- November 21, 2024
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Spurred on by recent outpour of concern by Ormond Beach residents regarding city planning, growth and development, Mayor Bill Partington directed City Manager Joyce Shanahan to expedite the city's civic engagement action plan at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 20.
Both said the action plan has been in the works for the last several months. Recently, Partington said groups of citizens, including CANDO 2 (Citizens and Neighbors Dedicated to Ormond), have come forward to discuss the city's actions involving development. This comes after the meeting on February 20, where the City Commission chambers were full of residents mourning the loss of trees cleared on Granada for the upcoming Granada Pointe development.
“Because these issues impact our entire city, I believe it’s critical that we work with these groups to engage all our citizens constructively on these issues," Partington said.
The city's action plan will explore establishing an official resident review committee for development project which would then report back to the City Commission. Partington said it will also work to increase communication between the city and its residents via online surveys, polls and more opportunities for residents to comment, as well as create more access on the city website for information regarding development projects.
The final part of the action plan would be to create programs and conversations with residents and elected officials. The city would aim to conduct these in the next six to nine months to establish a dialogue about development issues.
“I am truly more excited about the future of this city than ever before," Partington said. "I’m encouraged by our citizen’s willingness to engage and provide the input we need to move this city forward and I know that working together we can only get better."
