Implementing a mandate to plan for sea level rise: top-down, bottom-up, and middle-out actions in the Tampa Bay region

The 2015 Peril of Flood Act mandates that municipalities in Florida, USA consider sea level rise (SLR) in the coastal element of the comprehensive plan. Because the mandate lacks specificity, planning actors have broad discretion on how to respond. This paper examines how state, regional, and local level actors are implementing the mandate through a case study of the Tampa Bay region. Documents and interviews reveal that state agency staff provided inconsistent compliance guidance. Regional organizations developed credible planning intelligence and promoted collaboration and shared learning. Local planning actors, led by champions, utilized the mandate as political cover and a window of opportunity to pursue progressive planning. These champions were committed to technically competent planning practice and a moral duty to plan for SLR. The analysis reveals the importance of a top-down mandate to spur SLR planning in Florida when paired with regional capacity building and local level progressive champions.