As electric vehicles become more common on roads across Florida, local governments are increasingly looking for ways to ensure charging infrastructure, policies, and public resources keep pace. For the City of Boynton Beach, Florida, participating in the Charging Smart program has provided a practical roadmap for doing exactly that.
In February 2025, Boynton Beach became the first city in Florida to enroll in the Charging Smart program, a national initiative administered by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Similar to the well-known SolSmart program for solar energy, Charging Smart helps local governments evaluate and improve policies, permitting practices, infrastructure planning, public education, and fleet electrification efforts related to EVs.
For Alannah Irwin, Boynton Beach’s Sustainability and Resiliency Administrator, the decision to participate came from a recognition that the city needed a more comprehensive strategy for EV charging.
“We were collaborating with our electric utility on EV charging, but we found ourselves behind in a lot of ways,” Irwin said.
Although Boynton Beach already had 12 public charging ports through a partnership with Florida Power & Light, city officials lacked control over key aspects of the charging network, including maintenance schedules, usage data, and repair timelines. In one instance, a heavily used charger remained offline for nearly three months while waiting for repairs.
The experience highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to EV infrastructure planning.
“Charging Smart was almost like having a consultant without needing to hire one,” Irwin said. “It gives local governments a roadmap and technical assistance at no cost.”
Building on Existing Successes
The program begins with a self-assessment and a menu of actions municipalities can complete to earn certifications at the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Communities receive technical assistance throughout the process and can advance at a pace that matches their capacity.
For Boynton Beach, pursuing Bronze certification revealed that the city had already completed much of the foundational work.
The city had previously conducted EV infrastructure analyses, incorporated transportation electrification goals into its Climate Action Plan, and established permitting procedures for EV charging equipment. However, participating in Charging Smart helped organize those efforts and identify opportunities for improvement.
One of the first discoveries was that some valuable resources existed but were difficult for residents to find.
For example, Boynton Beach already had an EV charger permitting process in place, but the information was not readily available online. Through Charging Smart, city staff worked with the building department to create and publish permitting checklists and guidance on the city’s website.
The certification process also prompted a review of local ordinances related to EV charging infrastructure. While the city had adopted supportive policies several years earlier, officials found that some language had become outdated as technology and regulations evolved.
“It helped us identify those gaps,” Irwin said. “It gave us an opportunity to look at where we are today and make sure our policies still align with current best practices.”
By September 2025, Boynton Beach had earned its Bronze designation.
A Collaborative Approach
One of the program’s strengths, according to Irwin, is the technical support municipalities receive along the way.
IREC staff provide templates, examples from other communities, and monthly technical assistance meetings that help local governments navigate the certification process. Rather than requiring participants to start from scratch, the program offers proven tools that can be adapted to local needs.
The process also encourages collaboration across municipal departments.
In Boynton Beach, sustainability staff worked closely with planning and development officials, city leadership, and other departments to review ordinances and identify opportunities for future improvements. As the city begins pursuing Silver certification, those conversations are expanding to include fleet managers and additional planning staff.
The next level of certification places greater emphasis on fleet electrification, utility engagement, and long-term planning for EV infrastructure.
“We’re going to be reengaging with our fleet division and looking at what our next steps are,” Irwin said.
The city is also evaluating future options for publicly accessible charging infrastructure and considering how charging stations could support both residents and municipal employees.
Learning from Communities Across the Country
Beyond technical assistance, Charging Smart participants gain access to a growing network of local governments working through similar challenges.
Through national cohort meetings, municipalities can share experiences, discuss best practices, and learn from one another’s successes.
Irwin recently attended her first Charging Smart cohort meeting and connected with local governments from across the country. Conversations ranged from charging rate structures and fleet electrification to employee charging programs.
One example that stood out was a pilot program in Atlanta that offers municipal employees free EV charging for a limited number of hours each day before standard rates apply.
Those exchanges, Irwin said, provide valuable insight for communities still determining what role local government should play in EV charging deployment.
“It’s really exciting to have access to that network,” she said. “You’re able to talk to communities that have already done something and learn from their experience.”
Helping Florida Communities Prepare for the Future
Boynton Beach’s participation comes as IREC works to expand Charging Smart throughout the Southeast, a region that continues to face significant gaps in charging infrastructure compared to other parts of the country.
Since joining the program, Irwin has spoken with neighboring Florida communities about the benefits of participation, and interest continues to grow. Municipalities, including Jacksonville and others across the state, have begun exploring the program as they evaluate their own EV readiness efforts.
Her advice to local governments considering Charging Smart is simple: connect the program to goals you are already pursuing.
“If you do Charging Smart just to do it, you’re creating extra work,” Irwin said. “But if you tie it to an action you’re already planning, whether that’s fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, or incentive programs, it makes the process much easier.”
For Boynton Beach, Charging Smart has become more than a certification program. It has helped the city organize existing efforts, identify policy gaps, strengthen partnerships, and develop a clearer vision for transportation electrification.
As EV adoption continues to grow across Florida, the city hopes the work underway today will make it easier for residents, businesses, and visitors to access the charging infrastructure they need tomorrow.
