Residents and others may also download the questionnaire and submit by email, mail or in-person. Click here to download it.
In summer 2021, the City Commission asked City staff to conduct a community visioning process, beginning in the fall and wrapping up before the end of the year.
What is a Community Vision and why do we need one?
- A Community Vision is an image of our city’s future – a place where we want to journey together. It’s an ideal statement that goes beyond today’s political or economic boundaries to a picture of life as it could be in Atlantic Beach in the future.
- For the purpose of this exercise, the future we’re defining is almost 20 years from now – the year 2040.
- A Community Vision will help us begin with the end in mind by asking questions like, “What would Atlantic Beach look like at its very best?” Only by imagining the future can we figure out how to get there.
- By laying out what we want Atlantic Beach to look like in the year 2040 -- physically, socially and environmentally -- we’ll have a litmus test to define the direction of our future plans and projects. When we set annual or longer term priorities, we’ll ask, “Will this plan or project bring us closer to our Community Vision?”
- A Community Vision is a positive mindset – the success we look forward to rather than the obstacles we might face. The visioning process focuses on the future without being hindered by the past.
- Community Visions are inspirational. They motivate, inspire and excite people as they come together, establish trust, respect diversity and listen respectfully.
How will we do this?
- Step 1: Widespread distribution – City staff will distribute a questionnaire in utility bills, at all committee and advisory meetings, city commission meetings, on the city’s website, newsletters, social media outlets and at our front desks. The goal is to gather thousands of ideas from every neighborhood and business in AB.
- Step 2: Identify themes -- Staff will gather citizens’ answers and identify the most prevalent themes and compelling ideas.
- Step 3: Fine-tuning -- Members of our City’s committees and advisory boards will be called upon to help with this stage of the process. They will assist staff in reality testing and prioritizing the themes.
- Step 4: The finished product -- AB City Commission will finalize and approve the Community Vision and announce it to the citizens.
For information on the City's Community Visioning exercise, contact Deputy City Manager Kevin Hogencamp at khogencamp@coab.us or (904) 247-5804