ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly summarizes urban development trends from 1970 to 2000 for the state of Florida. As one of the pioneering states in passing growth management legislation, Florida has influenced several other states in the design and implementation of growth management strategies. Florida's 1985 Growth Management Act (GMA) depends on three complementary policies: consistency, concurrency, and compact development. Having implemented innovative land use regulation, growth management, and urban containment approaches, the State of Florida is seen as one of the growth management leaders among US states. Florida experienced very rapid population growth between 1970 and 2000. To accommodate this population growth, the amount of land at urban, suburban, and exurban densities increased 119 percent, 165 percent, and 80 percent, respectively. From 1970 to 1990, eight of 19 metropolitan areas in Florida experienced higher rates of high density development compared to low density development. From 1990 to 2000, the correlation for percent population change for countries and percent high density development.
