The Dismantling of Growth Management in Florida?: The Consistency Mandate, Policy Change, and Institutional Realignment

Abstract

In 1985, Florida established a groundbreaking approach to growth management and intergovernmental relations, which the state’s 2011 Community Planning Act is widely described as ending. This paper presents a history and institutional analysis of policy changes for the State’s core consistency doctrine. It concludes that the CPA did not end growth management since Florida retains the mandate for local planning consistent with state growth management criteria and subject to state review. However, it does formalize diminished state authority over local planning. Florida’s current institutional arrangement for planning involves an assertive state rule-making stance, but shifts planning responsibility to local governments.