Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) Frequently Asked Questions

• What it Does
• Where Does it Apply
• Why it's Required
• Who is Involved
• When it is Done
• How it Works

What it Does
The Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) expresses Miami-Dade County’s general objectives and policies addressing where and how it intends development or conservation of land and natural resources will occur during the next 10 to 20 years, and the delivery of County services to accomplish the Plan’s objectives. It provides for "sustainable development" - allowing for land capacity to meet projected needs, preservation of wetlands and agricultural areas and protection of (drinkable) water well fields.

The CDMP establishes the broad parameters for government to do detailed land use planning and zoning activities, functional planning and programming of infrastructure and services. As such, it is a framework for use by other programs to be developed to support it's long-range planning goals. For each of the master plan elements, there are goals, objectives and policies, measures to be monitored and maps of planned future facilities

The Plan establishes a growth policy that encourages development:
1. At a rate commensurate with projected population and economic growth.
2. In a contiguous pattern centered around a network of high-intensity urban centers well-connected by multi-modal intra-urban transportation facilities.
3. In locations which optimize efficiency in public service delivery and conservation of valuable natural resources.

Miami-Dade County has more than 2,000 square miles of land, of which almost 500 square miles have been developed for urban uses. The countywide land use plan broadly defines land use categories, with the smallest distinguishable area of the Land Use map set at 5 acres. The Land Use portion of the plan includes a Map for 2015-2025 which visually shows recommended land uses by major categories, each of which is interpreted locally through zoning designations (which are not part of the map).

The CDMP also establishes an Urban Development Boundary (UDB). Development orders for urban development within the boundary will generally be approved through the year 2015, provided that level-of-service standards for necessary public facilities are met.

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Where Does it Apply
The CDMP for Miami-Dade County addresses the unincorporated area and covers the areawide responsibilities of the County in the incorporated areas (municipalities). Each of the 34 municipalities in Miami-Dade County is required to adopt their own plans for areas within their jurisdictions.

The Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master Plan has 12 major Plan Elements: 

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Why it's Required
The State of Florida requires comprehensive planning by local governments and these plans must be consistent with related strategic regional plans. All development orders and policy regulations must be consistent with the adopted local comprehensive plan. The State Legislature created Florida Statute, Chapter 163 to help guide these efforts and provide for State review and approval of local plans.

Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes establishes the minimum requirements for Local Government Comprehensive Plans, in addition to the criteria for review of such plans and Determination of Compliance with Florida Statutes.

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Who is Involved
The preparation, update and interpretation of the County’s Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Planning Section.  

Public involvement that includes coordination of public hearings by the Board of County Commissioners, the Planning Advisory Board, and affected Community Councils, and communications with applicants and other government jurisdictions involved in the process is coordinated by the CDMP Administration Unit. 

Components of the CDMP that are adopted as County Policy by the Board of County Commissioners are contained in the "Adopted Components - Comprehensive Development Master Plan" book. The ordinances are codified at Chapter 2-114 of the Miami-Dade County Code. 

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When it is Done
A major review and update of the CDMP is done every seven years. There is also a semiannual CDMP amendment process for periodic review of the development capacity of the urban area.

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How it Works
The CDMP amendment process is fully described in the document titled CDMP Amendment Application Filing Instructions, the most recent copy of which may be downloaded from this site by clicking on the link below. The instructions document contains a schedule of activities associated with the year-long CDMP amendment process, and a property ownership disclosure form necessary to file a CDMP amendment application.

• See the current fee schedule and instructions to prepare applications requesting CDMP amendments

Email us with any questions, comments or concerns about this process.