Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR)
Resource Page

Updated 8/24/07.


For information about EAR-based amendments, click here.


  • Adopted EARs   • Population Data
  • Reference Documents   • Letters of Understanding
  • Statements to Address Water, School, and Coastal High Hazard Area Requirements   • EAR Workshops
  • Related Pages



Adopted EARs

Local government EARs that have been adopted and transmitted to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) may be viewed or downloaded from the links below.

 

Reference Documents

The following documents offer guidelines and example content that can be used to prepare local government EARs. Documents that are designed to be customized and incorporated into the EAR may be downloaded either in PDF format or as editable Microsoft Word documents.

• A Guide to Preparing an Evaluation and Appraisal Report, Florida Department of Community Affairs, March 2004
• Department of Community Affairs Evaluation and Appraisal Reports Web Page
• Differences Between the 1995 & 2005 Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s Strategic Regional Policy Plan
• List of Agency Contacts to Receive EARs and EAR-Based Amendments, Florida Department of Community Affairs - Updated October 2006
• List of EAR Due Dates
• Model EAR Scope of Work
• PowerPoint Presentation - Evaluating Your Comprehensive Plan
• Sample Local Government Public Notice for Workshops
• Section 163.3191, Florida Statutes - EAR Requirements
• Section 163.3191, Florida Statutes - EAR Requirements Organized by Topic
• Table of Changes to Chapter 163, Florida Statutes - Updated for 2006
[Adobe Acrobat Version]     [Microsoft Word Version]
• Table of Changes to Rule 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code
[Adobe Acrobat Version]     [Microsoft Word Version]
• Worksheet for Development of Scope of Work and Task Assignments
• Worksheet to Create a Timeline for EAR Preparation

 

Statements to Address Water, School, and Coastal High Hazard Area Requirements

Local government EARs are required to include assessments of potable water supplies (Section 163.3191(2)(l), F.S.), public school facilities (Section 163.31777(7), F.S.), and efforts to reduce land use density in the Coastal High Hazard Area (Section 163.3191(2)(m), F.S.).

For many municipalities, at least one of these requirements can be met with a brief statement of non-applicability. In addition, most Pinellas County municipalities either cooperate with one another on these planning issues or use similar approaches. To eliminate the need for twenty-four local governments to spend time drafting individual statements that would ultimately be very similar, the PPC has prepared “boilerplate” text that can be used verbatim or customized.

The documents may be downloaded either in PDF format or as editable Microsoft Word documents.

 

Population Data

The PPC has prepared population estimates and projections for local government use during the EAR preparation process. This information, which has also been mailed to each local government, includes a table of population data and an explanation of the sources and methodology used. Both documents may be downloaded either in PDF format or as editable Microsoft Office documents.

 

Letters of Understanding

An important requirement of the EAR process, as established by Section 163.3191(1)(a), F.S., is to “identify major issues regarding the community’s achievement of its goals.” These major issues are a central feature of the report, and guide the analysis of the existing comprehensive plan.

Once the list of major issues has been finalized, it is highly recommended that the local government send it to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for review, and request a “letter of understanding.” A letter of understanding is a declaration by DCA staff that they concur with the major issues and find them appropriate and sufficient for the community. This agreement will help avoid misunderstandings later in the process, during DCA’s review of the adopted report.

•   Example Letters of Understanding Issued by the Department of Community Affairs

 

EAR Workshops

First Series - Introductory Workshops

In October 2005, the PPC held three introductory workshops, in locations around the county, to provide local governments with general education and assistance in preparing their EARs. The workshops focused on statutory requirements, local government responsibilities, timelines, how best to initiate and carry through a process that will result in a final document, and other topics of interest to participants. Approximately fifty elected officials, planning and zoning board members, and local government staff members attended.

Second Series - Hands-on Workshops

A second series of all-day, hands-on workshops, focusing on specific jurisdictional issues and needs, was held in November and December 2005. These workshops provided the opportunity for interaction between facilitators and participants regarding what services the PPC and The Gail Easley Company could provide, determining to what extent Pinellas County governments wanted or needed this assistance, and initiating a discussion about the “major issues” that will be the focus of each local EAR.

A composite of the identified “major issues” for the participating communities is included below for each of the hands-on workshops.


Group 1 Jurisdictions
Belleair - Belleair Bluffs - Belleair Beach - Belleair Shore		 Major Issues Composite
Group 2 Jurisdictions
N. Redington Beach - Redington Beach - Redington Shores - Indian Rocks Beach - Indian Shores		 Major Issues Composite
Group 3 Jurisdictions
Gulfport - Kenneth City - Seminole - South Pasadena		 Major Issues Composite
Group 4 Jurisdictions
Largo - Pinellas Park		 Major Issues Composite
Group 5 Jurisdictions
Madeira Beach - St. Pete Beach - Treasure Island - St. Petersburg		 Major Issues Composite
Group 6 Jurisdictions
Tarpon Springs - Oldsmar - Safety Harbor		 Major Issues Composite

Materials distributed at both workshop series are included in the Reference Documents section above.

 

Related Pages