Planning at the Urban Fringe: An Examination of the Factors Influencing Nonconforming Development Patterns in Southern Florida

TLDR

Plan quality components are well defined, yet empirical evidence on how effectively policies are implemented after adoption and what drives implementation variability remains limited. The study evaluates the effectiveness of Florida’s comprehensive land‑use plans by measuring the conformity of wetland development over a ten‑year period to the original plan designs. Researchers mapped wetland alteration permits onto county and city land‑use plans and analyzed socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic factors that influence nonconforming development patterns. The results show distinct spatial patterns of nonconforming wetland development and identify specific socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic variables that drive these deviations from the plans’ intended spatial layout.

Abstract

Although the components of plan quality are well defined, little empirical research has been conducted to understand the degree to which policies are being implemented after plan adoption and the factors contributing to the variation in plan implementation. The authors test the efficacy of land-use planning and plan implementation in Florida by measuring the degree to which wetland development over a ten-year period conforms to the original design of adopted comprehensive plans. First, they spatially identify concentrated areas of wetland alteration permits and compare these locations with the adopted future land-use maps for county and city jurisdictions in the southern portion of the state. Second, they examine the major factors influencing nonconforming development patterns across the study area. Results indicate a well-defined spatial pattern of nonconforming wetland development and isolate specific socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic variables impacting these deviations from the original spatial intent of local plans.