Four Florida State agencies – the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Health and the Department of Transportation – have signed a Memorandum of Agreement in Support of “Smart Growth” whereby they have agreed to assist local governments in creating healthy and sustainable communities by promoting the efficient use of state resources by identifying and collaborating on commonalities across state programs. The Agreement provides, in part, that “the Parties will work together to promote smart growth concepts that foster community liveability, environmental protection, economic prosperity and improved health through education, outreach, best practices training and sharing of resources.” Further, among the areas the MOU identifies where each of the collaborating agencies has rule and statutory authorities relevant to carrying forth the intent of the Agreement are:
1) Legislative Initiatives – an agreement to collaborate on statewide issues that go beyond the ability of individual agencies to address such as smart growth, climate change and sustainable communities; additionally, agreement to find ways to incentivize local governments to incorporate smart growth concepts into their planning processes.
2) Planning Programs – an agreement to explore opportunities to incorporate smart growth info existing planning programs
3) Land Preservation Programs – an agreement to explore opportunities to integrate acquisition and grant programs with smart growth initiatives
4) Energy and Climate Change Activities – Agreement to support the state’s energy and climate change initiatives through inclusion of smart growth principles and adaptation measures into state, regional and local land use planning processes
5) Grant Programs – agreement to assess existing grant programs to determine whether points or incentives can be awarded to local government applicants who demonstrate compliance with smart growth concepts applicable to the particular program being funded
To read the MOU, click here.
