|  Florida
Hometown Democracy closer to ballot after court victory
Florida’s
Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a law allowing voters to “revoke”
their signatures on constitutional amendment petitions is unconstitutional.
 Navy
grants Whiting runway use
Santa
Rosa County has received permission from the Navy to share use of
a runway at NAS Whiting Field, according to a County release.
“This
approval comes after six years of negotiations and partnering by
the county, NAS Whiting Field, Naval Southeast Command in Jacksonville
and ultimately the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations,”
a County release said.
 Pace
Principal: revisit student election rules
Pace
High Principal Frank Lay says the school will likely revisit the
Student Government Association elections procedures cited as the
reason class officers may not speak at graduation.
“We will
be revisiting the [elections] policy,” Lay said at last night’s
Pace Assembly of God rally to protest a decision to bar class officers
from speaking at graduation. “As a matter of fact, we’d
be glad to revisit it before school ends this year.”
 Weaker
stormwater standards still possible
Santa Rosa Commissioners
recently tabled a proposal to weaken stormwater permitting standards.
But commissioners
left the option open for revisiting portions of the existing standard.
“I think
that we need to go ahead and get proposals to see if there’s
any excess requirements that we could be a little more lenient on,
but at this time I’m really not in favor of changing the ordinance…”
Commissioner Jim Williamson remarked at the May 15 regular meeting.
 Bills
could weaken growth oversight, worsen sprawl
A
pair of growth management bills on Governor Charlie Crist’s
desk could weaken oversight of growth planning and worsen sprawl,
critics charge. The bills will potentially allow developers to bypass
existing permitting requirements, including in currently undeveloped
areas.
The first,
SB 360, would reduce permitting requirements and developer costs
for large “development of regional impact” subdivisions.
The measure
allows local governments to establish “dense urban”
boundaries in areas with 1,000 residents per square mile. That works
out to 1.5 homes per acre, according to opponents, who fear the
change could worsen sprawl in undeveloped areas.
 Navarre
Beach Pier bid approved
At today’s Santa
Rosa County Commission meeting, commissioners voted to accept Ed
Waters and Son Contracting’s bid for the construction of the
new Navarre Beach Fishing Pier. Construction could begin as early
as April 30 with a possible completion date as early as May 2010.
In 2004 and
2005, Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis damaged the current pier beyond
repair. The new pier is budgeted at $8.43 million, which includes
the demolition and removal of the old fishing pier. Ninety percent
of the project budget will be paid for utilizing FEMA federal aid
for disaster recovery funds for improved projects with a state share
of 7.5 percent and the county funding 2.5 percent or $210,626.
 OCC
poised to buy controversial $3.1M Pullum land
Despite
opposition by two Commissioners and unanswered Sunshine Law questions,
Santa Rosa leadership is poised to buy 92 undeveloped acres of land,
at a cost of $3.187 million. Officials say the land will be used
to construct another industrial park in East Milton.
 2009
winning roses announced
Each year, the All-American
Rose Selections (AARS) organization picks new and exceptional roses
for the landscape. The 2009 winning roses are Carefree Spirit™,
Pink Promise, and Cinco de Mayo™.
 New
Commission eyes budget
Santa Rosa’s new
commission took their seats Tuesday, after two newly-elected commissioners
joined three returning members.
District 1
Commissioner Jim Williamson and District 5 Commissioner Lane Lynchard,
who won seats in this year’s elections, were sworn in.
From left to right Jim Williamson,
Bob Cole, Don Salter, Gordon Goodin,
Lane Lynchard Photo courtesy Santa Rosa County PIO
 Another
Gulf Power rate hike approved
Florida’s Public
Service Commission has approved another 9 percent rate hike for
Gulf Power.
The hike is
necessary to pay for expected fuels cost increases, according to
a PSC press release.
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