Evaluation and Appraisal Reports (EARS)

LGA Program

Legislative Intent

Chapter 163.3191, Florida Statutes (F.S.) requires the submittal of an EAR. The intent of the state legislature is that local comprehensive planning should be a continuous and ongoing process. As part of this process, local governments periodically assess the success or failure of plan implementation activities and examine how adequately the plans reflect current trends and conditions and how consistent they are with changes in state policy on planning and growth management. Based on this assessment, the comprehensive plan may require updating and revision in order to ensure that the plan continues to provide sufficient guidance to the local government regarding land development decisions.

Required content of an EAR

Section 163.3191(2), F. S., lists the major components of an evaluation and appraisal report (EAR). The EAR should address, at a minimum, the following:

(a) major problems of development and physical deterioration, the location of land uses, and the social and economic effects of such uses;

(b) the condition of the plan when it was first adopted and its condition at the date of the EAR.

(c) a comparison of plan objectives with actual results at the date of the EAR;

(d) unanticipated and unforeseen problems and opportunities which may have occurred since the plan was adopted;

(e) the effect of changes in state law and regulations on the plan, as well as their effect on the appropriate strategic regional policy plan;

(f) the need for new actions to be taken to address the planning issues identified in the EAR;

(g) plan amendments necessary to implement the needs identified in the EAR, and

(h) a description of the public participation process used during preparation of the EAR.

In addition, s. 163.3191(3), F.S., requires that the EAR identify changes needed to update the plan, including revised objectives, policies, and standards. Section 163.3191(6)(a) specifies that the EAR must also include findings and recommendations regarding items (a) through (h), listed above. Section 163.3191(6)(b), F.S., also states that the EAR-based amendment must be consistent with and implement the findings and recommendations of the EAR. Section 163.3191(3), F.S., encourages the development of a local vision to serve as one basis for revising the plan.

UPDATED…..December 1999

EARS FOR Bartow, Ft. Meade, Lake Alfred, Mulberry, Winter Haven, and Wauchula completed, submitted and found sufficient by DCA.

Six (6) cities with EARS entered into separate contracts with Council Staff to prepare their EARS. As this is an ongoing process, the EARS contracts were prepared for a period of three years, to ensure continuity of the process. We are currently in the third year of the contract. This third year will be utilized preparing EAR based comprehensive plan amendments.

The six cities under contract are:

• Bartow
• Ft. Meade
• Lake Alfred
• Mulberry
• Winter Haven
• Wauchula

With the exception of Wauchula, which is in Hardee County, all the cities are located in Polk County.

An additional city, Auburndale, requested Council's assistance in revising their EAR which was originally prepared by a consultant and which was found insufficient by DCA.  Council entered into a contract to perform that task, and the revised EAR has been found sufficient by DCA.  This brings the total to 7 cities under contract for EARs.