Opening the Door for Growth

Waves of new residents are arriving every month, and who can blame them? The same elements of economic success that brought the Calusa and the Colliers to our region — sunshine, fertile soil, warm water, sandy beaches, abundant fishing and wildlife — continue to draw people to Southwest Florida today. And, it would appear that there is no stopping them.

Managing Growth is the Key; Learning by Example

How are we equipped to deal with the challenges that this rapid growth presents? How do we plan on protecting our quality of life, economic stability and regional longevity? As Southwest Florida plots a course for sustainable growth, it is useful to learn from the efforts of other regions with similar growing pains. Growth management plans being implemented in enlightened regions can provide us with positive role models and recipes for our own success. We can also learn from bad examples.

Next month we’ll begin with a look at success stories and examine how smart growth planning can mitigate the problems that inevitably accompany explosive population growth.

Kristin Nail is a freelance writer and visiting instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University.