Fort Myers Beach council kicks off two-year strategic planning process; focus groups set for late May

Fort Myers Beach Town Council members gathered Feb. 6, 2025, to begin a strategic planning workshop led by the University of South Florida Florida Institute of Government and Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College. The project team presented a three‑phase schedule that begins with data collection, moves to drafting goals and objectives, and dedicates a second year to implementation and quarterly check‑ins.

The project plan presented to the council calls for stakeholder interviews in March, a resident survey in April and a community focus‑group forum on May 28, 2025. Angela Crist, project lead with the USF Florida Institute of Government, described the method as a “participatory” and building process in which each step’s findings inform the next phase.

Why it matters: Council members said the plan is meant to tie strategic goals to other local plans—most notably the town’s comprehensive plan and a capital improvement plan that will be used to calibrate impact fees—and to provide a framework for budgeting, permitting and post‑storm recovery work.

Project timeline and public engagement USF/Collaborative Labs outlined three…