In 2016-17, the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) facilitated the designation of the City of Frostproof and Polk City as Competitive Florida Communities through the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). Through this program, the CFRPC has been able to assist these municipalities to identify strategies to build and enhance their local economies while staying true to what makes them unique and give them a competitive advantage.

The City of Frostproof launched Frostproof on the Move, a collaborative effort that enabled the City to identify key community assets and set goals to implement an economic vision and strategy for the City. Through community conversations, surveys, and a public workshop, information was collected from citizens, local businesses, and service organizations to shape the economic vision and strategy.

In Polk City, a mini-grant was awarded to further implement the recently adopted Polk City Vision Plan using innovative planning tools to enhance the local economy. A comprehensive GIS mapping database of all developed and developable commercial and industrial properties as well as an inventory of all vacant developable lands in the City was created. A familiarization tour was also hosted to gather input from local and regional business leaders to create an economic development information package. And, in June of 2017 the CFRPC and Polk City facilitated the first WaterWise Expo to inform the community on best practices in water conservation and low impact development (LID). The expo had a special focus on the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern as the City is located in this important water resource area.

2018-2022 Public Open House Workshops – Postponed

The Public Workshops scheduled for September (see below) will be rescheduled for a later date due to the potential of Hurricane Irma impacting the state.  This will allow individuals to focus on preparing their communities and families for the storm.  The Office of Greenways and Trails will send out more information once new dates have been confirmed. 

The Florida Greenways and Trails System (FGTS) Plan 2013-2017 established the vision for implementing a connected statewide system of greenways and trails for recreation, conservation, alternative transportation, healthy lifestyles, a vibrant economy, and a high quality of life.

The Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) is updating the FGTS 5-Year Plan and holding 14 public open houses throughout the state. The purpose of these meetings is to receive public input on the proposed update to the draft written 2018-2022 FGTS Plan and Land and Water Opportunity and Priority Maps. Please plan to join us at a location close to you.

If you are unable to participate in person, there are opportunities to provide written comments by e-mail or conventional mail. We will accept public comments through November 30, 2017.

Click here for more information including the draft plan, maps, and contact information. 

The Open House schedule is:

Tuesday, September 5 – Marianna
Jackson County Citizens’ Lodge
4574 Lodge Drive, Marianna, Florida 32446
4:00-7:00 CT

Wednesday, September 6 – Port St. Joe POSTPONED

St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Center

3915 State Road 30-A, Port St. Joe, FL 32456

4:00-7:00 ET

Thursday, September 7 – Milton POSPONED

Blackwater Heritage State Trail-Visitor Center

5533 Alabama Street, Milton, FL 32570

4:00-7:00 CT

Monday, September 11 – Sebring  POSTPONED

Bert J. Harris, Jr. Agricultural Center, Conference Room #2

4509 George Boulevard, Sebring, FL 33875

4:00-7:00 ET

Tuesday, September 12 – Port St. Lucie POSTPONED

St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization, Coco Vista Center

466 SW Port St Lucie Blvd. #111, Port St. Lucie, FL 34953

4:00-7:00 ET

Wednesday, September 13 – Hialeah POSTPONED

Milander Center for Arts & Entertainment, Garden Plaza Hall

4800 Palm Ave, Hialeah, FL 33012

4:00-7:00 ET

Thursday, September 14 – North Port POSTPONED

Morgan Family Community Center, Meeting Room A/B

6207 West Price Boulevard, North Port, FL 34291

4:00-7:00 ET

Friday, September 15 – Temple Terrace POSTPONED

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest District

13051 N Telecom Parkway, Temple Terrace, FL 33637

4:00-7:00 ET

Monday, September 18 – DeBary POSTPONED

Debary Hall

198 Sunrise Boulevard, DeBary, FL 32713

4:00-7:00 ET

Tuesday, September 19 – Jacksonville POSTPONED

Ed Ball Building, Conference Room 851

214 N Hogan Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202

4:00-7:00 ET

Monday, September 25 – Palatka POSTPONED

Ravine State Gardens

1600 Twigg Street, Palatka, FL 32177

4:00-7:00 ET

Tuesday, September 26 – Dunnellon POSTPONED

Historic Train Depot

12061 S. Williams Street, Dunnellon, FL 34432

4:00-7:00 ET

Wednesday, September 27 – Tallahassee POSTPONED

Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Douglas Building, Conference Room A

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL 32399

4:00-7:00 ET

Thursday, September 28 – Live Oak POSTPONED

Suwannee River Water Management District, Suwannee Room

9225 County Road 49, Live Oak, FL 32060

4:00-7:00 ET

The Central Florida region was significantly impacted by three hurricanes in 2004 including Hurricanes Charley, Jeanne and Frances. Thousands of Central Florida residents and businesses were displaced due to the hurricanes, and the situation was exacerbated by existing zoning regulations in which recreational vehicles, manufactured and mobile homes, and manufactured buildings were not permitted uses in several zoning districts for even temporary accommodations during recovery periods.

Through a grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) worked with the five counties of DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee and Polk and the 25 municipalities within these counties to analyze the existing land development regulations (LDRs) and draft new regulations to address the needs of citizens, businesses, and local governments after a disaster.

The CFRPC is currently coordinating with the counties and municipalities throughout the region to amend their respective regulations allowing for temporary accommodations. These efforts will speed the rebuilding efforts, and help to sustain the economic viability of a community after a disaster.

From Blight to Right: Brownfields Transformation

This year’s FREE symposium has expanded to include  all o f South Florida! We invite you to come and learn about grants, loans, cleanup, and successful Brownfield sites.

View Symposium Agenda and Information

Who Should Attend:
Developers, investors, commercial real estate professionals, government, engineers and other interested  parties

When:
June 7-8, 2017

June 9: Sebring International Raceway is offering an optional raceway esperience, on your own. Details to follow.

Location:
Chateau Elan, Hotel and Conference Center
Midway Drive, Sebring, FL 33870

REGISTER NOW!

Discounted Hotel Rates:
The hotel is offering discounted rates for the Symposium. Reservations will close on May 19. To make a reservation, call 1-863-655-7200.

VIEW SYMPOSIUM AGENDA & INFORMATION

Please join the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization and the Polk Transportation Planning Organization for a training session with FDOT District 1 Freight Coordinator Keith Robbins to learn more about distribution and freight as it relates to the economic development of our communities in inland Florida.

Economic Development and Freight Transportation Training

3 AICP CM Credits Pending

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 | 9 am – Noon

South Florida State College

Building G, Room 101 | 600 West College Drive Avon Park, FL 33825

(Park in lots C,D, or E)

This Training Includes:

• Distribution and Transportation Overview
• Challenges in International Transportation
• Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning
• I-4 Corridor, A Freight Perspective
• US 27 Corridor

Attendees will hear practical illustrations and examples of addressing some of the challenges to freight transportation in today’s world and gain a broad understanding of the:

• Role of transportation and distribution in the logistics arena
• Importance of this industry and the impact of freight in our daily lives
• Broad trends affecting freight transportation along with the challenges and success factors for integrating freight into traditional transportation planning

Please share this training opportunity with economic development professionals, private sector business leaders, planning professionals, or anyone interested in learning more about freight transportation.

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.

The CFRPC Office will be closed Friday December 23 through Monday December 26. Happy Holidays!!

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