DeLandite Alex Zelenski owns Clearview Geographic, a GIS firm, and is on the board of directors for Imagine Our Florida, the Volusia- Flagler chapter of the Sierra Club. Zelenski is also affiliated with other environmental advocacy organizations.
He sees trying to curb growth as a citizen as a David and Goliath situation.
“Growth, especially at the scale we’re at, it’s not something that is easily stopped,” Zelenski said.
There is not a scenario where local growth will outright stop, he said. People who want to improve their quality of life and where they live need to think bigger than that.
“The better approach is to try to guide the decisions instead of just being angry that growth is happening. Seeing trees and all that come down, yes, that does hurt, but it’s something that’s necessary for economic development, community development. And of course you can’t stop everybody at the border of Florida.”
From Zelenski’s perspective, opposition to continued growth and development doesn’t stop with the subdivision near your home.
“Even if it happens and it’s a little greener than before, your fight doesn’t stop there,” he said.
Behind any approved development are codes and regulations that undergird that decision.
“The policy side of it is definitely the important part, because that’s the minimum standard that everybody needs to meet,” Zelenski said. “If it’s not embedded in the policy, it’s unlikely to happen.”
