Master Plans for Old Marco and Parks and Recreation

The next 90 days will be very busy for Daniel Smith, Director of Community Affairs.

Smith wears a number of hats as Director. Whether you walk into city hall seeking assistance regarding a permit for replacing a toilet, information regarding the protection of the many protected wildlife species on the island, inquire about the city’s dog park or a delay in the permit to build your new home, or have questions regarding zoning or how to get a permit for a parade, all of these touch in some way on a department or person under his responsibility.

In an interview with Smith after a recent Planning Board Meeting, he said that consultants will shortly be working on two major projects that will touch many within the community.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan Creation

On January 16, a public forum will be held to hear public input on what they see are the future needs of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department regarding both capital (brick and mortar) as well as future programming needs. Perez Planning and Design personnel, the city’s consultant, will create the first-ever Master Plan for the Parks and Recreation Department, and city staff members will be on hand to receive those comments. The event will be held in the City Council Chambers at 51 Bald Eagle Drive at 6:00 PM and conclude at 7:30 PM. The public is encouraged to attend and provide input at this and future meetings.

Old Marco Overlay District

At the September City Council Meeting, a contract was awarded to Stantec Consulting Services, a major design and engineering firm in Naples, Florida for the Redevelopment Master Plan contract for the Old Marco Area of the island.

In recognition of the historical and cultural significance of the island, City Council moved forward to create a master plan for this area of the island that has experienced significant impact from changes over the last decade.

With the award of the contract for the Master Plan, the city hopes to address some of the pressing concerns that have been voiced by residents, businesses, and councilors.

According to Smith, the city has uploaded the Stantec Corporation with all of the support information that they have requested. They will move forward in February with interviews with businesses, residents of Old Marco, and other interested parties. They will also be holding open public meetings for input on the project as part of their discovery of the challenges and a vision for the district before determining an approach to those challenges.

No dates have been set yet for those meetings, and public notices will be coming from the city as well as here in the Coastal Breeze News as soon as that is available.