Broward County, Florida's New ED Strategy

With Broward County expected to grow by another half-million people by 2020, political and business leaders are calling for greater regional cooperation to ensure transportation, schools, housing and economic development keep pace.

The ambitious ideas laid out in their VisionBROWARD report include the construction of a coordinated mass transit system, public support for affordable housing, construction of high-density housing near transit stops and an environmental protection program stretching from the Everglades to the beaches.

VisionBROWARD is the first major effort since the mid-1980s to lay out a road map for the area's future.

Key points in the plan released this week are:

- Creating a regional brand that would market and identify South Florida as one place.

- Creating a regional economic foundation that would provide direction to local governments on transit, development and planning issues.

- Creating regional service centers that would streamline the development approval process.

- Targeting redevelopment programs to ensure that there is affordable housing for people of all income levels.

- Strengthening the school system from pre-kindergarten to college to ensure the area has the type of competitive workforce business wants.

- Establishing an international trade center that would expand trade opportunities for local business and bring foreign investment.

- Drafting plans, land-use regulations and development incentives that would expand regional transit and the development of high-density housing nearby.

- Implementing a "Sawgrass to Seagrass" environmental program that would preserve natural resources and promote quality of life.

- Encouraging entrepreneurial growth, including helping expand business opportunities for minority-owned firms.

More here.