Issue Statement: As required by Florida Statutes, local governments must update their Comprehensive Plans every seven years. The evaluation and appraisal process is designed to address any changes in state requirements since the last update by the City. The resulting document is called an Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR).
On November 20, 2019, the City Commission authorized a contract with Kimley Horn to conduct the statutory review and identify areas of the Comprehensive Plan to be updated to comply with the State Statute. This review is the first step in the process to update the City's Comprehensive Plan. Upon approval by the City Commission and transmittal to the State, the staff will commence with the updates to the Comprehensive Plan, including conducting public hearings and Commission approval of the changes.
Recommended Action: Staff recommends that the City Commission adopt a resolution to accept the 2021 Evaluation and Appraisal Report and authorize transmittal to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Planning and Zoning Board: On September 20, 2021, the Planning and Zoning Board considered this item at their public hearing and voted 4 to 0 to recommend approval of this item to the City Commission.
Local Planning Agency: On September 30, 2021, the Local Planning Agency considered this item at their public hearing and voted 5 to 0 to recommend approval of this item to the City Commission.
Background: Section 163.3177 of the Florida Statutes requires that local government comprehensive plans provide the policy foundation for local planning and land-use decisions on capital improvements, conservation, intergovernmental coordination, recreation, open space, future land use, housing, transportation, and public facilities. The statute also requires these plans to be reviewed periodically through the EAR process.
The City last went through the complete EAR process in 2006. In June 2011, the State of Florida changed comprehensive planning requirements and the EAR timeline such that the next EAR was due December 1, 2014. That year, the City notified the State that it had evaluated its Comprehensive Plan and determined that amendments were not necessary to address changes in state requirements. The City is required to complete this EAR and notify the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity of the EAR's results by December 1, 2021.
Since 2014, considerable changes have occurred within the City, Broward County, and the South Florida region, including a focus on sustainability, housing, multi-modal transportation opportunities, redevelopment, and economic growth. Identifying emerging trends and aligning with the City's vision for its future are important components of the EAR. Due to these changes and several amendments to the City's Comprehensive Plan since 2014, a full comprehensive plan evaluation has been undertaken.