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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Executive Summary <br />Indian River County (the “County”) selected Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. (“Kimley-Horn”) to provide a <br />Comprehensive Plan Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) for the County’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan (the “Plan”). The <br />Kimley-Horn team evaluated the Plan and had dialogue in writing or via virtual meetings with Staff to discuss the intention <br />and significance of the goals, objectives, and policies of the respective Elements Staff must implement daily. Additionally, <br />Kimley-Horn began preparing Data Inventory & Analyses (DIAs) for most of the Plan Elements. Indian River County, in <br />partnership with Kimley-Horn, hosted public engagement opportunities, including multiple workshops online and in -person <br />as well as an online survey and interactive map. After thorough Plan evaluation, gaining insight and recommendations <br />from the Staff using the Plan, reviewing historical trends and fresh data for most of the Plan Elements, and actively <br />listening to the community, the Kimley-Horn team recommended to Staff to keep, revise, or remove each goal, objective, <br />and policy. <br />The Comprehensive Plan is not just a document but the County’s blueprint for the future. Its Goals, Objectives, and <br />Policies (GOPs) are not just guidelines but crucial for effectively implementing public infrastructure and services. They <br />ensure that people have a safe and secure place to live, a healthy economy that provides jobs and services, ways to get <br />around (bike, pedestrian, car, transit), and quality recreational features. The County leadership is responsible for <br />providing the necessary public services and facilities, developing strategies, and adopting regulations and standards that <br />implement this blueprint. The Comprehensive Plan also informs and shapes other County plans, capital projects, and <br />programs that affect the community in large and small ways. <br />The County’s Comprehensive Plan is not set in stone. It is a living document that can be amended from time to time <br />following the parameters established in the Florida Statutes (F.S.) Chapter 163. The State of Florida, recognizing that <br />change occurs over time and that it is important to adapt, requires local governments to review and update their <br />Comprehensive Plan at least every seven (7) years, where appropriate. This ensures that the Plan reflects changes in <br />Growth Management Laws, changing conditions within the community, changes in population, updates to policies that <br />may no longer be accurate or effective, as well as both the perceived and actual success of Plan implementation. This <br />flexibility is a testament to the Comprehensive Plan's resilience and ability to evolve with the community's needs. <br />The current Comprehensive Plan includes over 1,000 Goals, Objectives, and Policies within its Elements. It should be <br />noted that comments identified for each respective Goal, Objective, and Policy may reflect multiple categories. <br />This report provides recommended text language in strikethrough/underline format based on the findings of the EAR <br />PAGE 3