Mission
The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council is a locally formed regional planning agency serving six counties: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota. Its mission is to work together across neighboring communities to consistently protect and improve the unique and relatively unspoiled character of the physical, economic and social worlds we share… for the benefit of our future generations. The agency is directed by a thirty-four member Council composed of local elected officials and gubernatorial appointees.


What We Do
The activities of the Southwest Florida RPC can be classified into three major areas: long range planning, tactical planning and transportation planning.

Long-Range Planning includes comprehensive/strategic planning, dispute resolution, economic development, housing, and environmental protection (including the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, an eight county study effort to improve the management of the natural resources of the Charlotte Harbor Watershed).

Tactical Planning includes developments of regional impact, emergency preparedness, hurricane planning, and intergovernmental coordination and review.

Transportation Planning encompasses the Regional Transportation Subcommittee, the Transportation Disadvantaged Program and the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Budget
Our operating budget runs between 2.5 and 3 million dollars each year. Competitive grants comprised nearly 70% of our revenue in 2003. Other income sources were dues paid voluntarily by local governments (15%), contracts for services (10%), and fees paid for review of DRIs (7%). The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization were our two largest expense centers in 2003 (roughly 54% of total expenditures). Review, analysis and reporting related to DRIs and comprehensive plans made up nearly 25% of our expenses, while the remaining 21% of our funds were spent on all the other programs and projects we directed and supported in 2003.

Executive Director, Dave Burr (2002-2007)
Dave Burr was a native Floridian, born and raised in Miami, Florida. Dave attended the University of Florida and received a M.S. Degree in Systems Ecology within the Environmental Engineering Department, School of Engineering, and a B.S. Degree in Wildlife Ecology. Dave was also a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners. Dave started his career with the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council in July 1975. He began work as the Council’s Environment Planner and became the Planning Director in July 1985. He became the Executive Director on September 2002. On September 27, 2007, he passed away unexpectedly. He not only was a special person to the SWFRPC, but sincerely cared for our environment. Dave was a huge influence to many of us; he will be missed.