The South Florida Regional Planning Council (Council) is one of Florida’s ten regional planning councils. It was formed in 1969 as the Tri-County Jetport Council to address issues related to the proposed development of the “Everglades Jetport” in Big Cypress.
The Council serves three counties: Monroe, Miami-Dade, and Broward; 71 municipalities; and 4.3 million residents. Over the next 20 years, the Region is expected to grow to an increasingly diverse estimated population of more than 4.9 million residents.
Specific rights, responsibilities, and powers of the Regional Planning Councils are defined in Florida Statutes. The Legislature has recognized the Councils as Florida’s “only multipurpose regional entity that is in position to plan for and coordinate intergovernmental solutions to growth-related problems on greater-than local issues, provide technical assistance to local governments, and meet other needs of the communities in each region.” In addition, over time the Councils have evolved and developed unique areas of expertise in response to the needs of their regions.