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Planning board backs comprehensive‑plan update to meet new state planning horizons
Summary
The board unanimously recommended approval of a city‑initiated evaluation and appraisal (EA) to update Boca Raton’s comprehensive plan to reflect statutory changes (10‑ and 20‑year horizons for 2035 and 2045) and other housekeeping and technical updates; the package will be transmitted to the Florida Department of Commerce.
On Jan. 6, 2026, the Boca Raton Planning & Zoning Board recommended that the City Council approve a set of amendments intended to fulfill Florida statutory requirements for an evaluation and appraisal (EA) of the city’s comprehensive plan.
Jim Bell, Long Range Project Manager, summarized the changes staff proposes to align the plan with state law and local conditions. “This is a plan that all local governments are required to have by the Florida statutes,” Bell said, and noted the state’s 2023 changes require new planning horizons of 2035 and 2045 for various elements. He described updates to the future land use element, transportation performance measures for 2045 (including accounting for the Brightline station and on‑demand transit), minor housekeeping changes in housing and historic preservation elements, updates to maps and level‑of‑service standards, and deletion of a few policies no longer pursued by the city.
Bell said most proposed edits are technical or housekeeping in nature but noted several substantive updates tied to state law, including new 20‑ and 40‑year planning horizons for certain infrastructure and service‑planning elements. There were no public speakers on the item. After closing the hearing, the board moved, seconded and recorded a 6‑0 roll call in favor of recommending approval and transmitting the amendments to the Florida Department of Commerce; that department will issue its report (ORC) and the city will have 180 days to adopt amendments following that report.
What happens next: Staff will transmit the amendments to the Florida Department of Commerce and continue the statutorily required review process; City Council will receive the board’s recommendation as part of the formal adoption process.
