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SARAH CAVACINI/Palatka Daily News – Palatka employees and residents fill out a survey that questions what they would like Palatka to look like by 2045.
Palatka residents and stakeholders aren’t looking to become the next Orlando or Miami.
At least, that’s what the 30 people who attended Thursday’s community input meeting advocated.
The Northeast Florida Regional Council is still looking for feedback from community stakeholders of all ages about what they want Palatka to look like by 2045.
Marjory Lyons recently moved to Palatka’s South Historic District, but despite her short time in the city, she has a deep interest in how it evolves.
“I’m a new newcomer, but this is my town,” she said after suggesting different changes Palatka should make. “I’m going to live here.”
Residents are encouraged to fill out the survey by visiting menti.com/almaf95axw85 or scanning the QR code attached to this story. The survey closes after the Blue Crab Festival, which takes place May 24-26 in Palatka.
By Thursday’s meeting, more than 250 Palatka stakeholders had filled out a survey, according to project manager and council employee Jack Shad.
“This is not a huge town, and so we feel like that’s a lot of feedback already,” he said. “But we want to get as much feedback as (possible).”
Survey topics include the type of housing people wanted to see in Palatka, what they want the city riverfront to look like, whether the roads should include bike paths and whether the city should have more community resource centers.
Meeting attendees ranked the desire for more apartment housing at 3.9 out of 5, manufactured housing at 1.8 out of 5, and tiny homes, garage apartments, or in-law suites at 3.3 out of 5. They also rated having an active waterfront with shops at 4.8 and having roads that are pedestrian- or bike-friendly at 4.4.
Stakeholders didn’t like the idea of having roundabouts, voting that a 2 out of 5, and gave a 2.5 rating to having multi-use streets.
Better street lighting and wetland conservations ranked high on the priority list.
Attendees thought historic preservation and keeping the city’s historic design were vital, too.
Lyons suggested the city incorporate better signs to let people know where to go once they get off Memorial Bridge.
“We live in the historic district downtown,” she said of her and her husband. “We know where things are, but you have to look for them.”
If the city had uniform signs, she said, people could more easily find significant Palatka stops, such as the Bronson-Mulholland House.
Monica Dominguez, the council’s economic development program manager, said the organization reviews all survey answers and uses the data to determine what residents want to see.
The council plans to present all collected data during another community visioning meeting after the Blue Crab Festival, she said. The meeting date has not yet been listed on the council’s or city’s website.
“Your input … will be used by us to identify preferences, issues and opportunities that will then be integrated into the upcoming (city) Comprehensive Plan update,” Dominguez said.
