Serving DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee and Polk Counties

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Highlights from the March 8, 2017 Council Meeting at the DeSoto County Administration Building

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Arcadia City Councilmember Susan Coker was sworn in as a member to the CFRPC.
  • FRCA Policy Board members for 2017 are Buddy Mansfield, Jackie Tucker and Pat Huff with Mike O’Connor as the alternate member.
  • Finance Committee appointments for 2017 are Edie Yates, Mike Thompson, Neda Cobb and Hazel Sellers.

DESOTO COUNTY ACTIVITIES

  • Mandy Hines, DeSoto County Administrator, provided an update on activities in DeSoto County including. View her presentation here.
  • She highlighted community conversation workshops held across the county, road improvements underway, the opening of a Publix Supermarket in Arcadia, and the construction of a new rodeo arena and fire station. Ms. Hines also shared information on a new overlay district in development, the Mosaic application for mining, a landfill assessment study, and the impact of tax exemption on solar facilities to DeSoto County’s tax revenue.

PLANNING ADVISORY SERVICE (PAS) CONTRACTS UPDATE

  • Jennifer Codo-Salisbury updated the Council on Planning Advisory Services (PAS) projects for FY 2016-17.
  • Ms. Codo-Salisbury stated that recently, the Council had the privilege of partnering with Polk County to assist in updating their Local Mitigation Strategy and Polk’s seventeen cities. View the presentation here.
    • Polk County Commissioner Melony Bell was presented with an award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), given jointly to Polk County and the CFRPC, for the work on its 2015 Polk County Local Mitigation Strategy Update.

UPDATE ON THE HEARTLAND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION (HRTPO)

  • HRTPO activities underway include developing a Congestion Management Process (CMP), which requires consultant services. Also, a Transit Development Plan (TDP) is being developed specifically for Highlands County.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE

  • Marcos Monts De Oca, City Administrator, City of Okeechobee, explained that the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact is a commitment by 164 municipalities and 19 counties to work together across jurisdictional boundaries to create a comprehensive plan and joint policy positions addressing environmental and economic challenges associated with discharges from Lake Okeechobee. View the presentation here.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2017-A3 which states that the CFRPC supports and will work in collaboration with the parties of the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality carried unanimously.

JOINT LAND USE STUDY (JLUS) PRESENTATION AND VIDEO

  • Buck McLaughlin, Range Operations Officer for the Avon Park Air Force Range, former Commander of the Range and former employee of CFRPC, presented an overview of the Air Force Range, the training that is conducted, its history and its official duties and purpose. View the presentation here.
  • Through an implementation grant received from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, the CFRPC and partners developed the Joint Land Use Study to promote compatible community growth while supporting the Range’s military training mission. Three videos have been created to make people more aware of the Range and its mission.

FY 2017-18 PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT FOR CFRPC

  • Pat Steed presented a chart that included the current assessment cost per county, and the cost variance of an increase to $0.30 per capita from $0.25. Rates have not been increased since 2006. The assessment was discussed by the Finance Committee in October 2016, the Council in December 2016, and the recommendation is to set the assessment at this time so counties may include the change in their budget process.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2017-3B to increase the member assessment carried unanimously.

REPORT ON THE FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCILS ASSOCIATION (FRCA) JANUARY POLICY BOARD MEETING

  • Recap of the January Policy Board Meeting in Tallahassee.
  • The FRCA Annual Report with the new organizational branding was distributed.
  • The next FRCA Policy Board meeting is scheduled for June 2017 in West Palm Beach.

UPDATE ON DESOTO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED (TD) DESIGNATED OFFICIAL PLANNING AGENCY (DOPA) TRANSITION AND UPDATE ON HARDEE, HIGHLANDS, OKEECHOBEE SERVICE PROVISION

  • DeSoto County has notified the TD Commission that as of June 30, 2017, they will no longer serve as the Transportation Disadvantaged Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA) for DeSoto County. At the November Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution in support of serving as the DOPA for DeSoto County if the Council was asked.
  • Staff will confirm that the funding is in place if the transition occurs.
  • The DeSoto County Service Area will remain separate from the other service area until it can be integrated smoothly.
  • MV Transportation, the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) for the Hardee, Highlands and Okeechobee Service Area has added Safety Transportation, Inc. as a new carrier under contract.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

  • Pat Steed reported on current legislative activities. Ms. Steed referred to the Bill Tracking Report in the Council Agenda Packet and stated that staff will be monitoring those bills.
  • Ms. Steed reported that the Economic Development Administration notified staff that an additional $7,000 would be added to the grant funding.
  • The FRCA Monthly Report will be included in the meeting materials on a regular basis.
  • She added that staff is available to Council members to make presentations on a variety of issues at their local meetings and events.
View Meeting Documents

The next meeting of the CFRPC will be at 9:30am on April 12, 2017 in Hardee County at the Hardee County Civic Center.

We are currently experiencing technical issues with our email system and are temporarily unable to receive email. If you have sent us an email since Sunday, January 29, 2017, we have not received it, and it may not be recovered. To communicate with our staff please call us at 863-534-7130 until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.


Update: Our email system appears to be functioning properly. However, if you sent us an email between Sunday, January 29 and Tuesday, January 31, we may not have received it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Highlights from the November 9, 2016 Council Meeting at the Sebring Civic Center

Finance Committee Recommendations

  • The Finance Committee met on October 28, 2016, in Bartow and discussed the following items:  upcoming annual audit with the Council’s auditor, CliftonLarsonAllen; the current and historic per capita assessment rates for the Council; and the Executive Director’s and staff’s compensation. The Finance Committee recommended that the Council discuss the Executive Director’s and the staff’s compensation further at the December 2016 Council Meeting along with the audit report.
    • MOTION: To approve the final amended budget for FY 2015-16 as presented carried unanimously.
    • MOTION: To approve the Proposed Amended Budget for FY 2016-17 as presented carried unanimously.

New Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Members and Update on CEDS Process

  • Shannon McPherson, Program Director, provided an update on the CEDS process. View the presentation.
  • She shared the CEDS Committee, which works with staff to produce the CEDS updates, has several vacancies. A list of proposed CEDS Committee members was presented.
    • MOTION: To approve the CEDS Committee members as presented carried unanimously.

Transportation Disadvantaged and Rural Transit Programs Overview and Grant Resolutions

  • A presentation of the efforts being made to enhance mobility in the Heartland through the Heartland Rural Mobility Plan (HRMP) was given including the Council’s role of managing and implementing goals and objectives. View the presentation.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11B, FTA Section 5311 Capital Grant
      as presented carried unanimously.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11C, FTA Section 5311 Operating Grant as presented carried unanimously.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11D, FTA Section 5310 Operating Assistance Grant  as presented carried unanimously.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11E, FTA Section 5310 Capital Vehicle Grant as presented carried unanimously.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11F, FTA Section 5339 Capital Grant
      as presented carried unanimously.

Council Consideration of Accepting Transportation Disadvantaged Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA) Designation For DeSoto County

  • The DeSoto County Board of County Commissioners notified the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged that DeSoto County desires to decline to continue to serve as the DOPA beyond June 30, 2017.
  • In anticipation of the Council being asked to fulfill the role as DOPA for DeSoto County, Ms. Steed asked the Council if they would consider accepting that designation. The HRTPO would also be required to authorize the change.
    • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2016-11G, which would authorize the Council to be designated as DeSoto County’s TD Designated Official Planning Agency carried unanimously.

Status Report for the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization

  • At the next meeting of the HRTPO, scheduled for November 30, 2016 in Highlands County, staff will present the results of the RFQ process for the Congestion Management Plan.
  • A workshop is scheduled for January 11, 2017 to assist local governments as they submit FDOT Priority Project Applications to the HRTPO in early 2017 for funding consideration.

Other Items of Interest

The City of Frostproof will host the project launch of Frostproof on the Move on Tuesday, November 15, 2016, from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. This meeting will be held at the Frostproof Community Center located at 137 East Wall Street, Frostproof, Florida 33843. Frostproof on the Move is a collaborative effort made possible by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity through a Competitive Florida Partnership grant that will enable the City of Frostproof to identify key community assets and set goals to implement an economic vision and strategy for the City. Please join us at the program launch to build and enhance Frostproof’s local economy to keep historic Frostproof strong.

For RSVP and additional information about the launch event or Frostproof on the Move, contact Jennifer Codo-Salisbury, Central Florida Regional Planning Council, (863) 534-7130 extension 178, jcodosalisbury@cfrpc.org. RSVP is not required, but encouraged.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), anyone who needs a special accommodation to participate in this workshop should notify the City of Frostproof at (863) 635-7855 at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting.

In August 2016, the NADO Research Foundation released the report Planning for Transportation Together: Collaborating to Address Transportation and Economic Resilience. This report presents case studies that demonstrate how state agencies and regional planning and development organizations are working together on deliberate interventions to produce tangible benefits that are specific to the context, are sustained over time, and make a place more resilient. The Research  Foundation shares best practices, offers professional development training, analyzes the impact of federal policies and programs on regional development organizations, and examines the latest developments and trends in small metropolitan and rural America.

The case study, Florida’s Six Pillars Framework: Sharing a Unified Approach among State and Regional Agencies is included in the report. The case study discusses how the CFRPC developed Heartland 2060 and how the plan provides a comprehensive framework for other regional activities including the 2040 Long Range Plan of the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization and the DeSoto-Arcadia Regional Transit deviated fixed-route service.

To view the report, visit: https://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Planning_Transportation_Together_Final.pdf

The Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) accepted an Award of Excellence in the Best Practices Category at the American Planning Association (APA) Florida conference in Tampa, FL on September 7, 2016 for the East Lake Parker/West North Combee Areawide Plan. The APA Florida Project Awards program recognizes projects where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome and are scored on innovation, transferability, quality, implementation, and comprehensiveness.

Completed in the fall of 2015, the plan was developed by the CFRPC over a two-year period through public/private partnerships and extensive community involvement to draw attention to the needs of the community and provide a road map for public and private investment. The plan sets the foundation for creating economic recovery and resiliency in the East Lake Parker/West North Combee area of Polk County.

combee_awp_award__group_photo_09-08-16

CFRPC Team that worked on the E Lake Parker/ W North Combee Areawide Plan

The opportunity to focus attention on this neighborhood came with the Environmental Protection Agency’s nationwide competitive Brownfields Areawide Grant that was awarded to the CFRPC in 2013. Through a partnership with CARE, which is the Combee Area Revitalization Effort, the collaboration developed extensive community-based involvement, local government support, and partnerships with private property owners in the area. Community preference guided all areas of the plan development.

Redevelopment features of the Catalyst Site focused on open spaces with vistas to the lake and pedestrian access to the neighborhood. A conceptual site plan including a land use and pathway plan with renderings included: office, medical, and neighborhood commercial areas, community services, apartment homes, and senior living facilities. Development proposals have already been submitted for the site and work will continue using a Brownfields Assessment Grant and the CFRPC’s Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund to continue redevelopment in the community.

While still in the early stages of implementation, the plan has positive impact on the community through attention from local code enforcement, safer streets through traffic calming and complete street planning, an additional bus stop in a safer, more accessible area for the community, and alternative low impact standards for site redevelopment.

For more information about the East Lake Parker/West North Combee Areawide Plan or the Brownfields Program, visit http://www.cfrpc.org/areawideplanning/ or contact Jennifer Codo-Salisbury, Planning Director, CFRPC, 863-534-7130.

As one of 11 recipients in the Small Business Category, the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) was recognized during the CareerSource Polk Best Place to Work program on August 18, 2016 in Lakeland. Since 2003, the award has recognized the Best Places to Work in Polk County through a competitive application process that honors employers who exemplify best practices in their workplace and who are committed to improving the quality of life for their employees. Award winning companies are the most innovative in the areas of motivating and retaining employees, training and development initiatives, and workplace practices which include a commitment to work/life issues.

With 94% retention rate and an average tenure of 10 years, the CFRPC excels at recruiting and retaining the best in Polk County with competitive salaries, both ongoing and spontaneous employee recognition, a strong commitment to work/life balance through flexible work hours and telecommuting options, and providing a friendly and family oriented work environment.

After the 2004 hurricanes, thousands of residents and businesses were displaced and the situation was exacerbated because recreational vehicles, manufactured and mobile homes, and other temporary structures were not permitted by existing zoning regulations in many areas. This grant from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will allow us to draft land development regulations with the provision of temporary post-disaster accommodations for DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Polk Counties and the 25 municipalities within these counties.

Read more on NewsChief.com: Dundee, Bartow planning councils receive DEO funds