
Hardee County Adaptation Action Areas Plan
Introduction
The Adaptation Action Areas (AAA) Plan serves as a strategic framework to address vulnerabilities within Hardee County to enhance community resilience. To kickoff this effort, the Central Florida Regional Planning Council organized community workshops to understand the concerns of residents. A set of adaptation strategies was developed to address community concerns based on the results of the community meetings. This community outreach effort is followed by a vulnerability assessment which involves identifying socially vulnerable and underserved populations which are disproportionately impacted by the effects of severe weather events by collecting demographic and environmental data. The adaptation strategies and vulnerability assessment along with the quantitative data from the exposure analysis and sensitivity analysis will inform the AAA boundaries and assist the County prioritize investments and guide policy making decisions.
The vulnerability assessment involves identification of the County’s critical community assets such as healthcare facilities, government buildings and libraries/community centers, schools, public health and safety facilities, parks and natural areas, and roads and evacuation routes. The most up-to-date data and information is used to map current and project rainfall flooding to evaluate the potential impacts on those critical assets during future weather events. The protection of these assets will ensure they can continue to serve the community after major weather events. Combined with data related to underserved communities, the County can identify and prioritize critical action areas for investment. To view the Hardee County Vulnerability Assessment Interactive Map, please go to this website: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b1415fc7d3d24f4384e55569191f0cba
Public Outreach
Several meetings were held with county and municipal staff, community organizations and champions, and the public to gain an understanding of the specific needs of the community in underserved areas based on their experiences. The outcomes of these meetings informed the specific strategies and recommendations of the AAA.
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Meeting 1: County and Municipal Staff – December 18, 2024
A virtual meeting was held with staff from Unincorporated Hardee County and surrounding communities including the City of Bowling Green, the City of Wauchula, and the Town of Zolfo Springs, to gain insight regarding vulnerable areas and the challenges they face, particularly related to flooding. Additionally, attendees provided details related to upcoming plans and projects within each jurisdiction, including a resurfacing project and the installation of street lighting along a portion of US-17.
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Meeting 2: Community Organizations – January 6, 2025
Key community organizations and non-profits from the County and City attended this virtual meeting to share their insights based on their services and relationships to the community. Participants included Hardee Help Center, United Way, Hardee County Crisis Center, and Heartland Coalition for the Homeless. They discussed challenges such as transportation, access to food, and flooding.
Meeting 3: Underserved Communities – January 9, 2025
Hosted at the Hardee County Agri-Civic Center, this meeting was open to the public. Participants shared their experiences with flooding, giving specific examples of areas of flooding, poor walkability, and challenges of rehabilitation following a disaster.


Proposed Adaptation Strategies
The following strategy categories are intended to address the climate threats identified by the vulnerability assessment and the concerns discussed during public outreach through protection, accommodation, relocation, and avoidance. The recommendations consider a variety of approaches, including nature-based solutions, policy changes, infrastructure improvements, partnerships and collaboration, and funding mechanisms. Through a comprehensive set of strategies, Hardee County can ensure a resilient future for the entire community.
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Adaptation Strategy Categories
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​Policy, Codes, & Standards (including Land Use and Zoning)
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​Partnerships & Collaborations
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​Planning & Management
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​Capital Improvements
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Transportation & Access
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Capacity Building
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Preparedness & Response​
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Funding & Finance​​
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Informational Flyer
Hardee County CHNEP Project Handout
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​Funding​ Partners
The County and the CFRPC are working in partnership with the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) to develop Adaptation Action Areas to address the impacts of extreme rainfall and flooding impacts as well as increased temperatures, extreme wind and storm events and housing and transportation. The focus of this effort is underserved communities. This project is funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Cooperative Agreement Funding to the CHNEP from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.