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Port St. Joe transmits comprehensive-plan update to state for review
Summary
The Port St. Joe City Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 18 to transmit a city-initiated update to its comprehensive plan to state agencies for coordinated review, beginning the seven-year statutorily required review under Florida law.
The Port St. Joe City Commission on Feb. 18 voted unanimously to transmit a city-initiated update to its comprehensive plan to state agencies for coordinated review, the first formal step toward adopting a seven-year update required by Florida law.
The update, introduced as Ordinance number 617, was presented to the commission by city planning staff. Jim (city planning staff) told commissioners the changes are largely technical and intended to align the plan with amendments to Florida Statutes, update the future land use map series and correct typographical errors. "The Florida Statutes chapter 163 ... requires each local government to have a comprehensive plan," Jim said during his presentation.
The transmittal is the first leg of a coordinated review process. The city must send the proposed plan to state agencies by March 1; state reviewers typically return comments within about 60 days. Staff told the commission it will bring state comments back for revision and a later adoption vote, likely in late spring or early summer.
The update does not rezone property or constitute a large-scale future land use map amendment. Jim said staff converted the city's future land use map to GIS, updated map series with current state data, and refined the city's mixed-use category to be more user-friendly for development within Port St. Joe. He said items the city has already completed since the last full evaluation in 2018 were removed from the plan.
Commissioner Lowry moved to approve the first reading and request to transmit the plan to state agencies. Commissioner Langston seconded. The motion passed on a 5-0 roll call.
Next steps, as described by staff, are: transmit the draft to state agencies; receive agency comments in roughly 60 days; respond to and incorporate required edits; and return to the commission for final adoption vote.
Because this action was a transmittal for state review rather than an adoption, no changes to land use designations or regulations take effect until the city completes the review-and-adoption process and the ordinance is adopted on second reading if required.
Commissioners and staff said the full draft and supporting maps are available on the city's website for public review, and staff will return with a revised package after state comments are received.
