If you’ve ever read A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith, you’ll recognize a theme that has haunted Florida for over a century: the belief that growth—any growth—is inherently good. Since the days of Henry Flagler’s empire-building, our state and local governments have adopted a “growth-at-all-costs” mindset. Projects are rubber-stamped if they promise jobs or a bigger tax base—regardless of whether those promises are ever fulfilled.
To be fair, some growth has delivered what many would consider benefits: the homes we live in, the stores we shop in, and the amenities we enjoy. But Florida has reached the point of diminishing returns on sprawl. The consequences now outweigh the benefits. In fact, unchecked development is actively threatening our quality of life—and in some cases, our very safety.
Just look at the I-4 corridor. Once a string of distinct cities and farmland, it’s now a nearly unbroken megaregion of 8 million people—more than the entire population of Florida in 1975. We’ve grown too much, too fast. And now, every new subdivision, big-box project, and warehouse complex costs more in infrastructure, emergency services, and disaster mitigation than it ever returns in tax revenue. It’s a bill we all pay—and one that never seems to settle.
Florida is, geologically speaking, a glorified sandbar. For much of its history, including as recently as 120,000 years ago, large swaths of what is now Volusia County were submerged under the sea. Our land is porous, low-lying, and fragile. And yet, with sea levels rising and extreme weather intensifying, we’re still building homes on floodplains, filling wetlands, and paving over natural buffers—all in the name of “progress.”
And our political system enables it. For decades, wealthy developers have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Florida’s elections—buying access, influence, and land use policy outcomes. In Volusia County, it’s no secret that big developers get red carpet treatment, while residents facing flooding, traffic, and ecological destruction are told to sit down and be quiet. Entire neighborhoods have suffered catastrophic flooding after high-fill developments dumped stormwater downhill, defying gravity, common sense, and local topography.
We’re still being sold the tired idea that sprawl creates jobs and grows the tax base. But time and again, when you run the numbers, it doesn’t pencil out. By the time roads, schools, utilities, and emergency services catch up—if they ever do—we’re lucky to break even. And that’s after sacrificing tree canopy, community character, and often, public safety.
At the state level, things are even worse. Florida’s leadership has gone all-in on stripping away local home rule, undermining cities and counties that try to rein in overdevelopment. Most recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 180, which prohibits disaster-declared counties like Volusia from adopting stricter zoning or building codes until 2027. Every member of the Volusia County legislative delegation voted for it. These same lawmakers scream about “states’ rights” but trample on cities’ rights when it threatens developer profits. It’s “rules for thee, not for me”—and it’s an egregious abuse of power.
Even our environmental agencies have been hollowed out. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which once served as a scientific and ecological check on bad development, is now stacked with appointees who have direct ties to the real estate and construction industries. As of 2024, five of the seven commissioners are developers, and not one is a conservation scientist. This is not accidental—it’s deliberate. It’s sabotage of public oversight disguised as governance.
But here’s the good news: the people are waking up.
Groups like Slow the Growth Volusia are popping up all over the state, powered by ordinary residents who are sick of watching their quality of life auctioned off to the highest bidder. We’re not calling to stop growth—we’re calling to control it. To make it smarter. To plan for the future, not just the next election cycle.
And now, we finally have choices. In 2026, the developer-backed ballot won’t be the only one. Real residents and qualified professionals are stepping up to run for office. They’ve lived through the impacts of overdevelopment. They’ve studied the data. They’re not taking checks from the usual suspects.
The tide is turning. But the system won’t reform itself. We need to keep showing up, speaking out, and voting with our values. We need to end this cycle of reckless growth and start building a Florida we can be proud to pass on.
We don’t need more empty promises. We need leadership that protects what matters—and that means putting people, nature, and common sense ahead of concrete and campaign cash.
And the movement to do just that? It’s already here.
Bryon White is an entrepreneur, conservationist, and organic farmer from New Smyrna Beach. He filed as a candidate for Volusia County Council, District 3. He founded Slow the Growth Volusia and serves on the board of directors of 1000 Friends of Florida.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: OPINION: As long as developers in Florida run the show, rampant growth will continue
Reporting by Bryon White / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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