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Waterfronts FloridaK E Y E L E M E N T S O F S U C C E S S
I N B U I L D I N G C O A S T A L C O M M U N I T I E S
A R E P O R T D E V E L O P E D B Y
THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA
S P O N S O R E D B YTHE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
FLORIDA COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
W I T H F U N D I N G F R O MTHE NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
J U N E 2 0 0 2
2001-2002Sustainable Florida Partners
PLATINUM ($10,000 AND ABOVE)
Bank of AmericaCargill FertilizerFlorida Department of Community Affairs,
Florida Coastal Management ProgramFlorida Department of
Environmental ProtectionFlorida Environmental, Inc.Florida Phosphate CouncilPCS Phosphate – White SpringsU.S. Department of Commerce-NOAAWCI Communities, Inc.Wragg & Casas Public Relations
SILVER ($2,500 – 4,999)
Ardaman & Associates, Inc.CF IndustriesCONSENSUS Builders, Inc.Florida Gas Transmission CompanyGulf Power CompanyITERA International Energy GroupPfizer National Healthcare OperationsThe Rayonier FoundationDorothy RouthThe St. Joe CompanyTECO EnergyUnited States Sugar Corporation
BRONZE ($1,500 – 2,499)
Calpine CorporationEnvironmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.Escambia CountyFarmland HydroHistoric Tours of America, Inc.Hizer Machine ManufacturingHydro MentiaIluka Resources, Inc.Lakeland ElectricMotorola, Inc.Phoschem Supply CompanyPublix Super Markets CharitiesRegatta Pointe MarinaSeminole Electric Cooperative, Inc.Vistakon
FRIENDS ($100 – 1,499)
Paul BarrettFlorida Rock Tank LinesThe Folsom GroupFranklin Industrial MineralsFringe Benefits ManagementGreen SmartHorizon Industrial Supplies, Inc.Hughes Industrial SupplyNorma LindseyBecky MatkovJulie MorrisThe Nature ConservancyBill NicholsonMary Lou Rajchel
GOLD ($5,000 – 9,999)
The Bonita Bay GroupConstellation Energy GroupCovanta EnergyFlorida Crystals CorporationFlorida Power CorporationFlorida Power & Light CompanyIMC Phosphates CompanyInternational Paper Company FoundationMontenay Power Corp.
Reintjes of the SouthRescar, Inc.Bob RoutaSolid Resources, Inc.Stuart StrahlSuzette Miller-ThomasonTidewater ConsultingTownley Manufacturing Co.Urban Principles, LLCEstus WhitfieldWilderness Graphics, Inc.Dreamal WorthenMarie York
CreditsWe wish to thank the Florida Department of Community Affairs,Florida Coastal Management Program, for sponsoring this report,
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for providing the funding.
Paul H. Barrett, General Manager, PCS Phosphate – White Springs
Florette Braun, Principal Environmental Specialist, Florida Power & Light Company
Karen Childress, Environmental Stewardship Manager, WCI Communities
Michael G. Cooke, Shareholder, Carlton Fields
Jeremy Craft, Environmental Consultant
J. Allison DeFoor, II, State Coordinator, Florida Environmental, Inc.
John H. Fitch, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University
Jay A. Fredericksen, Vice-President, Corporate Relations, Rayonier
Edward Genovese, Regional Manager, Safety-Kleen Corporation
H. Gray Gordon, Vice President, Cargill Fertilizer, Inc.
Clay Henderson, Vice President/Director, Conservation and Environmental Services,
Holland & Knight Consulting
Mary A. Kumpe, President, Kumpe & Associates
Christine Madsen, President, InterMedia Marketing and Advertising
Becky Roper Matkov, Executive Director, Dade Heritage Trust
Brenda Menendez, Intergovernmental Affairs and Special Projects Coordinator,
Florida Department of Community Affairs
Analee Moore Mayes, President, CONSENSUS Builders, Inc.
Julie K. Morris, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, New College
William R. Nicholson, Managing Director, Bank of America
Mollie Glover Palmer, Deputy Chief of Staff,
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Charles G. Pattison, Executive Director, 1000 Friends of Florida
Mary Lou Rajchel, President and CEO, Florida Phosphate Council
Donald H. Ross, President, Florida Environmental, Inc.
Judy Sanchez, Director of Corporate Communications, United States Sugar Corporation
Michael H. Sheridan, Chairman of the Board, Fringe Benefits Management Company
Philip W. Simpson, Principal Scientist & Program Manager,
Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.
Kathleen Small, Community Relations Manager, Florida Power Corporation
Hugh W. Smith, Vice President, Energy Supply, Trading & Services,
Tampa Electric Company
Stuart D. Strahl, President/CEO, Florida Audubon Society
David G. Tillis, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, The St. Joe Company
Keith Wilkins, Director, Neighborhood & Environmental Services, Escambia County
Dreamal Worthen, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering Sciences, Technology, and
Agriculture, and Agricultural Research, Florida A & M University
Otis O. Wragg, III, Principal, Wragg & Casas Public Relations
Marie York, Associate Director Northern Campuses, Florida Atlantic University, Joint
Center for Environmental and Urban Problems
Jora Young, Director of Science & Special Projects, The Nature Conservancy
Board of Directors
Disclaimer: “A publication (or report) funded in part by the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Florida Coastal Management Program, pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAward No. NA17OZ1118. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any of its subagencies.” JUNE 2002
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities4
Dear Fellow Floridian:
I believe most decisions that matter to Floridians are made at the
community level. This document compiles ten valuable lessons learned
by communities as they strived to maintain, or recover, their unique
character.
Governor Jeb Bush and I are proud of this public/private effort which
used the considerable skills of the Council for Sustainable Florida to
help us document these “Key Elements of Success.” There is great
value in learning from each other as we undertake the difficult
challenges of community building.
Very truly yours,
Steven M. Seibert
Secretary
A REPORT DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA 5
Council for Sustainable Florida
The mission of the Council for Sustainable
Florida is to improve Florida’s environment and
economy, while building a safer, healthier,
higher quality of life for all of its citizens. Now
in its eleventh year of operations, the
Council—governed by prominent business
representatives, environmentalists, government
officials, educators, and civic leaders—is
dedicated to promoting and expanding
sustainable practices and programs in Florida.
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities6
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRSSTEVEN M. SEIBERT, SecretaryBRENDA MENENDEZ, Intergovernmental Affairs and
Special Projects Coordinator
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, NATIONALOCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATIONROAN CONRAD, Director, Office of Sustainable Development
and Intergovernmental AffairsRICHARD J. PODGORNY, Deputy Director, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
PUBLICATION CREDITSDorothy Routh, Senior Consultant, Council for
Sustainable Florida, for text and photographsPerry Albrigo, President, Pomegranate Studio,
for graphic design and layoutNancy Wengel, for photograph of St. AndrewsSharon Cooper, Executive Director, Council for
Sustainable Florida, for final editing and production
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA COMMUNITIESWe appreciate greatly the time, hospitality and guided toursprovided by the Program Managers and other participants of theWaterfronts Florida Communities.
In 1997, the first year of the Waterfronts Florida Program, threecommunities were designated Waterfronts Florida Communities:MayportProgram Manager: EDWARD LUKACOVIC (Duval County)San CarlosProgram Manager: JOANNE SEMMER-JAMES (Lee County)St. AndrewsProgram Manager: NANCY WENGEL (Bay County)
In 1999, an additional three communities were designatedWaterfronts Florida Communities:CortezProgram Manager: JANET HOFFMAN (Manatee County)Oak HillBoard Chair: TOREATHA WOOD
Program Manager: RON MERCER (Volusia County)Vilano BeachProgram Manager: GEORGIA KATZ (St. Johns County) andCitizen Coordinator: VIVIAN BROWNING
In 2001, an additional three communities were designatedWaterfronts Florida Communities:Old HomosassaProgram Manager: CHARLES S. DIXON
PanaceaProgram Manager: PAM PORTWOOD
Port SalernoProgram Manager: HANK WOOLLARD
AcknowledgmentsThe Council for Sustainable Florida acknowledges the following organizations and individuals for their valuable contributions to
support the production of the Waterfronts Florida: Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities publication.
A REPORT DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA 7
In 1997 the Florida Department of Community Affairs
initiated an innovative program to work with selected coastal
communities to revitalize and preserve waterfront communities.
Six communities from throughout the state
were selected to be pioneers in this
unprecedented initiative. What can we learn
from the hard work and experience of the
people in these communities that can be
useful to others in attempting similar efforts?
The Council for Sustainable Florida was
asked by the Department of Community
Affairs to visit these communities, talk to the
participants and distill their reflections and
advice into a concise summary so that others
may benefit and learn from their years of
struggling to create more sustainable
waterfront communities. We greatly appreciate the time and
input given by Waterfronts Florida participants who are listed in
the acknowledgments section of this document. Also included is
a Key Elements Checklist that may guide others in community-
building efforts.
1. Create a shared vision of where you want to go,follow it and refine it. Develop clear and visiblegoals and action steps to implement the vision.
As one participant explained: “The Water-
fronts Florida grant gave us the opportunity
to recreate our own community for ourselves,
to create long-term sustainable goals, to unify
everyone in creating a strong foundation, and
to move forward.” Considerable effort was
put into the hard work of developing a
consensus around what the community
should be, or become. Most of the initiatives
went through extensive, structured visioning
processes that included community meetings,
surveys and the creation of documents that
clearly stated a consensus of the residents.
“Make sure the effort is wanted by the people who live there”
was articulated by a long-time resident. Another respondent
phrased it: “Find your niche—dare to be different than the
typical Florida beach scene.”
In one community, students, parents, merchants and senior
citizens were given cameras to photograph what they liked about
the area and what they considered to be eyesores. A gallery
displaying their pictorial vision of what they want for the
community wallpapers an area of the community center and
serves as a constant reminder of the shared vision for the
community.
Waterfronts FloridaK E Y E L E M E N T S O F S U C C E S S
I N B U I L D I N G C O A S T A L C O M M U N I T I E S
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities8
“A community loses interest if it doesn’t see results.” A
vision is no good if it is not put into action through clearly
articulated action steps. “It’s no good if it is only on paper.”
The importance of tangible results was emphasized by all and
included such accomplishments as boardwalks, pavilions,
statues, landscaping, new marinas, children’s parks, observation
platforms, nature and bike trails—all early evidence that things
were improving. Intangible results were equally valued and
explained by one project manager: “Participants respond and
carry the ball; they have a sense of ownership and pride in what
we are doing.”
One project manager cautioned, “Be
prepared to deal with adversity or naysayers—
be proactive in having everyone involved in
the planning process. There is always someone
who does not want change, or change the way
you plan it, so it is important to communi-
cate plans, educate and get involvement from
the start.”
Several community leaders emphasized that
creating and implementing a shared vision is a
long-term commitment. “It is a stair-step
thing” said one, communicating the need to
take one action step at a time and keep on going.
2. Define and maintain a sense of community.Several of the Waterfronts Florida communities were histori-
cally commercial fishing villages and concerned that their way of
life would change drastically as a result of the “net ban” amend-
ment. Suspicious of government, they were hesitant to partici-
pate in a state-sponsored program until they realized that local
decision-making really was valued and a key to the success. “The
desire to bring back a sense of community vitality overpowered
a fear of government,” explained one project manager.
In one location the Waterfronts Florida project focused on
creating a new community—a town center—that would be an
amalgam of native and new Floridians working together to
create a commercial center that would serve all of their needs to
have a sense of community. It is perhaps serendipitous that
Sinclair Lewis wrote the classic, Mainstreet, there in the 20’s.
In another instance, residents wanted to preserve a historical
fishing village atmosphere threatened by high-rise, expensive
homes competing for the same waterfront property. By focusing
clearly on what kind of community they wanted, they realized
they could create or preserve a community
spirit that defined their space in the world.
One community, hidden away in a peace-
ful enclave, surrounded by a fast growing
metropolis, explained: “We want you to feel
you are in Mayberry; we want our kids to
build happy memories of their home town.”
It is significant that two of the projects
chose to construct pavilions as a focal point
and symbolic representation of their sense of
community. They both described the impor-
tance of widespread involvement in the design
and construction of the pavilion to provide an
early tangible center for community life. “The design of the
pavilion brought the community together.”
3. Establish a management group that is committedto implementing the vision.
Having committed and competent project managers was
certainly a key to the success of the communities. While there
was variation in leadership—some were city or county employ-
ees, others talented and passionate volunteer residents— they all
were extremely resourceful and inspired the trust of community
members. They all agreed that it was critical to “get local
A REPORT DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA 9
government to dedicate a person to the effort.” As one ex-
plained: “You have to be good at getting everyone involved and
have a passion for the community to do whatever it takes.”
Several Waterfronts Florida Boards established subcommit-
tees to spread the sense of ownership more broadly around
various community interests and talents such as 1) Design and
Planning, 2) Historical Preservation, 3) Economic Development
and 4) Special Events Coordination.
Most of the project directors emphasized the importance of
finding or creating a nonprofit group to spearhead the effort.
This was especially significant in a
community’s ability to raise both public and
private funding for their various projects. As
one stated, “Run grants through a nonprofit
organization; you can get more done,
quicker!” In securing private donations from
individuals and foundations, the formation of
a 501(c)(3) corporation was reported as
essential. And the proceeds of numerous
community based fund-raising events such as
fish fries, heritage waterfront festivals, fishing
tournaments and community craft sales could
be quickly processed and put to work for
improvements.
Also, an independent organization could accept and hold
property in the name of the community and benefit from
private land and building donations that provide significant tax
savings for the donor. The most successful projects relied heavily
on volunteers to lead the initiatives, and felt that private citizens
were more likely to contribute their time and money to a
nonprofit organization. In one community, architects developed
and donated design standards to preserve the historical look and
feel of the community. By donating to a 501(c)(3) tax exempt
organization, citizens, businesses and the community were all
winners.
In addition to the fund-raising benefits, several participants
noted the ability of a nonprofit organization to avoid the layers
of bureaucracy that can often slow down progress.
“A critical part of success is to have a management volunteer
leader or leaders” reported one county manager, “who are
diplomatic, goal-and strategy-oriented, have the ability to get
the group to work together as a team, and who can maintain
control of the implementation process.”
4. Reach out and recruit partners.“You can’t do it alone” was the common
refrain among Waterfronts Florida partici-
pants. The most successful leaders excelled at
getting others involved and in sharing
ownership of the various activities.
Collaboration and developing effective
partnerships is the name of the game in
successful community building. Several of the
Waterfronts Florida communities had been
“bypassed by the road and the affluence” that
many Florida waterfront areas have experi-
enced. In some cases, they had to work to change perceptions of
their communities and began by partnering with law enforce-
ment authorities and locating a police substation in the commu-
nity. Now, a policeman walks around, rides a bike, eats lunch,
and knows everyone in the community. Security is no longer an
issue.
There are numerous other resources that were employed. In
one community, Americorps volunteers built a new board walk
and the city built a new state-of-the-art clean marina. Historical
preservation grants were secured to refurbish some of the
historical buildings. The Department of Transportation Beauti-
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities10
fication program supported some of the landscaping projects.
New playgrounds for children were built with support from a
Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recre-
ation and Parks initiative.
The critical role played by talented retirees was evident in
several communities. In at least two communities, retirees
chaired the Waterfronts Florida Board and spearheaded the
community involvement effort. They knew everyone and their
history, children, and what they could contribute to the effort.
Resourceful project directors were good at finding volunteer
help. One met with the local judge, registered
with the court, and got reliable volunteers
through the community service requirements
for DUI offenders. High school and college
students were another source of volunteer
support, especially with new incentives in
place for students to provide community
service for future scholarship opportunities. A
local garden club was involved in the land-
scaping activities, and the American Legion
coordinated a fund-raising fish fry. In
comprising the management team, one
project manager emphasized, “You need to look for local
expertise for the management team that is going to get the job
done. We needed a graphic artist, so we went to a graphic artist
with a business in the Town Center and asked her to be a
member of the management group.”
Several of the communities were located in close proximity to
National and State Park sites and leaders noted how helpful they
were in supporting the expansion of ecotourism initiatives and
developing greenways, bike paths and boat shuttle services to
expand access that had low impact on the environment. In one
location the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy base located
adjacent to the community served as cochair of the Waterfronts
Florida Board and provided valuable ongoing support in
revitalizing the area.
5. Celebrate community work days and successes.All of the projects hosted community days where residents
work together for visible improvements of the area. A number of
them began with a landscaping project that enhanced the
entrance to the community; this reinforced a visible sense of
accomplishment every time residents entered the area. Several
refurbished a community center where they could congregate
and meet to discuss issues, solve problems and
facilitate communications. Pictures and
artifacts of historical significance were dis-
played to provide information and engender
pride in the heritage of the residents.
A couple of the communities had Marine
Science Centers which were a source of pride
to educate children and adults about the sea,
and a depository of marine life found by the
commercial fishing boats, including a fine
specimen of a rare foot-long crustacean,
otherwise known as a sea roach! This pro-
vided a sense of pride about the significance of the fishing
enterprise, as well as an opportunity to share information region
wide as students from local schools and from surrounding
counties visited and learned from these marine centers. They
also offered summer camp programs and were involved in the
development of hands-on curriculum for the schools.
Work days were scheduled periodically to clean up the
neighborhoods, paint the community center, or do whatever
was needed to build community pride and involvement. One
project manager advised that “it is important to identify the
good cooks early on and get them involved in organizing these
events. Nothing brings in people like good food!”
A REPORT DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA 11
One community received a grant and tackled the task of
removing dozens of derelict boats from its pristine water. This
highly visible accomplishment helped all recognize how precious
a resource their waterfront is. They also constructed an observa-
tion tower overlooking their waterfront. “Audubon attended our
ribbon-cutting ceremony and announced that 372 species of
birds have been sighted in the area,” they proudly explained.
Another community raised money and erected a bronze
fisherman memorial by the waterfront to stand as a source of
community pride and a reminder to visitors to their fish houses
about the importance of Florida’s seafood
business. In several communities construction
of boardwalks and opening a police substa-
tion provided early visible evidence that
things were changing.
6. Work closely with the countyplanning office to establish specialdesign/development standards andoverlay districts where necessary.
Several of the Waterfronts Florida project
managers were employees of the county or
city planning departments and had offices in
the community. They explained that this enables one to “listen
to community members, get to know the personalities, and
know who the true leaders are.”
In one community, the residents were motivated to take
action when a dilapidated fish house was bought, torn down,
and a huge house was built in its place. Through close working
relationships with the county planning office, changes were
made in the development standards and guidelines for that
community to enable it to retain the fishing village atmosphere
that was at the heart of the community spirit and enterprise.
In a number of the projects, the city or county government
worked closely with projects to develop special overlay zones
that provided exceptions to the comprehensive plan. These
included such elements as special sign ordinances, building
height restrictions, and design elements. Establishing good
working relations with the planning office enabled project
directors to spend their precious energy moving forward instead
of “fighting with city hall” to accommodate the special character
of the community.
In one community there is a local Design Review Board to
implement the overlay zoning. When a building permit or
signage request is submitted to the county
planning office, it must first be approved by
the local community.
7. Connect with an outside indepen-dent group that can be a broker toexpanded resources.
In establishing the Waterfronts Florida
Program, the Florida Department of Commu-
nity Affairs wisely contracted with an outside
group to provide ongoing technical assistance
to the communities and to be a Tallahassee
broker in identifying and securing additional
funds. This enabled the communities to leverage their relatively
small initial grant to cluster significant other grants to enhance
their efforts. As explained by one respondent, “An outside
group can run interference with government bureaucracy and be
your advocate. You need someone from outside a state agency
who can go across agencies.”
The role of 1000 Friends of Florida, as the provider of
technical assistance, in its nurturing, advocacy, group facilitation
services, and knowledge of community development rules,
regulations and possibilities, was reported by all of project
managers as being most critical to their success. Their staff was
WATERFRONTS FLORIDA Key Elements of Success in Building Coastal Communities12
extremely helpful in identifying other state and federal grant
programs that could be used to leverage the impact of the
Waterfronts Florida seed grants.
It is a safe bet that the Waterfronts Florida designation and
process supported a substantial return on the initial grant
investment made by the Department of Community Affairs.
One community was able to secure a $4 million overhaul of its
sewerage and stormwater runoff infrastructure; another secured
a $2.5 million marina. Numerous smaller, but critically signifi-
cant grants, were received from the NOAA Coastal Manage-
ment Program, the Department of Transpor-
tation, the Department of Environmental
Protection, Florida Inland Navigation grants,
Clean Marina grants, and grants from the
Secretary of State’s Division of Historical
Resources.
8. Be proactive in managing tourismand development.
Tourists are drawn to Florida to explore
and enjoy the waterfront. This was viewed as
a blessing or a challenge to manage, depend-
ing on the community’s perspective.
Most of the Waterfronts Florida communities were very
interested in expanding ecotourism in their area. As one ex-
plained, “We want ecotourism, and we want to keep our fishing
business.” The compatibility of the two enterprises was not lost
on those who had given it some considerable thought.
Ecotourism helped preserve the water quality that supported the
fishing industry, while it provided an alternative source of
employment for those who had intimate knowledge of the
surrounding sea. An added boost was to expand the market for
fresh seafood and small, informal dockside seafood restaurants.
Several communities are pursuing status as a scenic drive
designation seeking a different type of tourist, generally more
mature and anxious to explore the path less taken. Attracting
tourists by bike and boat is another means of targeting tourists
who have a low impact on the environment and pedestrian
atmosphere, and where parking is a premium, as it is in most
Waterfronts Florida locations.
On the other hand, many of the communities sponsor a large
annual heritage seafood festival. Generally this is a successful
moneymaking enterprise, as well as an opportunity to educate
the public about the history and significance of the area. These
are well-organized and fun events with
maximum community involvement. Family-
oriented, they include such activities as a
shrimp boat box derby and a fishing tourna-
ment for children. Local merchants provide
prizes, and free lunches and drinks.
A common theme among project leaders
was that tourism and development must be
carefully managed. United in their opposi-
tion to high-density development, one
explained “It is important to get developers
to realize that the market is changing; smaller
communities are a good investment. Be
persistent in a proactive way; keep focused on the big picture.”
Another leader exclaimed, “Millions of dollars are being spent to
create the new communities of Celebration and Seaside; we have
the real thing here and need to preserve it!”
9. Garner support of political and other communityleaders.
The support of county and city leadership is critical to the
success of any community revitalization effort. As put by one
local leader, “They can make or break you!” In one location a
developer wanted to build high-rise condominiums that were
A REPORT DEVELOPED BY THE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA 13
contrary to the vision of the community. The city bought the
property, and it is now a lovely park for all to enjoy.
Several projects invited members of the county/city commis-
sion to serve on the Waterfronts Florida local board of directors,
participate in community events and work projects, and attend
board meetings. Several project managers routinely sent
minutes of all meetings to commissioners to keep them fully
informed of both the hurdles and progress. This ongoing
education of decision-makers made it easier for the community
to be granted special exceptions when needed.
One project leader, who was a county
employee, reported that she was leaving the
area, having accomplished her mission. When
asked about continuity of the effort, she was
confident of future progress because the chair
of the local Waterfronts Florida Board had
just been elected to the County Commission;
“she will look out for the community.”
10. Maintain good communicationsand public information; invite themedia to participate.
Several project managers emphasized that
establishing a good relationship with local print and broadcast
media was critical to the success of their initiatives. “Send them
updates, put them on your mailing list, take them to lunch,
whatever it takes to get them to cover community activities,”
advised one manager.
“Shorelines” reporters were sent notices of meetings and
copies of minutes. In some cases they were invited to partici-
pate in local activities, and became advocates for the programs.
They were especially helpful in producing articles on upcoming
festivals, and doing special TV reports on festival activities. All
of this favorable publicity helped generate a source of commu-
nity pride and served as a highly visible reminder of progress
being made.
Newspaper clippings were then collected and gathered into a
community scrapbook that documents the progress being made.
Press stories also were useful in supporting proposals for addi-
tional grant funds that would provide future community
enhancements that could draw future media attention. “Each
reported success makes the next success
easier.”
ConclusionIn listening to the experiences and advice
of these Florida pioneers, it became clear
that the cycle of revitalization and commu-
nity-building is best seen as a continuous
process with great potential rewards.
Summed up by one project manager,
“Where we used to see possibilities, we now
see promise.”
As one veteran program manager sagely
advised, “You learn when you see what someone else has done.
You steal ideas from others every chance you get. Talk to
someone who has been down the road.”
We hope this summary of our conversations with true Florida
leaders will help others journey down the path to recreating
their own community for themselves, and to creating a more
sustainable future for our children.
Create a shared vision of where you want togo, follow it and refine it. Develop clear andvisible goals and action steps to implement thevision.
Define and maintain a sense of community.
Establish a management group that iscommitted to implementing the vision.
Reach out and recruit partners.
Celebrate community work days and successes.
Work closely with the county planning office toestablish special design/development standardsand overlay districts where necessary.
Connect with an outside independent group thatcan be a broker to expanded resources.
Be proactive in managing tourism anddevelopment.
Garner support of political and other communityleaders.
Maintain good communications and publicinformation; invite the media to participate.
CHECKLIST FOR COMMUNITY BUILDINGFrom Waterfronts Florida Experience
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