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Hutchinson Island Committee outlines branding push, postal recognition; FPRA advisory panel agrees to recommend presentation to board
Summary
The Hutchinson Island Committee told the Fort Pierce redevelopment advisory panel it has trademarked names, secured a 34949 postal designation and is pursuing coordinated signage and tourism events; the panel voted to recommend the committee present its plan to the FPRA board in January.
Charlie Wilson, the agent for the Hutchinson Island Committee, told the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Advisory Committee that the island ‘‘is a great asset’’ but risks losing its identity online and in regional marketing unless the city and private organizations act together.
Wilson said the committee has trademarked about 40 names and domains and that, crucially, the United States Postal Service now accepts Hutchinson Island, Florida 34949 as a deliverable address. ‘‘All of your mail that is addressed 34949, Hutchinson Island, Florida 34949 will be delivered,’’ Wilson said, adding the group has arranged a temporary pack-and-ship location with space for up to 600 post-office boxes.
The committee argues the island’s name is increasingly associated online with nearby Jensen Beach and other jurisdictions, a problem Wilson described as driven by search-engine listings: ‘‘When you Google that address, it comes on Jensen Beach… They will not send you to Fort Pierce,’’ he said. The committee’s proposed remedies include coordinated highway and local signage, a concentrated branding campaign and a public-private partnership that would not require city funding in the committee’s initial phase.
Stacy, who identified herself as the committee’s tourism representative, outlined plans to grow signature events and boost on-island attendance through advertising and merchandising. ‘‘Our signature annual events are gonna be key,’’ Stacy said, citing ideas such as a jazz festival, music lineups and specialty competitions that the committee says could increase tourism revenue and local engagement.
Wilson also described work on census and geographic designations. He said the U.S. Census Bureau currently recognizes Hutchinson Island South as a census-designated place and that changing the official boundaries requires an application timed to the decennial census process. He presented a multi-phase timeline for the group’s work and said the committee is prepared to coordinate with city and county authorities on next steps.
After the presentation, committee members discussed next steps and logistics. The advisory panel voted to add a recommendation that the Hutchinson Island Committee be allowed to present its full plan to the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency board at the board’s January meeting. Chair (speaker 2) moved the recommendation; members approved it by voice vote.
The committee’s materials list contact information (visithutchinsonisland@gmail.com and a phone number) and a web domain the group says it controls; Wilson emphasized the committee is not requesting city funds during the initial phase and described the effort as primarily private-sector led but coordinated with government where needed.
What’s next: the advisory committee recommended the Hutchinson Island Committee make a formal presentation to the FPRA board in January so the board can consider any actions or alignments needed to support signage, tourism promotion and coordination with postal and census processes.
