What is the Comprehensive Plan?

The Winter Springs' Comprehensive Plan is the legal equivalent of a constitution for future growth. It translates values into a scheme that describes how, why, when and where to build, rebuild, or preserve the community. It includes principles, guidelines, and standards for the orderly and balanced economic, social, physical, environmental, and fiscal development of the City through 2030. It encompasses all the functions that make a community work such as transportation, housing, land use, infrastructure, and recreation. All development orders or land development regulations are required to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

Adoption of the Comprehensive Plan is regulated by the State of Florida under the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, and every seven years, the City is required to create an Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) of the Comprehensive Plan. The EAR is an audit of the success and shortcomings of the Comprehensive Plan and suggests how the Comprehensive Plan should be revised to better address community objectives, changing conditions, trends affecting the community, and changes in state requirements. The EAR is followed by amendments to the Comprehensive Plan to implement the findings of the EAR. On September 28, 2009, the City adopted its 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

Winter Springs Adopted 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Note- The Comprehensive Plan may be amended from time-to-time. Verify with Staff in the Planning Division that this link includes the latest amendment.

For more information, please contact:
Bobby Howell, Planner
(407)327-5966 or bhowell@winterspringsfl.org

What is Future Land Use?

The Future Land Use Map is a part of the Comprehensive Plan and with the descriptive text of the Future Land Use Element, directs the type of use and density or intensity of use for property within the City. The Zoning of property must be in compliance with its Future Land Use designation. Changing the Future Land Use designation of a property requires an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan.

How to Determine the Future Land Use of a Property

A property's Future Land Use designation can be obtained from either the Planning Division at (407) 327-5968 or the Seminole County Property Appraiser website or you can locate your property on the following Future Land Use Map. If needed, a letter confirming the future land use classification of a property may be obtained from the Permitting and Customer Service Division. The property's tax parcel identification number (PIN) or address must be provided to determine the future land use designation.

What are the Types of Future Land Use or Comprehensive Plan Amendments?

Small Scale Amendments are requested changes to the FUTURE LAND USE MAP that involve land area less than 10 acres in size or densities of less than 10 dwelling units per acre. Application for a Small Scale Amendment may be made at any time, throughout the year. Processing a Small Scale Amendment takes approximately 3 months, or about half the time required for a Large Scale Amendment, due to the fact that a Small Scale Amendment is exempt from the lengthier process of review by the Florida Department of Community Affairs (see 163.3187 F.S.). A Small Scale Amendment requires a public hearing before the Local Planning Agency (Planning and Zoning Board) and two public hearings before the City Commission.

Large Scale Amendments are requested changes to the TEXT of the Comprehensive Plan OR requested changes to the FUTURE LAND USE MAP that involve land area greater than 10 acres or densities greater than 10 dwelling units per acre. Amendments are subject to Approval by the Florida Department of Community Affairs and are not effective until the Department of Community Affairs issues a "Notice of Intent" to find the Comprehensive Plan Amendment in compliance with the requirements of Chapter 163.3184 and 163.3187, Florida Statutes.

Large Scale Amendments are limited to an adoption schedule that occurs only twice per calendar year, in accordance with 163.3187(1) F.S., unless otherwise provided by law.

The next cycle deadline for submittal is WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010, before 5:00 P.M.

What is the Difference between Future Land Use and Zoning?

Future land use designations indicate the intended use and development density for a particular area, while zoning districts specifically define allowable uses and contain the design and development guidelines for those intended uses. The Winter Springs Comprehensive Plan may allow (but not guarantee) various zoning districts within a given future land use designation. If an owner desires to use or develop property in a manner that does not conform to the current future land use designation, they must apply for a future land use amendment, which may accommodate an application for rezoning.

To obtain Staff support, the applicant should demonstrate that the proposed future land use amendment is consistent with the Winter Springs Comprehensive Plan. Future land use applications are decided by the City Commission. Some applications may require a rezoning, which can be processed in conjunction with a future land use amendment request.

What is Zoning?

Zoning is the division of real property into defined districts which have uniform zoning regulations including land use, height limitations, building setbacks, lot size, density, maximum lot coverage, and floor area ratio (FAR). The zoning districts and zoning regulations in Winter Springs help ensure that the City will grow in a managed and predictable way to help safeguard the public health, safety and welfare.

How to Determine the Zoning Classification of a Property

A property's Zoning classification can be obtained from either the Planning Division at (407) 327-5968 or the Seminole County Property Appraiser website or you can locate your property on the following Zoning Map. Additionally, the egov link also includes the zoning classification of parcels within the City.

If needed, a letter confirming the zoning classification of a property may be obtained from the Permitting and Customer Service Division. The property's tax parcel identification number (PIN) or address must be provided to determine the future land use designation.

A current update of the Zoning Map is maintained electronically throughout the year by the Planning Division, followed by the adoption of the Official Zoning Map each November by the City Commission.

Processing a Zoning change takes approximately 3 months and requires a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Board and two public hearings before the City Commission.

What is the Capital Improvements Program?

Article VII of the City Charter regulates the City's financial procedures and describes the City's Capital Program.

The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) furthers the City's legitimate government purpose of meeting the demands for new and properly maintained infrastructure and facilities in a fiscally responsible manner and in furtherance of section 166.021, Florida Statutes.

The CIP is the vehicle that links capital expenditures with adopted public policy. The CIP neither appropriates funds nor authorizes projects; it is a planning document. The CIP integrates planning for significant capital or operating projects with financial planning into a multi-year schedule of projects. It is used as an alternative to considering individual projects one-at-a-time without reference to overall community priorities or fiscal capacity.

The CIP is the primary tool for implementing City Commission initiatives and reflects the various master plans that serve as a blueprint for future capital investment. The proposed CIP also serves as the companion to the Capital Improvements Element of the Comprehensive Plan, which outlines capital improvements that are required to maintain adopted levels of service and keep pace with community growth. The adoption of the CIP does not commit the City to expenditures or appropriations beyond the first year (which were included in the Adopted FY2009/10 budget).

In order to make the CIP meaningful, projects are not included unless the cost exceeds $50,000. Capital projects are defined in the Comprehensive Plan (CIE Policy 1.1.1) and include:

  • Projects necessary to meet Levels of Service (LOS) [elimination of existing deficiencies] identified in the Comprehensive Plan;
  • Projects which increase the capacity or efficiency of existing infrastructure;
  • Projects which replace failing infrastructure[the repair and replacement of existing public facilities]; and/or
  • Projects which enhance facilities and infrastructure [the provision for new public facilities].

Items may include:

  • New and expanded facilities;
  • Rehabilitation or replacement of existing facilities;
  • Major pieces of equipment;
  • Cost of professional studies related to the improvement; and/or
  • Acquisition of land related to a community facility.

Project Request Forms were prepared by department heads with each capital improvement described, listed by year it is to be purchased or commenced, the amount to be spent per year, and the method of financing the improvement. The list is prioritized over the 5-year period and project costs have updated as appropriate. Year 1 of the CIP reflects the City's FY 2009/10 budget.

What is the Capital Improvements Element Update?

Each year the City is required to adopt an update to the Capital Improvements Element. The 2010 update includes the five-year schedule of capital improvements and supporting data and analysis.

For more information, please contact:
Bobby Howell, Planner
(407)327-5966 or bhowell@winterspringsfl.org