Under Florida law, platting is the subdivision of property as recorded in the official records. In Broward County, platting is also used to evaluate the impacts of a proposed development on regional facilities and services. Broward County's Land Use Plan provides general rules for when platting is required, however, municipalities can have stricter standards. If your project is located within a municipality, please contact them to determine if platting is required. The Urban Planning Division administers Chapter 5, Article Xl of the Broward County Land Development Code.
Platting Review Process
If platting is required, you must first apply with the municipality and then with us. Both reviews occur at the same time. Your application cannot be scheduled for a hearing by the County Commission until the municipality has approved the plat.
Development and Environmental Review Application (PDF portfolio)
The County’s review includes:
Identifying conditions needed for the proposed plat to comply with Broward County’s Land Development Code
Identifying corrections to the plat drawing needed to comply with Florida law
Providing advisory comments on issues needing addressed after the platting process
Plat applications are reviewed to ensure compliance with all requirements, including:
Transportation impacts
Water and wastewater services
Safe and adequate access
Dedication of right-of-ways for major roadways
Park and school impacts
Impacts on wetlands and designated environmental areas
Land Use Plan consistency
For unincorporated area plats, the review also includes fire protection and zoning.
Development Review Report
Once the initial application review period ends, we compile all agency comments into a Development Review Report. This report includes:
All conditions necessary for the proposed plat to comply with the Land Development Code
A listing of corrections needed to the plat drawing to comply with Florida law
Advisory comments on issues needing addressed after the platting process
Staff recommendation to approve, defer or deny and justification
Letter of Objections/No Objections
You have 5 months to respond to the Development Review Report and file either a “letter of objections” or a “letter of no objections.” If you do not file within 5 months, your application is considered withdrawn.
A “letter of objections” must state the sections of the report you disagree with and why. We will forward your letter to the appropriate review agencies and provide a written response to you or your agent within 16 working days.
A “letter of no objections” may be combined into a single letter with a “written authorization to proceed” as long as it is filed within 5 months of the report being issued.
Written Authorization to Proceed
Section 5181(i) of the Land Development Code requires a “written authorization to proceed” to be filed within 60 days of the Development Review Report being issued. This schedules your application for review at the next available County Commission plat meeting. It must include a receipt from the Highway Construction and Engineering Division as proof the municipality has approved the plat mylar and was accepted by the Division.
If there are any objections to the report, they must be stated in the “written authorization to proceed.” If you have any new objections not previously raised in the “letter of objections,” staff may recommend deferral at the meeting. If any new objections are raised after filing, staff will recommend deferral at the meeting.
A valid Trafficways approval is required for a plat to be recommended for approval to the County Commission. Trafficways approval is valid for 10 months. You may request, in writing, a 2month extension if not previously granted. You request must be received before the Trafficways expiration date.
County Commission Meeting
Once we receive your “written authorization to proceed,” we will schedule the plat for the next available County Commission plat meeting (typically 3 weeks from the filing deadline).
A copy of the final Development Review Report, forwarded to the County Commission, will be available for your review before the meeting. A blank affidavit will be attached to the report. If you sign the affidavit, agreeing with staff recommendations, the request will remain on the County Commission’s consent agenda. If not signed, the request will be automatically deferred for at least 2 weeks and rescheduled for discussion at a later meeting.
Approval and Recording
The County Commission takes final action on plat applications. If the plat is approved, you have 18 months to record the plat in the public records. In those 18 months:
Corrections to the plat drawing must be made
All signatures must be received
All conditions of plat approval must be either completed or secured through agreement (and a form of security) acceptable to the County Attorney.
Highway Construction and Engineering Division’s Plat Section coordinates recording. Except in unusual cases, granted by petitioning the County Commission, no building permits within a plat may be issued until the plat is recorded.
Each plat is approved with a restrictive note limiting the type and amount of development that may be constructed within it. You may return to the County Commission after plat approval, and after recording the plat, to amend the restrictive note. The County Commission will review the application for any additional impacts of the proposed change. You may also return to change other conditions of plat approval.
