Department of Community Affairs (DCA)

DCA Base

By "DCA Base", we mean a portion of the annual contract with the Department of Community Affairs, which requires the Council’s participation in a number of subjects, including Areas of Critical State Concern, Ten-year (DRI) Site Plan review, providing assistance to citizens and local governments, intergovernmental review of applications for Federal and State grants, County Emergency Management Plan Reviews, Regional Dispute Resolution Process and the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program.

Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC)

Council staff continues to participate in activities affecting the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern when requested by DCA, other state agencies and local governments. In the past, Council staff participated on the Green Swamp Task Force Technical Advisory Committee. Due to this involvement over the years, the Council is a basic data repository for information involving the Green Swamp ACSC. CFRPC staff served as co-chair of the FDOT Green Swamp Advisory Group, which evaluated the options available for wetland mitigation banking; and identified locations and types of wildlife crossings for I-4 in the Green Swamp ACSC.

CFRPC staff also facilitated a process between the City of Lake Alfred, FDCA and Polk County that identified annexation areas and carrying capacity of lands adjacent to the City of Lake Alfred in the ACSC. Opportunities for the future growth and development of Lake Alfred were identified while protecting the characteristics and values that lead to the critical area designation.

CFRPC staff is also participating on the Upper Peace River Ecosystem Restoration Committee. This committee of state resource managers and land owners is identifying means of restoring severed surface water connections between the Peace River and the Green Swamp.

Ten-Year Site Plan Review

Council staff annually reviews Ten-Year Site Plans that are prepared by each of the electrical utilities with facilities within, or proposed to be within, the jurisdiction of the CFRPC. These are reports assessing the ten year planning horizon of each utility and should not be confused with Site Certification Applications, which are much more complex. Few issues have historically been identified in the Ten-year Site Plan process and the requirement may soon be eliminated by the Public Services Commission.

Assistance to Citizens and Local Governments

Regional planning councils are charged with acting in an advisory capacity to constituent local governments in regional, metropolitan, county, and municipal planning matters under Section 186.505, Florida Statutes. Council staff devotes a substantial proportion of its resources to this technical assistance category. In the past year more than 2,000 man hours have been expended. At least 70 County Commission or City Commission meetings have been attended for issues relating to Chapter 163 alone. To supplement the funds available to the Council, and to focus on specific assistance that individual Local Governments desire, Planning Advisory Services contracts were executed with one county and eight cities.

Regional planning councils have been directed to coordinate land development and transportation authorities and metropolitan planning organizations to foster region-wide transportation systems and review their plans to identify inconsistencies pursuant to subsections 186.505(22) and (23), Florida Statutes. Council staff participates in the activities of the Polk Transportation Planning Organization. Last year this activity involved 22 meetings and several hundred hours of senior staff time.

Regional Dispute Resolution Process

Each regional planning council has adopted a "Regional Dispute Resolution Process" Rule. It is the rule that local governments can use in satisfying the requirement in Chapter 163 for a dispute resolution process.

The Regional Dispute Resolution Rule 29G-3 was adopted by the Council in April 1995. Staff has participated in additional training with the Conflict Resolution Consortium during the contract year, and has engaged in facilitation of potential disputes.

Peace River Basin/Charlotte Harbor Subcommittee

A joint subcommittee formed from two regional planning councils, the Southwest Florida and the Central Florida RPC’s, whose mission is: to understand the hydrologic mechanisms that contribute the base flow to the Peace River and to understand the reasons for their decline; to restore the hydrologic function of the Peace River; to complete the Charlotte Harbor National Estuarine Project; to design land and water management practices that accurately reflect the knowledge of the resource; and to manage the resources of the Peace River Basin and Charlotte Harbor through scientific research, long range planning, and policy reformation, for the preservation of the resource and the nourishment of future generations that reside in the Basin.

Much of the committee’s activities have been incorporated into the NEP work program now that the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program has been established. Numerous other programs and activities are in place through FDEP and the SWFWMD. These programs relate to the Peace River Ecosystem Management Area, and maintenance of minimum flow characteristics of the river. The joint sub-committee will still serve an important role in assessing the impact of these programs on important regional resources.

High Speed Rail

Council staff reviewed the competing franchise applications and the Council adopted a recommendation which was duly transmitted to FDOT. Council staff continues to be involved in the certification process as it affects Okeechobee and Polk Counties.