The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has launched a second year of local and regional assistance using INDEX planning support software. This is a continuation of DCA's 2005 initiative to enhance community planning processes with technology tools.

The second year effort includes INDEX growth visioning support in West Florida, digital charretting of redevelopment in Tampa, and training for regional planning councils statewide. INDEX will also be web-enabled for the DCA website to increase its access and utility for local planners.

This work builds on first year INDEX applications that supported visioning and comprehensive planning in Jacksonville, Palm Coast, Seminole County, and Broward County, and training for state transportation and environmental protection agencies.

Florida DCA joins other agencies around the nation currently using INDEX for planning support, including the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's Project Region, the City of Santa Barbara's general plan update, the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency's 2040 plan implementation, and U.S. EPA's national estimate of brownfield environmental benefits.

INDEX is a suite of interactive GIS tools for assessing community conditions, designing and evaluating scenarios in real time, and ranking options according to goal achievement. Introduced in 1994, it is now the most widely-used planning support tool in the U.S.

Related Link: INDEX Planning Support Software

For more information contact:

Eliot Allen
Criterion Planners
725 NW Flanders St., Suite 303
Portland
OR 97209
U.S.

Phone: 503 224 8606
Fax: 503 224 8702
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.crit.com