On October 16^th the Volusia League of Cities, Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD) and the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a community forum to discuss different aspects of Florida Hometown Democracy (Amendment 3, which will appear on the November 2010 ballot). Dozens of Volusia County businesspeople, government officials and citizens attended to listen to the views of a specially assembled panel.  

Panel members included Brian Teeple, Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Florida Regional Council, who spoke on planning; Alan C. Sheppard, Greenberg-Traurig Law Firm addressed legal issues; Charles Lee, Audubon of Florida addressed environmental aspects; and Ryan Houck of Floridians For Smarter Growth who spoke of alternatives to HTD.  It was noted that, despite repeated requests, leaders of the statewide Hometown Democracy initiative had declined to participate. Mark Watts, Cobb Cole spoke of Senate Bill 360, Florida’s ‘Community Renewal Act. Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno emceed the event.

The Hometown Democracy proposal, which will appear on the November 2010 ballot as Amendment 4, likely will ignite one of the biggest campaign fights of next year's elections. The proposed amendment, if passed, would require that voters decide all future changes to local comprehensive growth-management plans; blueprints that guide development in cities and counties. Hometown Democracy would effectively give the public veto power over development issues that are decided by government officials.

Opponents (including the Chamber) believe Hometown Democracy would create a cumbersome development approval process that could hurt efforts to attract new business to Florida.

Ryan Houck of Floridians for Smarter Growth called Amendment 4 a "sledgehammer solution" and said the state needs to devise strategies to manage growth, not send the issues to election ballots noting, "That's not planning. That's politics."

Hometown Democracy supporters, however, argue elected officials across the state are too closely tied to builders and developers.

HTD has mixed feedback from environmental groups. Charles Lee, a longtime Audubon of Florida leader who appeared on the panel Friday, said his group has remained neutral on the proposal and Lee is unsure of how he will vote on the amendment.