South County Gateway Planning Project
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The Charlotte County Growth Management Staff, TEAM Punta Gorda and City Staff have held two South County Gateway Meetings. These public meetings were held to solicit public input regarding the future development and desired community character in the South Charlotte County Area. The public response was overwhelming. Over 100 community members overall attended and shared their ideas and comments through several interactive activities. This webpage contains the raw information gathered at these Workshops and some initial City Staff impressions of the totality of these comments. Various basic issues were discussed including Architecture, Landscape, Signage, and Gateway.
Below is the information that was collected at the Workshops......
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Scenic Highway
*Public Input Map Picture - 1st meeting
*Public Input Map Picture - 2nd meeting
(click on map for printable version)
The picture is of a map displayed at the First South County Gateway Public Meeting. Participants at this meeting were encouraged to mark roads displayed on the map which they felt had scenic, historic, or natural resources that exemplified their community. Members of the public identified Tamiami Trail (US 41), US 17, Riverside Drive, and Burnt Store Road as routes that might be considered for Scenic Highway Designation.
The Florida Scenic Highway Program is a grass roots program designed to heighten awareness of the State’s historic, cultural, archeological, recreational, natural, and scenic resources-which enhance the overall travelling experience. For additional Program information:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/emo/scenichwy/programoverview1.shtm
*Staff Map
(click on map for printable version)
Based on the public input received at the meeting City Staff created the map above which illustrates four basic potential routes: Tamiami Route along US 41 from Sarasota County to Lee County, Peace River Route along the Peace River via US 17 and Riverside Drive, Burnt Store Route along Burnt Store Road from US 41 to Lee County, and Washington Loop Route runs the entire course of Washington Loop Road from US 17 to US 17. The map also illustrates the potential connections to the existing Lemon Bay-Myakka River Scenic Highway and the Tamiami Trail-Windows to the Gulf Coast Waters Scenic Highway (Manatee County south to Charlotte/Sarasota County line).
Visual Preference Survey
As part the first part of the interactive South County Gateway Public Workshop the Public was invited to participate in a Visual Preference Survey. The survey consisted of five display boards containing various images each based on a single theme, Architecture, Ground Sign, Façade Sign, Gateway, and Landscape. Participants were asked to vote for their favored images by placing colored dots on the image.
After the workshop City Staff tabulated the votes. The top images from each of the five themed boards:
1st Meeting
February 11, 2010
Results
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2nd Meeting
June 3, 2010
Results |
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Workshop Table Presentations
The core activity of the first and second South County Gateway Public Workshop was a round table discussion. At 9 tables a City or County Staff member or a TEAM Punta Gorda Volunteer, acted at a table facilitator to engage 8 to 10 members of the public in a conversation about their community. Each group was asked to appoint a scribe to write down the items the group felt was important. After about 30 or so of discussion, each table was asked to appoint a spokesperson to present their table’s ideas to the entire group.
First Meeting - Transcriptions of complete written comments from each table (Click to view document)
Second Meeing - Transcriptions of complete written comments from each table (Click to view document)
The Workshop was not the end of the community dialog, only the beginning.
Please keep an eye out for additional opportunities to have a say in the future of your community.
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City Hall Annex
126 Harvey Street
Punta Gorda, FL. 33950
Tel. (941) 575-3372
Fax. (941) 575-3356
urbandesign@ci.punta-gorda.fl.us
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