Sun Belt states have long been considered friendly to developers — especially compared with states like Massachusetts, where environmentalists and neighborhood groups often have the power to kill projects outright. But there’s a move afoot in Florida to bring some New England-style rules to the planning process.

The West Volusia Beacon reports on a ballot initiative that would allow city and county residents to veto projects regardless of what their elected officials decide:

Hometown Democracy will appear as Amendment 4 on the Nov. 2, 2010, ballot. A “yes” from more than 60 percent of voters will give individual Floridians the chance to cast ballots on development proposals now decided by elected city commissions and county councils.

The measure’s passage will either save Florida or destroy it, depending on whom you talk with.

Hometown Democracy founder Lesley Blackner said the amendment will stop the ill-planned growth that has bankrupted Florida and threatened its natural resources.

“We have government of the developer, by the developer and for the developer,” Blackner said.

But the Florida Chamber of Commerce calls Hometown Democracy “a grave threat to Florida’s future” and “a jobs killer that would imperil Florida’s prosperity and quality of life, and make the current economic downturn permanent.”

In an interview for the Palm Beach Post, Blackner describes her frustration at ordinary voters’ lack of input in the planning process:

A decade ago, Blackner was working pro bono cases that took her to commission meetings. She was stunned at how easily the commissioners approved land-use changes.

She said citizens against some of the development proposals were barely heard, and many commissioners would read newspapers or play with their cellphones while they spoke.

“I got really tired of watching them ignore citizens,” Blackner said. “And I got tired of watching them run on a platform of protecting the quality of life of citizenry and then turning around and rubber-stamping stupid development proposals.”

It’s tough to imagine that scene playing out in a Massachusetts city or town. Those cellphones would be turned off pretty quickly, or they’d end up smashed on the floor. Their owners would be out of work pretty quickly — and perhaps on their way to interview for county commissioners’ jobs in Florida. If the Sunshine State passes Blackner’s proposal, however, it may no longer be a refuge for elected officials tired of dealing with cranky voters.

Hat tip: Governing.com and Josh Goodman, who explains that the “Hometown Democracy” proposal has already had one effect: Opponents have managed to raise the level of support required for the passage of a constitutional amendment from 50 percent to 60 percent.