notebook - Southwest Florida Water Management District

Item 41
Outreach and Planning Committee
October 30, 2012
Routine Report
Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Related Reviews Report
Purpose
This report is provided for the Committee’s information and shows District activity in the review
of Local Government Comprehensive Plans and Amendments. Staff updates the report
monthly.
Background/History
The District provides technical and policy information on water resources and water resource
management to local governments as they prepare amendments to their local government
comprehensive plans. This information encompasses all aspects of water resource
management, including water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems, and is
intended to support sound land use decisions. A number of statutory provisions direct the
District in the provision of this assistance, particularly Section 373.0391, Florida Statutes (F.S.),
Technical Assistance to Local Governments. As a part of the District's efforts to ensure that
appropriate water resource information and policy direction is reflected in local government
comprehensive plans, the District conducts reviews of local government proposed plan
amendments. The state land planning agency, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA),
administers this review process. Comments submitted by the District typically become a part of
DCA's "objections, recommendations, and comments" report to the local government. In
addition, the District will often perform informal reviews of draft plan updates working directly
with local governments.
Benefits/Costs
The benefits of the District's local government technical assistance program are to ensure local
government elected officials has sound water resource technical and policy information as they
amend their local government comprehensive plans. This helps to ensure local plans are
compatible with the District's plans, programs and statutory direction. Costs for this program
primarily include staff time and are budgeted in Fund 10 (Governing Board).
Staff Recommendation:
See Exhibit
This item is provided for the Committee's information, and no action is required.
Presenter:
Colleen Thayer, Bureau Chief, Public Affairs