VHB and the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, were recognized by the American Planning Association Florida Chapter with an Award of Excellence in the Comprehensive Plan – Large Jurisdiction category for the StPete2050 Vision Plan at the group’s annual meeting on September 1. The annual conference awards program provides APA Florida members with the chance to recognize outstanding achievement in comprehensive planning in the state. The Project Awards Committee looks for innovativeness, quality, and the potential for use in other areas for selection.
VHB worked with the City to create a citywide conversation about the future of St. Petersburg through StPete2050. The project’s extensive emphasis on outreach and stakeholder engagement activated a broad amount of citizen interest in the plan, shaped its major themes, and helped define future priorities. Stakeholder engagement helped build the plan around 10 community priorities:
- Arts and Culture
- Housing
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Education
- Community Character and Growth
- Healthy Communities
- Parks, Open Spaces, and Recreation
- Shared Prosperity
- Sustainability and Resiliency
- Transportation and Mobility
“StPete2050 is a roadmap for planning that immediately helped the City prioritize initiatives that elevate healthy communities, enhance economic development, and improve the places where we live, work, and play,” said Neale Stralow, Senior Planner. “One of the first projects the City is undertaking is the updating of its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations through a series of community workshops and public hearings with City constituents, departments, affiliated agencies and community partners.”
The StPete2050 consultant team also included Destination Better Garth Solutions, Landwise Advisors, and Sasaki. Interested in learning more about how communities can plan for a more resilient future? Contact Neale Stralow.