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Lake Clarke Shores council, CRA hear master-plan pitch; branding proposal deferred pending resident outreach
Summary
Consultants outlined a master plan for three Forest Hill corridor parks and the CRA’s branding question drew mixed council feedback; members asked staff to seek more resident input, consider CRA funding and invite the town communications vendor to brief the council.
A consultant team previewed a master plan for the three parks along Forest Hill Boulevard and discussion on a town branding proposal was delayed as council members asked staff to pursue more resident outreach and a CRA funding review.
Kotler & Herring partners Nicole Plunkett, a licensed landscape architect and certified land planner, and McKenna West, a project manager who handles community engagement, told the Town of Lake Clarke Shores council and Community Redevelopment Agency on Jan. 14 that their park master plan work centers on connectivity, safety and a consistent design palette for Memorial Park, Pine Tree Park and Norris Park. "I think it was really great to utilize that. Another point was...how intimidating it is and fast it is," Plunkett said of crossing Forest Hill Boulevard.
The consultants said their work would include outreach: a paper-and-digital survey and a single public engagement session designed to capture resident priorities and inform park programming and design. McKenna West described the outreach approach used for a recent city park project: a broadly distributed survey followed by a participatory planning session to refine priorities.
Council members and CRA commissioners welcomed the focus on safety, native landscaping and preserving the town’s water-oriented character, but several said the town should not rush to spend on branding before fixing infrastructure and improving communications. Council member Taylor Metirio said she "would have a really hard time approving additional money being spent on this at this time" while roads remain unpaved. President Pro Tem Bridget Keating said she concurred with Metirio’s point.
The council also discussed a separate proposal from communications vendor Elliot Cohen for a branding and tagline action plan. Town staff said Cohen offered a revised fee of about $20,000 and indicated some work could be paid from CRA funds if allowable. Mayor Gregory Freebold suggested a low-cost first step: a community tagline contest to solicit resident ideas.
Council direction and next steps: the council asked staff to (1) invite the town communications vendor and the consultant (Elliot Cohen) to present details about current services and scope, (2) route part of the branding work through the CRA if legally allowable and (3) provide the Kotler & Herring survey to council and CRA members for comment before it is distributed. The CRA asked the consultants to return with concept illustrations that respond to resident feedback and to coordinate with the town’s engineering partner on water/permit constraints.
The consultants noted permitting and waterway constraints for any dock or waterfront structures and said they would coordinate with engineers and permitting authorities as needed. No formal council vote was taken on the master plan or the branding proposal at the Jan. 14 meeting; work will continue by staff and the consultants and come back to the council and CRA for further review.
Plunkett said the team will revise the outreach materials and email the draft survey to staff for distribution to the council and CRA commissioners. The consultants described the master-plan deliverable as a set of guidelines—landscape palette, signage, access, lighting and suggested program elements—that future decision-makers can use when reviewing park improvements or developer plans.
The consultants and council also discussed potential park features raised by residents and commissioners during the meeting, including improved crosswalks, better lighting for safety, kayak/paddle-board access, native plantings to support local birds and preserving local history through interpretive elements. The council asked staff to return design concepts, cost estimates and a proposed timetable for the outreach and the design phases.
The presentation closed with the consultants requesting written comments on the survey and permission to proceed with the engagement plan; staff will collect those comments and report back.
