Developed by Fishkind & Associates, Florida's Fiscal Impact Analysis Model (FIAM) is designed to estimate all costs and revenues generated by proposed developments and approved land uses through a twenty-year time horizon.
The FIAM was created during a demonstration project sponsored by the Florida Departments of Community Affairs and Environmental Protection in 2002. Orange County participated in the FIAM development project and is continuing to research and develop FIAM for use in Orange County.
For more information about the FIAM, please contact Fishkind & Associates. For more information about Orange County's review and use of the FIAM, please contact Alissa Torres of the Planning Division at 407-836-5600 or Alissa.Torres@ocfl.net.
The Florida CHARTS site includes birth, death, disease morbidity, population, behavioral risk factor, and other community health statistics.
The Healthy Community Initiative of Greater Orlando identifies community needs through scientific and community-based research. HCI uses primary research, focus groups and analysis of demographic trends to highlight community trends in education, income, health, diversity, and families.
The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation Labor Market Statistics program includes a variety of labor market, economic, and demographic data, such as Employment and Wages, Labor Force, Economic Indicators, and Population.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the primary research agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.
Orange County Planning is participating in a national Land Market Monitoring demonstration project with the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland.
"Land market monitoring" is the collection of parcel, land, and housing data using Geographic Information Systems software to estimate developable land supply, development trends, rate of urban service area expansion, "buildout" development scenarios, and/or housing affordability. This project will help Orange County develop and refine innovative land analysis tools for sector planning, development monitoring, and smart growth initiatives.
The Business Information Center at the Disney/Small Business Administration National Entrepreneur Center provides research tools to start, manage, and effectively run a small business to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The United States Small Business Administration has an online reference to startup basics for the entrepreneur, including marketing.
The U.S. Census provides demographic information for various geographic areas that can contribute to market research. Census data can be accessed directly from the Census Bureau through its American Fact Finder application or through Orange County Interactive Mapping.
To further Orange County's commitment to smart growth, Orange County Planning Division recently participated in a national Smart Growth Leadership Institute demonstration project. The Smart Growth Leadership Institute (SGLI) was created by former Maryland Governor Parris N. Glendening to help state and local elected, civic and business leaders design and implement effective smart growth strategies.
In Orange County, the consultants conducted a "Smart Growth Audit" of the County's Comprehensive Policy Plan and several zoning districts to recommend revisions that would enhance the County's implementation of smart growth strategies. The zoning districts audited were Urban Village, Neighborhood Center, Neighborhood Activity Corridor, and the Neighborhood Residential Districts, relative to their ability to promote mixed use development, and the R-1 District to promote single family residential infill.
Overall, the SGLI consultant team determined Orange County is well-positioned to "go from good to great" in the smart growth arena. The consultants found that policies in place for Horizon West, Avalon Park, and Holden Heights offered a solid foundation of strong smart growth policy to bring smart growth to more areas of Orange County. The consultant team's many detailed recommendations, included in a summary and final report, will be implemented in coming months to achieve Orange County's smart growth goals countywide. For more information, please contact Alissa Torres of the Planning Division at 407-836-5600 or Alissa.Torres@ocfl.net.
In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities. But there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution. Successful communities do tend to have one thing in common--a vision of where they want to go and of what things they value in their community--and their plans for development reflect these values.
(Text from executive summary of Why Smart Growth: A Primer by International City/County Management Association with Geoff Anderson, 7/98.)
Smart Growth Principles include:
Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices
Create Walkable Neighborhoods
Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place
Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost Effective
Please visit Smart Growth Online, a service of the Smart Growth Network, for the remaining Smart Growth Principles and more information about Smart Growth.
Planning Division 
