Community Planning Technical Assistance

Planning Assistance

Planning analysts in the Bureau of Community Planning and Growth regularly assist local governments with land use planning issues, including planning for economic development. The Bureau's planning analysts are available by telephone or will travel to a local government to assist with planning endeavors. In addition, the Bureau's planning analysts can direct a local government to the appropriate resource if an issue is beyond the Department of Economic Opportunity's (DEO) expertise or requires coordination with partner agencies. There is no cost associated with seeking DEO's technical planning assistance. For more information, please contact the planning analyst assigned to your local government (see Community Planning Review Team Assignments).

Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2011/2012, DEO, through the Bureau of Community Planning and Growth, received legislatively appropriated funds to provide Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants to local governments and regional planning councils. The purpose of the grants is to assist counties, municipalities and regions in developing economic development strategies, meeting the requirements of the Community Planning Act, addressing critical local planning issues, and promoting innovative planning solutions to challenges identified by local government applicants. Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants are for one fiscal year and are awarded on a cost reimbursement basis. Deliverables identified in a grant agreement must be approved by the Bureau before money is disbursed to the grantee.

By way of example, projects funded to date have included the following:

• Developing a Comprehensive Plan Economic Development Element
• Comprehensive Plan Updates Based on Changes in Growth Management Laws
• Comprehensive Plan Updates Based on an Evaluation and Appraisal Review
• Community Redevelopment Area Plan and Finding of Necessity Reports
• Economic Diversification Strategies
• Land Development Regulation Updates
• Neighborhood Plans
• Recreation Master Plan
• Urban Design Master Plan

A funding announcement will be provided on this website for each year in which grant funding is available.

Contact

For further information regarding technical assistance grants, please contact:

• James Stansbury, Bureau Chief
  • Department of Economic Opportunity
  • Bureau of Community Planning
  • 107 East Madison Street, MSC 160
  • Tallahassee, FL 32399-4120
  • Phone: 850-717-8512
  • E-mail: James.Stansbury@Commerce.fl.gov

Additional Resources

• Florida's Rural Economic Development Initiative agencies have a range of programs and services that support rural development, focus state resources on rural issues, and assist rural businesses in making the appropriate connections to federal, state, and local organizations.
• Florida Resource Directory - Find and access sources of state and many federal programs for assistance. Examples include: infrastructure projects, housing, health services, training, and small business and tourism development assistance.