FRCA Forward - November 2018

South Florida RPC Partners on Solar Initiative

The South Florida RPC recently received a grant to host the SolSmart national technical assistance and designation program. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technology Office, recognizes local governments for making it faster, easier, and more affordable for residents and businesses to use solar. As a host for the SolSmart program, the South Florida RPC will work with a SolSmart Advisor to provide no-cost technical assistance to municipalities and counties to become “open for solar businesses.”

The SolSmart program will be available to the following communities in the South Florida RPC region:

Miami Dade County
City of Miami
City of Miami Lakes
City of Coral Gables
Miami Shores Village
Village of El Portal
City of Sunny Isles Beach

City of Hallandale Beach
City of Pompano Beach
City of Weston
City of Deerfield Beach
City of Fort Lauderdale
City of Miramar
City of Key West

These communities will receive information and best practices to incorporate efficiencies like simplified permitting and inspection and solar-friendly ordinances in order to make it easier for homeowners and businesses to “go solar”. The technical assistance provided spans permitting; planning, zoning, and development regulations; inspections; solar rights; utility engagement; community engagement; and market development and finance. The SolSmart Advisor consults with planners, building services, sustainability managers, inspectors and plan examiners in order to evaluate existing local government policies and processes and apply industry-leading best practices to help these communities achieve designation. The SolSmart program is funded through July 2019.

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Apalachee Online

Apalachee RPC was recently awarded a Community Planning Technical Assistance grant by the Department of Economic Opportunity to create a regional online mapping resource for Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, and Wakulla counties. The website will host interactive culture, environmental, planning, and demographic maps.

This user-friendly resource will provide planning, tourism, economic development and coastal hazard online maps that can be accessed by residents, businesses and visitors. As many of the counties within the Apalachee RPC Region don’t have GIS capabilities, staff is working with county planners, Tourism Development Councils and other stakeholders to understand needs and priorities. The ultimate goal will be to improve regional GIS capabilities through the creation and maintenance of the Apalachee Online mapping resource

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Tampa Bay RPC Hosts U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Tampa Bay RPC hosted the USACE, Jacksonville district to hold a NEPA Scoping Meeting for the Pinellas County Coastal Storm Risk Management Study on November 15, 2018. The Pinellas County Beach erosion control project was authorized in 1966 for a 50-year period. Federal participation for segments begin to expire in 2025 and this feasibility study is required for continued federal participation. The purpose of the meeting was to present information about the study and solicit comments from the public. The study will evaluate coastal storm risk management measures and structure implementation currently not authorized as part of the project. The Jacksonville District will complete a three-year feasibility study that evaluates a new 50-year life and evaluation of measures for coastal storm risk management for the entire Pinellas county shoreline.

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