The Seven50 Plan and Regional Governance in Southeast Florida

Abstract

This article provides an introduction to “Seven50: Southeast Florida Prosperity Plan”, including project design, public process and recommendations. Seven50 was a regional discussion about the next 50 years of development for seven counties. The project was executed from 2009 through 2014. The principal author of the article was a member of the Seven50 Executive Committee from the start to the end, and participated in the debates about its goals, chronology and professional activities. Research and analysis were performed on the final deliverables of the project. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted with key participants in March and June of 2015, approximately a year after the project was completed. Their views and opinions provided context for an evaluation of the project’s effectiveness and its impact on future regional growth. Conclusions were reached about the value of the process and its contribution to the theory and practice of regional planning and governance.