Prevent Sprawl. Sprawl sends new urban development away from our city centers and outward into our farmland, forests, and wild places.
It creates a need for more city infrastructure on land that was once undeveloped or productive farming or timber land.
Bigger roads, more water supplies, energy lines, hospitals, schools and community safety must all be provided to new sprawl city
residents and paid for by county taxpayers.
Farmton, a proposed development on 59,000 acres of timber land and forested
wetlands in Volusia County, will put 23,000 homes and commercial spaces in wetlands
and uplands used by black bears and Florida panther and preserved as the largest
wetlands mitigation bank in the state.
Sierra Club Florida challenged the Volusia County land use plan for Farmton development
in court. In January, 2012, the administrative law judge ruled that Farmton did not fit
the description of sprawl defined by the weakened growth management laws adopted 3 months earlier.
Sierra Club Florida will continue to oppose this development.
As we educate Floridians about the cost to themselves and to our environment.
We will advocate and work for stronger growth management laws in our state.
Think sprawl is only about hurting your environment? What about the pain to your wallet?
Find a Florida county near you and figure out if you can afford to allow sprawl to continue. Check out
The price of sprawl
What do smart growth and infill development look like?
These computer-generated simulations are designed to demonstrate how sprawling communities can be revitalized
and made more livable. See Community transformations
What can we do to stop it? Sierra Club works to change our local and state laws which
promote bad development. We fight development which affects our wild places and important natural resources. We propose transportation solutions and community growth options which
protect our air and water and wildlife.
DONATE to prevent sprawl. Donations to our education and litigation fund help us fight the necessary
legal battles and get the word out on environmental issues. And they are tax deductible!
Make out your check to Sierra Club Foundation, Florida Chapter Fund,
and mail it to Sierra Club Foundation, 85 Second Street, Suite 750, San Francisco, CA, 94105.
Events of the Volusia-Flagler Group.
April 15th - Bring Your Own Breakfast (BYOB) Picnic and Hike
Join us on the newest link in Volusia County's Spring-to-Spring Trail for our BYOB Event.
The first 50 participants will recive a FREE re-usable Sierra Club tote bag!
(Made from recycled materials and measuring a generous 13" x 15" x 10")
Participation is free.
Outings of the Northeast Group of Sierra Club (our neighbors).
May 9 - Kayak Deep Creek.
With a 10am start, we'll kayak on a 6-mile trip to the St. Johns River and back on this beautiful,
isolated creek. Bring Personal Floatation Device (PFD), whistle, snack, water, bug spray, sunscreen, and hat.
You must wear your PFD. We'll meet at the
Deep Creek Boat Launch located at 7975 SR-207, Hastings, FL.
Take I-95 south to the SR-207 exit. Go west toward Hastings for
about 12 miles. Right after the intersection with SR-206, you will
come to the bridge over Deep Creek. Drive over the bridge, then U-turn and cross back over.
The road to the launch site is on the right (south) just over the east side of the bridge.
You must RSVP on Meetup or to Outing Leader Sharon Sugden, sasnr@hotmail.com.
May 15, 10am, Hike in Betz-Tiger Point Preserve
We'll hike the beautiful trails of this city-owned gem. Surrounded by broad expanses of saltwater marsh, Betz Tiger Point is awe-inspiring with
stunning scenic views and abundant wildlife. No pets, please. Please bring water, a snack, sun tan lotion, and bug repellent.
Betz Tiger Point Preserve is located at 12100 Pumpkin Hill Road, Jacksonville. Exit on to Heckscher Drive north from I-295 (9A),
turn left (north) on New Berlin Road. Turn right (east) on Cedar Point Drive. Turn left (north) on Pumpkin Hill Road. Drive to the
end of Pumpkin Hill Rd. and then go left to the Preserve parking area. Outings Leader Bill Armstrong, 904-880-7702, armsfam@yahoo.com.
Map to trailhead available on Meetup.
May 20, 10am, Kayak in the Four Creeks State Forest
We'll kayak in this beautiful, isolated state forest on tree-covered creeks. Bring PFD, whistle, snack, water, bug spray, sunscreen, hat.
You must wear your PFD. Since the put-in point is pretty isolated, we'll meet at the Kangaroo Gas Station at 540684 Lem Turner Rd.
Take I-295 on the west side to Lem Turner Rd. Take Lem Turner north about ten miles. You'll pass a huge golf ball on the left.
A little further is the Kangaroo Gas Station on the right. You must RSVP on Meetup or to Outings Leader Bill Armstrong, 904-880-7702, armsfam@yahoo.com.
The Volusia-Flagler Group is your Sierra Club
in Flagler and Volusia Counties of Florida.
We are a local arm of Sierra Club Florida working to preserve the environment.
Think sprawl is only about hurting your environment? What about the pain to your wallet?
Find a Florida county near you and figure out if you can afford to allow sprawl to continue. Check out
The price of sprawl 