Headed to Orlando today. From the east coast (Brevard County, home of Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral and me) to the west side of O-town, we were amazed to see acres and acres of land being chopped down and cleared for housing developments, shopping malls, apartment complexes, highways, roads, and more to accommodate the hundreds of thousands coming our way, fleeing blue states.
When we moved here from blue New England in 1982, I often joked that I wanted to close and lock the gate at the Georgia/Florida state line and say “no more can come through!”
Florida’s population was ten and a half million (10,471,407), with the population bulge located in the Tampa/Miami/Ft. Lauderdale areas. Not anymore. Central Florida – like the rest of the Sunshine State, is exploding.
Lots of old Florida green spaces have been and are being erased by earth movers and construction crews, slapping up houses as fast as possible. Sadly for some of us who remember the natural beauty, thousands of acreage is no longer green with scrub, palmettos, palms and oaks, and instead being replaces with rows upon rows of modern-day tacky-tacky.
As of 2022, we have grown to 22,244,823. And it’s not showing any sign of stopping. To the contrary. What were once two lane roads have swollen into 8 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic, controlled by double turn lanes and traffic lights that contain, check, curb, moderate, and operate intersections at newly created roads leading to and from more and more miles of housing construction.
Blue state voters escaping from democrat and RINO-run hell-holes are heading to Florida and Texas, making us Red Staters more than a bit apprehensive that leftist commie state escapees might bring with them the same blue voting patterns that made their home states the socialist cesspools they’re leaving behind.
Between 1980 and 2022, Florida’s population more than DOUBLED – 15.6% to 18.8 million, increasing 11 out of 11 years (2010 – 2021), and doubling compared to the US population increase of 7.3%.
https://movingtofloridaguide.com/top-10-best-selling-master-planned-communities-in-florida.html
I know that things and times change. It’s inevitable. And yeah, maybe I’m being selfish. But seeing the rapidity with which Florida is losing its natural charm and possible Red State status worries me.
Horrible and Heatbreaking. This has been the scene in Georgia, EVERYTHING has changed, noise, traffic, clear-cutting of gorgeous heavily tree planted properties fto accommodate ugly Fast Food Joints, next to lovely neighborhoods, mannerless and disrespectful folks by the thousands moving in, no open spaces left, higher cost of living and higher taxes, most laws ignored, English no longer required, can’t afford to stay or leave….where to go next that will be any better? Beautiful Florida will not be the same, Georgia has already changed greatly. Sad.
Yes. I wonder what will happen too. The commies have a great plan to spread the revolution.
Same thing is happening here in the greater Myrtle Beach area, the Grand Strand as it is called will become much less ‘grand’. Lets hope and pray people WAKE UP real soon!
Florida is a beautiful state. 3 generations in my family have spent many trips to the FL beaches. On our last night before leaving for home our girls would go down once it was dark to say “Good-bye” until next time. I’m sure it’s very difficult to seeing the changes. Unfortunately as we know many states are headed in the same direction. Memories “they” can not erase but the sadness is still there.
I fear it’s growing too fast. Only two major highways out of Florida in an emergency. That used to scare me a little when I lived there. Orlando traffic was a nightmare last time I visited. Hope it doesn’t turn into Commifornia..