Transportation and Community Planning

About

   Community Planning

Florida's Community Planning Act ensures that as population grows, adequate services are available to meet demand. It is intended to balance the availability of infrastructure and resources with economic development and community sustainability.

Under the Act, FDOT is statutorily authorized to comment on issues within its jurisdiction that adversely impact transportation resources and facilities of state importance. FDOT considers important state transportation resources and facilities to include the Strategic Intermodal System, State Highway System, National Highway System, and other transportation resources and facilities within its jurisdiction that are owned and maintained by the state.

In addition to reviewing comprehensive plans and plan amendments, FDOT's community planning responsibilities include:

  • Providing technical assistance to local governments to address the impacts of land use on the transportation system and provide guidance in advance of the adoption of comprehensive plans and plan amendments.
  • Supporting implementation of the Department's Complete Streets Policy.
  • Supporting collaborative planning approaches that bring together the Department and its partners to address transportation-related challenges and opportunities in a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative manner.
  • Providing expertise to the state on transportation policy, planning, and implementation.

FDOT's role in community planning also implements the Florida Transportation Plan, which calls for transportation solutions that support quality places to live, learn, work, and play, including implementation strategies that address the following:

  • Providing technical support to local governments to identify context sensitive solutions.
  • Coordinating with local governments to better align transportation plans with existing and proposed land use plans.
  • Providing technical assistance to local governments as they create or retrofit mobility solutions for their communities.

   Technical Assistance

FDOT Provides early and continuous outreach and technical assistance to local governments to develop a greater level of awareness of local transportation planning needs and development activities. Through local government outreach and technical assistance, adverse impacts to state transportation resources and facilities may be avoided. Technical assistance includes:

  • Conducting workshops on a variety of community planning topics.
  • Participating in meetings with developers and local governments and conducting courtesy "pre-reviews" of proposed comprehensive plan changes to avoid potential adverse impacts in advance of submission of the proposed comprehensive plan amendment.
  • Providing technical input on traffic studies.
  • Assisting local governments to identify context classifications for state roadways.
  • Encouraging local governments to incorporate context-sensitive solutions in their transportation planning activities, which helps balance safety and mobility with local priorities and promotes FDOT's Complete Streets Policy.
  • Participating in regional and community visioning projects and offering transportation guidance as part of these initiatives.  

   Key Florida Statutes

Chapter 163, Part II, F.S. - Growth Policy; County and Municipal Planning; Land Development Regulation
Section 163.3177, F.S. - Required and optional elements of the comprehensive plan
Section 163.3180, F.S. - Concurrency
Section 163.3184, F.S. - Process for adoption of comprehensive plan or plan amendment
Section 163.3191, F.S. - Evaluation and appraisal of the comprehensive plan 
Section 163.3245, F.S. - Sector Plans
Chapter 186, F.S. - State and Regional Planning 
Chapter 380, Part 1, F.S. - Environmental Land and Water Management (Areas of Critical State Concern, Developments of Regional Impact)

   FDOT Community Planning Resources

Other FDOT Resources

Other Agency Resources



For more information on community planning, please email the FDOT Office of Policy Planning at planning@dot.state.fl.us.