April 20, 2020
Since Hand Law is focused on government, we are providing updates on how policymakers are responding to the pandemic – and what those responses mean for you. This seventh article looks beyond city and county lines to regional planning councils which are providing small businesses with COVID-19 information.
COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE
The latest State of Florida report (Sunday, 4/19 at 7:00 PM) shows 26,314 total cases. Please track statewide data and county information.
INTRODUCTION TO FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCILS
Even Floridians who regularly interact with city, county, state, or federal government agencies may be less familiar with regional entities authorized under Florida law. Through the Florida Regional Planning Council Act (Florida Statutes Section 186.501 et seq.), the legislature has recognized that many city and county governmental decisions have broader geographical impacts. The law empowers regional planning councils (RPCs) to help local governments “resolve their common problems, engage in areawide comprehensive and functional planning, administer certain federal and state grants-in-aid, and provide a regional focus” on issues such as economic development, environmental protection, disaster recovery, emergency preparedness, transportation, health care, and resiliency. Councils are primarily comprised of elected officials from cities, counties, and school boards within the region, with state government representatives serving in an ex oficio (non-voting) capacity.
Florida currently has 10 regional planning councils, which can be seen at the Florida Regional Councils Association directory. These RPCs are: Emerald Coast (Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Washington counties); Apalachee (Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties); Northeast Florida (Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties); North Central Florida (Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Union counties); East Central Florida (Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties); Central Florida (DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee and Polk counties); Tampa Bay (Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas counties); Southwest Florida (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota counties); Treasure Coast (Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties); and South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties).
REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCILS AND COVID-19
(Thanks to Sean Lahav, MPA, NEFRC Resiliency Coordinator, for providing some of the information included in this update.)
Several RPCs have launched efforts to provide small businesses with comprehensive information about available federal, state, local and business-to-business COVID-19 resources. Please see the below links to guidance from the Northeast Florida (NEFRC), Apalachee, Tampa Bay, and Treasure Coast RPCs. Governments, chambers of commerce, emergency management offices, and health care providers have circulated the NEFRC guide.
Northeast Florida: NEFRC COVID-19 Small Business Guide
Apalachee: www.arpc.org/covid19business