- April 25, 2024
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Palm Coast's City Council is developing a new set of strategic priorities, and saltwater canal maintenance, electric vehicle charging stations, more parking at the Community Center, and expansion west of U.S. 1 and the railroad tracks are on the tentative list.
The council will vote on whether to adopt the priorities at a business meeting on May 3
The council will vote on whether to adopt the priorities at a business meeting on May 3, and city staff will present the council with details of how the selected priorities will be implemented during a meeting on June 28, Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston said at an April 26 City Council workshop.
The city's staff, in accordance with council members' input, has grouped about 20 potential city priorities under four headings that staff refer to as the “four pillar approach:” “strong resilient economy,” “civic engagement,” “safe and reliable services,” “sustainable environment and infrastructure.”
The 20 priorities are a decrease from the city’s previous set of about 60 priorities, Johnston said in a presentation at the April 26 workshop.
“We've really looked to mold some of those priorities into operations as they become standard practices for us,” Johnston said.
Potential priorities include having the city partner with well known higher education institutions — like the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University, which now have locations here — to help Town Center become a regional center for learning; making Palm Coast a regional destination for health care training; and strengthening relationships with stakeholders through recurring meetings and other measures.
Other potential priorities include developing economic opportunity tools and communications strategies for regional growth, expanding west of U.S. 1 while master planning for managed growth, inventorying city-owned land for optimal use, and updating the city’s Comprehensive Plan to extend it to 2045.
Potential priorities include creating an arts program to update the city's existing blue and white neighborhood entry signs and transform them into public art, seeking out ways to engage local students in civic programs, looking into using social media to share information and correct misinformation, and providing City Council with an inventory of facilities that the council could potentially rename in honor of the late Mayor Jon Netts.
Potential priorities include the construction of a new Maintenance and Operations facility, identifying local recreation demands to prioritize recreation capital improvement projects, and expanding parking at the Palm Coast Community Center.
Possible priorities include developing a plan for maintenance of the city's saltwater canals, adding solar power on current and future buildings, collaborating with FPL to add electric vehicle fast-charging stations in multiple areas of the city, creating a comprehensive cybersecurity plan for infrastructure, and working with partners to push the state government to fund the next phase of the Old Kings Road widening project.
"From the looks of everybody on the dais ... most if not all of everyone's concerns at a 30,000-foot level have been captured, and then will be worked down into workflows and plans, and eventually funding sources and a budget," Mayor David Alfin said after the presentation.
