2005-037 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• Comprehensive Plan Introductory Element developing the EAR. Similar to the plan development process, county boards and commissions provided direct input in the development of the EAR for individual elements of the comprehensive plan. When all the EAR elements were complete, the Planning and Zoning commission approved the proposed EAR. Following two public workshops, the adopted EAR was approved by the Board of County Commissioners at a public hearing. The EAR recommended amendments to the plan were adopted through the regular plan amendment process. Population One of the key components of any successful long-range planning effort is the reliability of the assumptions used to assess future conditions or needs. In the development of a comprehensive plan, an understanding of the future population and the forces, which influence population growth, is essential. Before projecting the future population, however, it is necessary to first analyze historic population levels and current population estimates and the trends, which will direct the future. The following analysis addresses Indian River County's past, present, and future population characteristics. As structured, the population section focuses on three aspects: historic population, current trends, and population projections Each of these builds upon the other to provide the foundation upon which the comprehensive plan rests. The historic population provides insight to the development and growth, which has resulted in the current status of the community. Together with the current assessment, past trends provide the basis for formulating population projections. The focus of this comprehensive plan is the unincorporated portions of the county. Although the municipalities and small areas of the county possess different demographic characteristics, which make them unique, the availability of reliable data for small areas of the county is limited. For that reason, this analysis will focus primarily on the county as a whole. In addition to the three aspects mentioned above, this analysis will include a comparison of Indian River County with the state and region. Since the geographic areas to be studied will remain constant throughout the analysis, the following definitions are in order. The Treasure Coast Region (Treasure Coast, Region) is comprised of Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties. Any reference to Indian River County shall include the entire county unless specified as the unincorporated county. The unincorporated county excludes the five incorporated municipalities (Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, Indian River Shores, and Orchid). Census Designated Places (CDP) are small areas within the county so designated by the US Bureau of Census. As defined by the census, a CDP is a densely settled population center without legally defined corporate limits or corporate powers. These areas contain a Community Development Department Indian River County Supplement #_; Ordinance 2005- 5