BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
The city of Starke is continuing a visioning study and expanding it beyond the downtown area.
In December, the city announced Woodward and Curran, which assisted the city in obtaining a $58,500 Florida Commerce Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant, would be developing a vision for a downtown entertainment district.
Last week, Chief Administrative Officer Jimmy Crosby announced that the visioning study has been expanded to encompass a broader, citywide scope. Several smaller grant-funded projects that had yet to be addressed will now be folded into this initiative.
Crosby said he, General Manager Drew Mullins and the engineers decided to combine these efforts so that engineers aren’t returning multiple times for different visions. Instead, they’re taking a step back and looking at the whole city — not just downtown — to create a unified plan.
Woodward and Curran will conduct in-depth meetings May 20 and 21. The firm will meet with city staff, economic development representatives, planning and zoning officials, and parks and community development staff. Interviews will also include the county manager, the sheriff’s office, county commissioners and members of the city commission.
Crosby emphasized the importance of public input, noting that community groups such as the Concerned Citizens of Bradford County and local service clubs will also be involved.
A key driver of the study is the increasing importance of having a documented vision plan when applying for federal and state grant funding. Crosby noted that the lack of such a plan had hurt Starke in the past, specifically during a recent application for several million dollars in funding.
This is something the city must put in place first if it wants to be competitive for future grants, Crosby explained.
Crosby concluded by assuring city leaders they had already approved the funding, everything was in place, and they would be part of the process.
All meetings and interviews will be held in accordance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law, so interviews with elected officials will be scheduled individually.
