The local planning agency and Florida's Community Planning Act

Florida's planning framework

Florida's Community Planning Act organizes local comprehensive planning. The comprehensive plan supplies principles, goals, objectives, policies, and strategies for orderly, balanced economic, social, physical, environmental, and fiscal development. It guides future decisions and identifies how programs and land development regulations will implement its policies. It need not contain the implementing regulations themselves.

Who does what?

The local governing body designates and ordinarily establishes the local planning agency by ordinance, unless law already establishes it. A planning commission, planning department, or other authorized entity may serve. The governing body may designate itself, so the planning and adoption functions do not necessarily belong to separate groups.

The local planning agency has general responsibility for the comprehensive planning program. It prepares plans and amendments and recommends adoption or amendment to the governing body. The governing body decides on adoption. Other designated people or departments may prepare the document, but the local planning agency retains the final recommendation responsibility.

During preparation and before its recommendation, the agency must hold at least one public hearing with public notice.

Participation and continuing review

A school board appointed representative participates in meetings of the initial reviewing agency concerning plan amendments or rezonings that would increase residential density. The representative is nonvoting unless the governing body grants voting status. Applicable community college boards must also have opportunities for involvement.

The local planning agency monitors plan effectiveness and recommends needed changes. Each local government must evaluate its comprehensive plan at least once every seven years, addressing state requirements and the required minimum planning period. Do not confuse this evaluation interval with the annual review of the capital improvements element. Coordination with neighboring jurisdictions and regional water supply planning is a major planning objective.

For example, a consultant may draft a city's housing-density amendment. The local planning agency still holds its required hearing and makes the final recommendation; the city governing body decides on adoption. The residential-density increase also calls for school district participation. Identify the actor, stage, and document before choosing an exam answer.