[kmarc]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

Northern FL has a lot of agriculture and forestry, and much of that land has been in the same families for generations. I doubt those families would be so eager to sell to developers.

Some are selling out in Marion County, though they managed to quash a proposed 5,000 resident development that would have been a disaster for the existing infrastructure.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Some are selling out in Marion County, though they managed to quash a proposed 5,000 resident development that would have been a disaster for the existing infrastructure.

When the older family members die, the younger ones will sell as they do not generally want that rural lifestyle. It has happened in the farm country and in many other areas that used to be rural. My current home (Nice development) is built ion land that was once a ranch. Kids put dad in a assisted living home and sold the land so they could enjoy ... city life.

[TreeBeard]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

Northern FL has a lot of agriculture and forestry, and much of that land has been in the same families for generations. I doubt those families would be so eager to sell to developers.

No you're wrong. Farm land in Northeast Florida has all but disappeared, most sold to developers. Some of the nicest land. Northeast Florida is increasingly taking on the appearance of Long Island.

Yes, Florida needs to strengthens development codes, especially as regards wetlands and coastal areas. I would add that the local communities also need stricter rules.

Northeast Florida which used to have some of the most interesting fauna and flora is no more and it will never be back,

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by expatCA

When the older family members die, the younger ones will sell as they do not generally want that rural lifestyle. It has happened in the farm country and in many other areas that used to be rural. My current home (Nice development) is built ion land that was once a ranch. Kids put dad in a assisted living home and sold the land so they could enjoy ... city life.

I always liked suburban living myself. Not the way it is now, but the way it was when and where I grew up. The towns with their neighborhoods centered around the families, where you could walk to the shops and school and church, the nice yards and the places to play and meet up with friends. Parks and woods and stuff. It was nice to go to the country, fun to go into the city once in a while. I lived and worked in the city for a year after college and couldn't get out fast enough.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by kmarc

I always liked suburban living myself. Not the way it is now, but the way it was when and where I grew up. The towns with their neighborhoods centered around the families, where you could walk to the shops and school and church, the nice yards and the places to play and meet up with friends. Parks and woods and stuff. It was nice to go to the country, fun to go into the city once in a while. I lived and worked in the city for a year after college and couldn't get out fast enough.

What you had growing up, is no more.

[john-staten island]

Southeast Florida is booming. This is one of the biggest Snowbird seasons I can recall in my 14 years here. I'm in Boca and its good to see money being spent that will hopefully lower my taxes. The new Tax laws will get those in the Rust Belt and High Tax states to maybe make the move.The only way to curtail overcrowding is to limit over building. Highways are already jammed, 95 is a mess a lot of the day. New train service has begun from West Palm to Ft Lauderdale, about 10 years late.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by expatCA

What you had growing up, is no more.

I know. I think about that a lot. I grew up in that sweet spot when being a middle class kid was one of the best things you could be. Not that there weren't occasional cruelties and the occasional youthful social anxieties, but there's no way, NO WAY, I would ever trade it for what kids have to experience these days.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by john-staten island

Southeast Florida is booming. This is one of the biggest Snowbird seasons I can recall in my 14 years here. I'm in Boca and its good to see money being spent that will hopefully lower my taxes. The new Tax laws will get those in the Rust Belt and High Tax states to maybe make the move.The only way to curtail overcrowding is to limit over building. Highways are already jammed, 95 is a mess a lot of the day. New train service has begun from West Palm to Ft Lauderdale, about 10 years late.

There was train service from West Palm to Ft. Lauderdale and on to Miami back in the late 1990s. Tri-Rail. Loved it.

[sean1the1]

I don't get the argument that California is overcrowded. Majority of the state is desolate, the only people that think that are people who aren't too educated on where people actually live. I think smarter growth is the solution to Florida's problem force people to live closer to each other, and honestly they have done it more than they did in the past. Most new communities the homes are pretty close, and they're building more multi-family neighborhoods.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by sean1the1

I don't get the argument that California is overcrowded. Majority of the state is desolate, the only people that think that are people who aren't too educated on where people actually live. I think smarter growth is the solution to Florida's problem force people to live closer to each other, and honestly they have done it more than they did in the past. Most new communities the homes are pretty close, and they're building more multi-family neighborhoods.

"Smart growth", as in forcing people to live closer together, is smart because it puts more cash in the developer's or builder's pocket. We just moved from a situation where the neighbors on one side talked outside our bedroom window all. day. long. And we could hear the other neighbors fighting and cussing. Now we've got a quarter of an acre around us. Heaven! That's what I call smart growth, for me, anyway.