Background: Comprehensive Plan - The Process
Why?
By the 1980's, it was apparent that Florida was growing in a rapid, disorderly way. Valuable farmland was being transformed into subdivision sprawl. It was decided that the state should establish a long range plan for patterns of growth, and they created a master comp plan.
All communities are required to produce a local comp plan, using the master plan as a guide.
The Department of Community Affairs
(DCA) evaluates local plan for compliance. It takes years to write a plan and have it approved. Florida statutes require that a plan be evaluated every 10 years.
Who?
Alachua Co. has a permanent Department of Growth Management a part of which is Planning.
Staff has the responsibility to meet with interested parties,
evaluate the current (1991) comp plan and write the language for the 2002 plan. After they present the proposed plan to the county commission, the planning staff then must transmit the document to DCA for approval.
Citizens are to be encouraged to participate through most of the process. Over 4 years ago, planners began a series of well advertised workshops, held in various locations to allow maximum citizen and developer involvment. They compiled the factors, sent the result to the county commission for a vote, and transmitted the plan to DCA.
(See DCA for a report of the transmittal in 2001.)
DCA evaluated the plan as it compared with 9j-5. They prepared an Objection, Recommendations and Comments (ORC) Report. The ORC gave clear analysis of the plan. Staff changed the language as required to receive final approval. As required by law, there were public notices of the results.
Interested parties had a final chance to challenge the plan after DCA announced it had
found the county plan in compliance. A group of farmers and developers, using 9 attorneys, including Brenna Durden, Jacksonville and
Terry Lewis, West Palm Beach, has made such a challenge which has led to the current situation. (By Ellie Schwab)