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IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO REGION |
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Population and land-use data, combined with abundant research on the science of watersheds, make it clear that land-use reforms are necessary to preserve coastal communities and ecosystems. Society must somehow decide how to allocate an essentially fixed supply of coastal zone resources among growing public and private demands for coastal areas. Historically, the answer has been to allow supply and demand to determine the usage of coastal areas through the price mechanism-the use which paid the highest price for a particular property obtained it. Zoning provisions, public ownership, and tax laws have all had an impact on the market results, but the current allocation is essentially the result of private market operations. Rural communities within 100 miles of the immediate coastline in the northern Gulf of Mexico region are currently experiencing difficulties in coping with the demands placed upon them by land-use changes. Many areas which once supported agriculture and silviculture are now being developed into residential communities with associated increases in population densities. This trend of expansion into the hinterland is expected to increase because most of the available property on the immediate shoreline has already been developed. Larger metropolitan areas within the region have had difficulty coping with the demands placed on infrastructure such as new roads, waste treatment facilities, public safety and schools. It will be nearly impossible for smaller rural communities which are strapped for resources to effectively plan for and meet the challenges of these sweeping demographic changes. Monies generated by impact fees and new tax revenues often come too late in the development process to ensure that wise and sustainable land-use decisions are implemented. The results are often school overcrowding, traffic congestion, pollution, loss of cultural identity, and dislocation of historical residents and landowners. Urban sprawl affects not only the metropolitan areas from which it originates, but the surrounding communities onto which it infringes. Along I-10 corridor from Florida to Texas, coastal counties are growing exponentially. Residents are finding it increasingly expensive to live along the coast. Each year new developments appear in neighboring counties who benefit from the building and purchasing of new homes, but cannot afford the increased infrastructure required to support the new residents who work and play along the coast, which continues to benefit from commercial developments such as hotels and condominiums. Along with the increased pressure on the infrastructure of these rural counties comes the increased loss of jobs and land as traditional agricultural and forestry lands become developed into residential subdivisions and retail centers. Therefore, we propose to establish a center with the mission of producing information that will help inform policy decisions related to quality of life along the Gulf Coast. |
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