Interesting Planning Related Links

FLORIDA ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION HOLDS INITIAL MEETINGS Created by Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature in the 2008 Legislative session, the Florida Energy & Climate Commission is housed within the Executive Office of the Governor and is the primary organization for state energy and climate change programs and policies. Comprised of nine members appointed by the Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Chief Financial Officer, the Commission holds a variety of responsibilities, including administering financial incentive programs; completing annual assessments of Florida's Energy and Climate Change Action Plan; and providing recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. The Commission will also work cooperatively with other state entities, including the Florida Public Service Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, to develop state energy and climate change policies and programs. To date, the Commission has held two meetings in January. To follow its activities, go to http://www.myfloridaclimate.com/env/home/climate_quick_links/florida_energy_climate_commission. RURAL LAND STEWARDSHIP AREA (RLSA) RULE REVISIONS WITHDRAWN On December 19, 2008, the Department of Community Affairs filed a Notice of Change containing the proposed RLSA rule. The proposed rule has been challenged in a Petition filed by The Florida Land Council, The Farm Bureau, and The Florida Chamber of Commerce. Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, restricts the Department's ability to make changes in the proposed rule based on comments made for the first time in a rule challenge petition without conducting another public hearing. The Department has indicated that this challenge raises issues with most sections of the proposed rule, including several new issues not previously raised. Therefore the Department is withdrawing the previously noticed proposed rule for further revision and in the near future will notice the revised rule for another public hearing. FDOT CREATES ECONOMIC STIMULUS WEB PAGE FDOT has created a new web page which focuses on the federal economic stimulus for transportation. Found at http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/economicstimulus/, the page provides easy access to federal executive branch information, U.S. Congressional information, and Florida specific information. As things are changing over time, be sure to check this site periodically for updated information. CENTURY COMMISSION SUBMITS ITS THIRD ANNUAL REPORT The Florida Century Commission submitted its third Annual Report to the Governor and Legislature earlier this month. The report builds on earlier work and contains a number of recommendations including: following through on Florida's Water Congress; continue efforts to define and preserve Florida's most precious lands and waters; extend legislative term limits to twelve years; encourage regional visioning and support sustainable community design, and strengthen Florida's buildings. To read the details of these recommendations, go to https://www.communicationsmgr.com/projects/1349/docs/ThirdAnnRpt.pdf 2009 REGIONAL AGENDA RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS On behalf of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), a series of federal policy recommendations were submitted to Congress for consideration. The proposed items focus on improving intergovernmental collaboration, fostering enhanced regional cooperation among local government officials and coordinating strategic investments of public resources, particularly in the areas of transportation, economic and community development, homeland security and environmental stewardship. The report can be read at http://narc.org/uploads/2009%20Regional%20Agenda%20Recommendations.pdf . 2008 POCKET GUIDE TO FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION TRENDS AND CONDITIONS The FDOT Office of Policy Planning issued this publication, which looks at transportation trends and conditions in Florida. This Pocket Guide to Florida Transportation Trends and Conditions is organized into four areas: the growing demand for transportation facilities and services; the current system or supply of transportation; the impacts of the transportation system on our society; and the resources, expenditures and costs associated with providing transportation. The guide can be accessed at http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/trends/pg08.pdf NEW ALSA PUBLICATION ON SMART GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY The Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has recently published "Visions of Smart Growth and Sustainability- A Florida Chapter ASLA Charrette to illustrate tools for better urban growth and environmental stewardship." Conducted as an adjunct to the "How Should We Grow" initiative in Central Florida, this post-charrette publication offers the public, leaders and planners a vision of what communities and countryside if future growth is approached with sensitivity to supporting core economic and environmental requirements. Topics covered include open space, natural environment, civic space, marketplace, neighborhoods, corridors, and infrastructure. Download this report at http://www.flasla.org/docs/ASLA%20Visions%20of%20Smart%20Growth%20and%20Sustainability.pdf. OREGON'S MILEAGE FEE CONCEPT AND ROAD USER FEE PILOT PROGRAM FINAL REPORT Issued in November 2007 by the Oregon Department of Transportation, this reports summarizes the 6 year effort to study and test an alternative revenue collection system for roads and highways. The 2001 Oregon Legislature established the Road User Fee Task Force "to develop a design for revenue collection for Oregon's roads and highways that could replace the current system for revenue collection." After considering 28 different funding ideas, the task force recommended that the Oregon Department of Transportation conduct a pilot program to study two strategies, called the Oregon Mileage Fee Concept: (1) Study the feasibility of replacing the gas tax with a mileage-based fee based on miles driven in Oregon and collected at fueling stations; and (2) Study the feasibility of using this system to collect congestion charges. The final report concludes, among other things, that the concept is viable, paying at the pump works, the mileage fee can be phased in, and administrative costs are low. To learn more, go to http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/RUFPP/docs/RUFPP_finalreport.pdf .