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Forward Pinellas unveils an online StoryMap to explain agency roles, plans and services
Summary
Staff introduced a StoryMap designed to explain Forward Pinellas’ role as the countywide planning council and metropolitan planning organization, provide project highlights, and serve as an onboarding and outreach tool for elected officials, staff and the public.
Forward Pinellas staff introduced a new StoryMap on July 9 intended to explain what the agency does, how it is organized, and how local governments and residents can engage. Nicole Galasso, who joined Forward Pinellas in March and led the project, presented the StoryMap as a plain‑English, shareable resource to onboard new board members, municipal staff and the public.
What it contains - Agency overview: description of Forward Pinellas’ dual role as the Pinellas Planning Council and the Metropolitan Planning Organization and how the agency coordinates land use and transportation across 25 local governments. - Project highlights: examples such as the Target Employment and Industrial Land Study (TEALS), investments in the Howard Frankland Bridge replacement planning, Gulfport waterfront technical assistance and countywide data stewardship (traffic counts, crash data). - How the rules and process work: explanations of the countywide plan map, amendment tiers, and links to the countywide rules, guidance and document archives. - MPO programs: long‑range transportation planning, active transportation initiatives, the annual Bike Your City event and the investment corridor strategy. - Get involved: links to meeting calendars, social media, emails and a blog post to accompany the StoryMap launch.
Board comments: Board members praised the tool for onboarding new officials and staff, suggested distributing it to local universities and chambers of commerce, and asked staff to consider a staff‑profile or career‑path section so students and potential applicants better understand jobs at Forward Pinellas. Staff said the StoryMap will be publicly available via the link in the board packet and will be included in a blog post and social media roll‑out.
Why it matters: Board members said the StoryMap will reduce repeated explanations about the agency’s role and provide a consistent resource for elected officials, municipal staff, advisory committee members and the public.
