On Dec. 6, 1000 Friends of Florida announced their Florida 2060 initiative. The kick off included the release of the report, A Time for Leadership: Growth Management and Florida 2060, which was produced by the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD), a research center of the College of Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The report is a review of current policies in Florida and their implications for the state, as well as a series of recommendations of how best to meet critical challenges.

"We are very excited about being able to help shape a growth framework and a new direction for Florida," said Dr. Catherine L. Ross, director of CQGRD and Harry West Professor of Quality Growth and Regional Development at Georgia Tech. "Florida is one of the leading states in terms of thinking about growth issues and quality of life, and stands to set a precedent in terms of prioritizing healthy growth and smart planning for its citizens."

A Time for Leadership presents a new growth-policy framework based on "the four Ps": patterns, preservation, passages, and places. Together, the four P's weave a complex web that shapes the environment in which Floridians live. They require balancing maintenance and redevelopment of existing urban areas, with new land development; countering urbanized places with protected lands to protect natural functions and create healthy environments for people; preserving the identity of Florida, while simultaneously forging its new image in response to a changing world and population.

The report calls for:
• expanding the "Florida Forever" natural-land acquisition program;
• adopting a new policy on converting rural lands to urban use;
• creating a 100-year legacy plan that identifies the state's "build-out" level;
• identifying champions who will organize and advocate for Florida's vision and plans.

A Time for Leadership builds on the 2003 report by the Florida Chamber Foundation entitled New Cornerstone, which called for a shift from growth management to growth leadership. Growth leadership is described as a proactive approach to plan for future growth that is both sustainable and environmentally-friendly. To support the New Cornerstone call for growth leadership, A Time for Leadership offers a policy framework and recommendations for land development and preservation planning in Florida.