07/15/2014 (5) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

i Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 INTRODUCTION v •J The Gifford Neighborhood Plan is the culmination of a grass roots effort by the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Gifford residents, and Indian River County to improve economic conditions and the quality of life for Gifford residents. Through considerable interaction with the residents of Gifford, the County has prepared this neighborhood plan which presents a strategy for utilizing the opportunities and for overcoming the constraints that exist in Gifford. In July 1999, the Board of County Commissioners created a task force to identify issues that exist in Gifford and to make recommendations regarding those issues to the County Commission. The County Commission instructed the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce to appoint task force members representing agencies that contribute to economic development in the Gifford community. For the next year, the task force worked on this project. In July 2000, the Workforce Enhancement Task Force presented its findings and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners. Based on those recommendations, the Board of County Commissioners directed County planning staff to develop a neighborhood plan for the Gifford Community. Staff worked with the Progressive Civic League of Gifford, Florida, Inc. and the Gifford community to prepare the plan and on September 17, 2002, the Board adopted the Gifford Neighborhood Plan. The purpose of the Gifford Neighborhood plan is to address problems that are important to the residents of Gifford. While the plan focuses on one neighborhood within the County, the strategies and actions of this plan are consistent with the policies and objectives of the County's Comprehensive Plan. In 2013, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to evaluate the 2002 plan. On May 21, 2013, the Board considered a plan evaluation and analysis prepared by staff and directed staff to update the plan. During 2013 and 2014, staff worked with the Progressive Civic League of Gifford and the Gifford community to prepare an updated plan, known as the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014. Included in the Gifford Neighborhood Plan 2014 is an existing conditions section, an analysis section, a plan section, and an implementation section. The existing conditions section of the plan presents the most up to date data on land uses, zoning, infrastructure, and commerce for the Gifford neighborhood. Based on the existing conditions of the neighborhood, the analysis section identifies opportunities and constraints that exist in Gifford. From the analysis of the data, a plan section was developed that presents specific objectives and action oriented policies to achieve those objectives. Finally, an implementation section identifies all actions to be taken, the entity responsible for that action, and that action's completion date. Community Development Indian River County 4