Community Development

Community development requires cooperative planning between community developers and government to ensure that necessary infrastructure and services are available in a timely manner to meet the needs of planned growth. The quality of life offered in new communities is critical to attracting and retaining the best work force for Florida. AFCD supports comprehensive planning and regulatory provisions that lead to the creation of new urban centers and new communities that are innovators in environmental and resource planning and that displace urban sprawl.

Redeveloped Communities

Redevelopment, urban infill development, traditional neighborhood developments and other urban revitalization strategies should be encouraged, but they do not provide sufficient capacity to deal with Florida‘s future growth and development.

Innovators

New communities pioneered the re-use of treated wastewater, routinely dedicate environmentally sensitive areas to open space, and use trail systems and alternative transportation methods to reduce auto use. The 2004 Study by the Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Florida has demonstrated the greater efficiency, lower costs, higher quality and value stability of large scale new communities.

New Communities

Planning and permitting programs need to encourage the viability of new community developments characterized by environmentally responsible, economically balanced, mixed-use master-planned communities, urban villages, new towns, and satellite communities, which contain a variety of housing product and densities, businesses, public facilities and employment opportunities.