More on the Super Majority Idea

From SRQ magazine's Page 1 e-newsletter:

Super Intentions: The CCNA Wants A Super Majority Vote To Protect The City's Comprehensive Plan

If neighborhood preservation were in trouble, would Super Majority be its hero? Members of the City Coalition of Neighborhood Associations think requiring a super majority vote when amending the city's comprehensive plan might help curb some of the growth that they feel is detrimental to Sarasota.

Currently, the 5-member commission requires just a 3-2 vote to amend the comprehensive plan and allow developers such leeway as increased density and land use changes. But CCNA President Stan Zimmerman said their group decided last weekend to press the possibility of a super majority vote (4-1) to amend the plan.

"The comprehensive plan should require more than just a simple majority to change it," Zimmerman said. "We went through all of these years of effort to develop the downtown plan--who knows how many thousands of man hours and endless
meetings--and suddenly three commissioners could walk in one day and say 'Why can't we have 25 stories downtown?'"

Zimmerman stressed that the CCNA will see the issue voted on-whether it’s on the city commission's agenda or a referendum ballot. He said the city could pass an ordinance to require the super majority, and that route would be much easier. But if they deny the ordinance, the CCNA will request a citizen vote on the issue and hope to incorporate the new rule into the city's charter.