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HomeMy WebLinkAbout21-034 RESOLUTION NO. 21-034 A RESOLUTION OF THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN SUPPORT OF THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION NO. 21-01 OPPOSING ELIMINATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION FOR REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCILS IN FLORIDA AS PROPOSED IN SENATE BILL 62 OR SIMILAR PROPOSED LEGISLATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS,the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has made the following determinations: 1. The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council's four county geographical area is comprised of Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties and 52 municipalities contained therein, with over 2.1 million residents. 2. The Council is a multi-purpose regional governmental entity with policy responsibilities in the areas of affordable housing, economic development, emergency preparedness, energy, regional health, natural resources, urban planning, and regional transportation. 3. For more than five decades Regional Planning Councils have served the public as Florida's only multipurpose regional entities that coordinate intergovernmental solutions to multi- jurisdictional issues identified by their member local governments. 4. The 67 counties in the state are divided into 10 Regional Planning Councils which perform functions in Economic Development, Transportation, Emergency Preparedness, Regional Convening, and Resilience to the extent and as directed by their member counties, cities, and gubernatorial appointees. 5. The Regional Planning Councils compete for and bring to Florida millions of dollars in federal funds for Economic Development, Transportation, and Environmental and Brownfields Cleanup that would otherwise go to other states. 6. The Regional Planning Councils receive no regular general appropriation for operation from the State and, instead, are supported by Federal grant funds, local dues, local contracts, and State contracts for specific programs implemented on behalf of the State. 7. Regional Planning Councils no longer have any regulatory authority and are no longer involved in Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs). 8. Regional Planning Councils serve a critical role in hazardous material response coordination and training through the Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) operated by each Council. 9. Regional Planning Councils regularly assist state agencies in implementing their statutory duties and legislative directives, along with coordinating these duties and directives with local input, at no charge to the State. 10. Proposed Senate Bill 62 will remove authorization and all references to Regional Planning Councils from the Florida Statutes, depriving the people of the State of the important work the Councils do and the Federal funds they bring into Florida. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS that this Board supports the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council's Resolution No. 21-01 opposing Senate Bill 62 or any other similar legislation. FURTHERMORE, the ST. LUCIE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS directs the transmission of a certified copy of this Resolution to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council,the St. Lucie County Legislative Delegation,the Florida Association of Counties, and other interested parties. This resolution shall take effect on adoption. After motion and second, the vote on this resolution was as follows: Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky, Chair AYE Commissioner Sean Mitchell, Vice Chair AYE Commissioner Linda Bartz AYE Commissioner Frannie Hutchinson NAY Commissioner Cathy Townsend AYE PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 23rd day of February 2021. ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA • BY: DEPUTY CLERK CHAIR oJ�.1Y Castias APPROVEDAS TO LEGAL FORM AND v (44 CORRECTNES : rn .*7 1 / ro .mac pUNTV Foot- COUNTY ATTO'