!

Yes, if no car, Florida is not for you! I am a pedestrian, and every time I try to cross the street, with the signal and in the crosswalk, I take my life in my hands. In Dunedin, it is treacherous, especially at Keene and Main. And yes, the water is vile.

Yes, population is a problem. Especially in Pinellas County because it is the most densely populated county in Florida. But some of the issues like walking down streets etc.. isn't a Florida problem it's a specific problems to some of the areas in this state. The Tampa Bay Region is not well suited for walkers, but having been to most places in this state there are a number of city that is just fine for walking from point A to point B.
Water has been an issue, especially with the droughting in the North Central Florida area. Population isn't the cause, just weather paterns. There are many areas of Florida that are not as densely populated as our area here. But in the areas of mass density it is bad.
I am a native of Florida, but a transplant to this area (since 2002).

Well Mindy you speak of the Buddy System, if it is so beautiful and safe why does one need a buddy?? I don't know how long you have lived here, but most of North Pinellas was orange groves and a lot of eastern Pasco County...so I and most of us get very frustrated and the growth and the discourtesy of the people, mainly on the highways. and I do feel sorry for those who attempt to walk..

Also Paul...I know the owners pay taxes, but the renters seem to use more services, like our school system, county medical services etc. etc. and thats what taxes are for...maybe I'm taking it too far but sometimes it just feels that way and if someone doesn't like what I've said ......Read the First Amendment Sorry Folks I just call 'em as I see 'em.. :)

i

Well, if Rick Scott had allowed the rail system to go ahead that would alleviate a little of the traffic around here...but alas! He didn't..

my family just moved here from out-of-state. we're one of those damn yankees of which you all speak. i pay taxes. i changed my plates. i got a florida license. i bought a home. i pay ridiculously high taxes (way higher than i paid in the northeast from where i came). i love it here but it seems like a few of you fools should think about moving. maybe you can find some farmland in alaska that isn't over-developed. folks, these problems you are speaking of happen all over the country, it's not just here.

There must be a limit to development in any community, county, or state.

Like Jennifer S. we moved here from out of state, but just because we pay taxes, as does every other resident (either directly or indirectly), that does not mean that we, or any future new Florida citizens, has a right to demand more and more growth.

And as for the understandable few who say, "let's get back to the way we were", that doesn't happen anywhere, but nobody should be suggesting to those good folk that they should move to Alaska.

Ironically, I have been following a proposed development project in my old neighborhood up north, and many of my former neighbors are saying things like "let's get back to the farming community we were before all of the housing developments changed the tone of the community."

Sadly, those folks don't seem to realize that even for creation of farmland there had to be a big change from the forests and scrub brush land that those farm plots were, before they became plots for the 1/2 acre houses.

The challenge, and it is an important challenge, is to make sure that growth is limited so that we don't create a civic and ecological monstrosity, and that is just as true in Florida as it is in any state up through the mid-west or the eastern seaboard.

It also means that smart growth principles need to be followed, and that redevelopment of underutilized, or abandoned, sites needs to be the priority over the destruction of habitat and watershed virgin land.