MILTON — Commissioners have started the process for the District 1, Pace Master Plan. According to the county a master plan is a document that guides land use, and improves the quality of life and investment opportunities in the area.
The release date for a request for qualification is late September. That will allow companies to send in proposals to bid for developing the master plan.
"We have approved staff to generate and release an RFQ and have approved funding (for the RFQ)," Parker said. He said the half the funds would come from District 1 recreational funds, the other half from general funds.
Parker has been studying the evolution of the Navarre master plan.
"It has truly been community driven," he said.
At the Navarre public hearings, workstations were in place that asked residents specific questions on everything from recreation to zoning to aesthetics. The engaged citizen easily spent one to two hours giving their input he said. That is what Parker wants to see happen with the Pace Master Plan.
A lifelong resident of Pace, Parker has walked the neighborhoods knocking on doors, he said, asking for their input on district issues. He sees the master plan as a tool he can use to give residents what they want and manage the growth Pace has seen.
"The master plan will then help me communicate the true feelings of the people in my district," Parker said. "That right there is the heart and crux of why I wanted it."
According to Parker, the county has not had a lot of experience with master plans. He said county staff completed a Pace Master Plan in 2007 that was completely driven by staff input. Commissioners and staff want to see what they can improve on and are evaluating the Navarre plan. Those changes will be incorporated into the Pace plan.
Parker wants a media blitz month before the public hearings start.
"I'm trying to get citizens to help create these documents," Parker said. Then the commissioners can look at the information and know it is coming directly from Pace residents.
Parker credits the half-cent local option sales tax for three large storm water projects in Pace.
"We're getting major projects done," Parker said. "The growth that the Pace area has seen in the past three years is taxing the current infrastructure," Parker said.
Parker believes the combination of a master plan by citizens of District 1 and a new funding mechanism can answer the infrastructure questions and help grow Pace.
Pace Mater plan timeline:
- RFQ will be released at the end of September with 30-45 days for companies to submit proposals
- County staff will evaluate proposals
- Presentations from top three companies will be near the end of November
- The company awarded the contract takes over master plan
- The first public meetings start in March of 2019
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pace Master Plan process begins