Citrus 2030
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Aspiration Strategies.

Welcome!

100+ Citrus County residents and community leaders met during a one-day Vision Check event to develop strategies for planning the next ten years of our county's future, based on 10 aspiration group statements. The Citrus 2030 Vision Check was conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the College of Central Florida Citrus Campus Conference Center in Lecanto. Trained facilitators and subject matter experts guided participating community leaders and interested citizens, organized into 10 aspiration groups, through the visioning process for the purpose of creating Citrus County's strategic pathway to the year 2030.

The objectives of the Kickoff Summit were to:

1. Evaluate Citrus County's progress since the initial Citrus 20/20 project
2. Identify and clarify goals for the 10 aspiration groups
3. Shape strategies for what is needed to accomplish those goals
4. Agree on next steps and responsibilities within each subcommittee

The aspiration statements and emerging strategies are listed here for each subcommittee. If you are interested in providing input on any or all of these topics, please complete our Community Input Survey.

Arts & Culture: Heritage, Sub-Culture, & Society

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: "By the year 2030, Citrus County will be an innovative county that values and supports:
  • Integration and innovation of arts and culture into the lives of everyone in the county
  • A strong advocacy for the economic value of the arts and culture
  • Multiple partnerships with business and government to support expansion of the arts
  • Economic opportunities for artists
  • An umbrella public/private local arts agency that promotes the arts and artists"

Strategy #1: Emphasize & quantify the value of arts & culture
  • Identify current local organizations who can assist
  • Identify relevant models
  • Identify key leaders to advocate (Economic, State, Civic & Social)

Strategy #2: Establish the nucleus of local arts agencies (L.A.A.)
  • Develop a relationship with county government & business to support the role of the L.A.A.
  • Deliver the value of the message of the arts
  • Develop action plan

Strategy #3: ​Organize all artist culture groups into a network
  • Create map of art/culture locations & events utilizing technology
Inventory market & shared cost centers

​Strategy #4: By 2030, have a sustainable arts agency & a physical center for the arts/culture
  • Music
  • Theater
  • Visual Arts
  • Crafts
  • Dance
  • Rehearsal Rooms
  • Classrooms
  • Digital Film & Design
  • Photography​

Economic Development

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: "​​In 2030, Citrus County’s growth in economic development will be a public / private partnership. It will focus on industry sectors that protect our natural beauty and resources while providing the goods and services most required by our citizens and visitors to the area.  It is recognized that existing businesses play an important role within the framework of the community and they will be supported and strengthened as part of the area’s foundation and economic heritage.

A sustainable community with good jobs paying living wages above the median income, along with affordable housing options, allows citizens to live comfortably and meet their financial obligations with enough left over to be able to give back to the community to support the amenities that make Citrus County an inviting place to live, work and play. In 2030, Citrus County will enjoy a thriving diversified economy filled with attractive employment opportunities that make it possible for the youth in the community to remain in Citrus County to develop into our future leaders.
​
Business growth will continue within environmental parameters that insure the protection of our community’s future, and residents will recognize the critical role that business plays in supporting the infrastructure and amenities required by the community.​"

Put out the "Welcome Mat" in Citrus County.

Strategy #1: Make infrastructure available for prioritized sites
  • Focus on Areas of Economic Opportunity
    • Leverage Suncoast Parkway interchanges
      • Public sector to address current shortcomings/ deficiencies, including funding, zoning and infrastructure 
    • Public sector to identify  and create master plan for prioritized sites
    • Create a dedicated funding mechanism for strategic infrastructure

Strategy #2: Prepare the workforce of tomorrow for the modern economy
  • Identify the future workforce needs
    • Entities that can identify business trends nationwide
  • Insure availability of strong communications/connectivity infrastructure
    • Public / private partnerships
  • Train new workforce​
    • Citrus Business Alliance partner together to implement (WTC, CF, CCBA, Chamber, School District, etc.) – a Quick Response Training
  • Re-train existing workforce
    • CareerSource, with assistance from Citrus Business Alliance
  • Recruit new workforce (as needed)
    • FDEO, Enterprise Florida

Strategy #3: Create a business-friendly administrative structure that provides for consistent permitting process
  • Train staff at the county level
    • Growth Management Director
  • Institute liaison activity as an official part of the permitting process
    • TBD

Strategy #4: Create cultural change regarding economic development
  • Market economic development as a benefit to the whole community 
    • County, cities, Citrus Business Alliance and private sector
  • Market future revenue development as an investment in the community
    • County, cities, Citrus Business Alliance and private sector

Strategy #5: Encourage a balanced inventory of housing that is attainable to citizens of every income level 
  • Encourage affordable & middle income housing / diversity of housing availability, including:
    • Apartments / high density / smart growth
    • Affordable rentals
      • County, non-profits, realtors, builders

Education

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: "In the year 2030, Citrus County will have world-class, lifelong (cradle to grave) educational opportunities with clear accessible pathways for study in fields leading to high-skill, high wage occupations.  Harnessing private and public partnerships, the Citrus County School System (including charter, private and parochial schools), Withlacoochee Technical College (WTC) and the College of Central Florida (CF), will provide high-quality, holistic, and affordable vocational, technical and academic programs for students of all ages who wish to prepare for rewarding careers and/or further post-secondary study that leads to a flourishing, purposeful life."

Strategy #1: Establish a Community Education Council (CEC) for coordination of educational resources, including creating community awareness about all of the available opportunities and options
  • Identify partners, resources and organizations
  • Populate the Council to carry-out the mission

Strategy #2: Promote and support WTC & CF
  • Reach out to Patrick Simon with the CCCC
  • Create marketing plan
  • Give WTC and CF access to the secondary education facilities
  • Identify organizations that will designate a percentage of their scholarship funds in Citrus to WTC and CF

Strategy #3: Recruit, develop, and retain talented educators
  • Develop a Teacher Academy with CF (already in conversation)
  • Identify the link with behavioral health initiatives to retain teachers
  • Identify local challenges i.e. housing, extracurricular activities, etc…
  • Cultivate a community for new teachers to assimilate
  • Address affordable housing

Strategy #4: Leverage and embrace the use of ever-changing technology in education and life
  • Identify the barriers for each age group
  • Recognize “knowledge is power”​

Health & Social Services

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​"In 2030, Citrus County will have become a place that:
 
A)  Preserves the health of Citrus County residents by:
•      facilitating health care and social service accessibility and delivery
•      improving the livability of the community
•      advocating for improvement in all social determinants of health
•      addressing mental health and substance abuse issues with the focus on eliminating root causes
•      providing all residents education and opportunities for healthful, active living
 
B)  Supports economic development, consistent with the county’s culture, that provides sufficient well-paid jobs so residents can obtain adequate food, clothing, shelter, education and access to medical care and health insurance, and so that the number of children living in poverty is dramatically diminished if not eliminated.
 
C)  Provides services for those in need, including protections for the most vulnerable.
 
D)  Prioritizes awareness of what constitutes a healthy community, to include physical and social determinants of health, and ensures through education and advocacy that decision-makers adopt a 'health in all policies' approach. Health in all policies is a collaborative approach to improving the health of all people by incorporating health considerations into decision-making across all sectors and policy areas."

Strategy #1: Build a central receiving facility for behavioral health with a full continuum of services

Strategy #2: Free health clinics for the under-insured and non-insured modeling a successful program

Strategy #3: Housing that our vulnerable population and workforce can afford

Strategy #4: Increase physical activity and encouraging better nutrition & healthier lifestyles through education

Strategy #5: Facilitate sharing & collaboration between all stakeholder agencies to maximize the effectiveness of service delivery to our citizens

Strategy #6: Target vulnerable seniors and at-risk youth

Strategy #7: Encourage political, business, & civic leaders to adopt a "Health in All Policies" approach

Living in Harmony with Nature (Formerly Nature & Man)

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​​"Citrus County has spent the last decade prioritizing, protecting, and enhancing its natural resources. By 2030 the county will continue these efforts and see some of these early projects come to fruition as well as embark on new plans to further enrich this county’s natural resources. 
 
Citrus County prides itself on considering the impacts of growth and development on its natural resources, and works hard to balance the needs of a growing economy with the natural beauty that makes this county such a gem within the Nature Coast.
 
The county and its citizens know that the health of their ecosystem is directly tied to the health and well-being of its residents through ecotourism activities. Our world-class natural environment, which includes our many springs, rivers, lakes and parks, can offer tourists from around the globe opportunities unlike anywhere else, and the county is hard at work to ensure these pristine resources improve in the next decade ahead."

Living in harmony with nature.

Strategy #1: Continue the legacy of water stewardship this county has created

Strategy #2: Focus on combating/mitigating the effects of climate change

Strategy #3: Promote sustainable community development

Strategy #4: Work to reduce waste and promote effective recycling & composting measures

Public Safety & Security

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​"Citrus County, the City of Crystal River and the City of Inverness are dedicated to providing exceptional public safety through serving the citizens with integrity, compassion, quick response, education, and prevention.

Keeping the community safe requires resiliency in preparedness, response, and recovery. Resiliency of public safety in Citrus County is developed from the coordinated efforts and collaboration derived from multi-agency education, training, strategic planning sessions, and the delivery of services during incident response.  It is vital that all public safety organizations in Citrus County arrive well-prepared and equipped to handle any and all emergencies and non-emergency calls for service.
 
To keep up with the anticipated increased demand for services that are expected to occur with a larger population, Citrus County will remain adaptive to an expanding community to maintain the excellent levels of service our citizens experience and expect. The training, recruitment and retention of our first responders will be among the highest in the state, and Citrus County public safety agencies will have formulated expansion plans for personnel, facilities, equipment, and capital improvements to meet the prospective demand for services to make Citrus County the safest community in Florida.​"

Strategy #1: Funding – Capital Improvement
  • “Pay me now or pay me later”

Strategy #2: Educate Policy Makers & Community

Strategy #3: Stakeholder Groups/Incorporation
  • Cultivate relationships (private, public, non-profit)

Strategy #4: Establish Mental Health Resources
  • Drug Use/Abuse

Strategy #5: Firearm safety/education

Ways to Get it Done:
  1. Transparency (social media, print, annual reports / publish)
  2. Identify pathways
  3. Attend board meetings
  4. Survey stakeholders
  5. Unified message
  6. Address barriers / communication (right too for message)
  7. Feedback mechanism

Smart Growth

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​​"By 2030 Citrus County residents will be healthier and more prosperous due to community leaders making infrastructure/infill and redevelopment a top priority.  

By focusing on the unique characteristics and the inherent challenges created by our natural resources, smart growth patterns will be agreed upon, executed, and enforced through public initiative and development regulations to lessen the impact of the undesirable alternatives."

Strategy 1 (Short Term): Educate community on the importance of smart growth
  • Editorials
  • Citizens Academy
  • Media campaign
  • Meetings
Task 1) Create a media campaign:
  • Resources: Chronicle, CF Marketing Program, local media partners, SmartGrowth.org, AARP, exisiting campaigns, EPA technical assistance, USF, Florida Institute of Government
Task 2) Create a speakers bureau:
  • Resources: Smart Growth subcommittee

Strategy 2 (Mid-Term): Establish a coalition/task force made up of community leaders & stakeholders
  • Identify areas for smart growth
Task 1) Identify key community leaders & stakeholders
  • Resources: BOCC, city officials, Chamber of Commerce
Task 2) Conduct county-wide and city-wide inventory of land use to determine infrastructure needs including areas around the Suncoast Parkway and north connector.
  • Resources: Citrus Business Alliance, Citrus County, GIS mapping

Strategy 3 (Long Term): Implement smart growth principles into existing policies & plans
​Task 1) Develop a resolution recommended by coalition/task force

Tourism, Recreation, & Social Venues

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​"In the year 2030, Citrus County will be known for our unique mix of ecotourism, recreation, and social venues. We will have preserved the balance of Florida's abundant natural resources, ecological systems, and wildlife while enhancing the civic and cultural life of our community. We will have supported the development and maintenance of attractions, events, amenities, hospitality services, and related infrastructure that will provide a positive local experience for visitors and residents of all ages. This balance will have resulted in steady economic growth within the community, making Citrus County an even more enjoyable place to live, work, and visit."

Strategy #1: Create engaging recreational opportunities for locals
  • How to keep our kids happy, healthy, & here
  • Flexible public space: convention, social, & recreational <- get messaging to investors

Strategy #2: Balancing tourism growth with ecological stewardship
  • Attract visitors who spend money, respect nature (number of tourists vs. quality of experience)
  • Public buy-in to environmental causes: scallop, reef, etc. -- public projects/environmental maintenance
  • Education to express past & present local efforts (i.e. signage, literature)
  • Plans to sustain future ecosystems: awareness of nitrates, environmental mitigation requirements/incentives for builders

Strategy #3: Create Citrus County Ambassadors
  • Incentivize low-paid hospitality workers to engage in training
  • Promote local resident knowledge: "Pop Ups for a Purpose"/"Better the Block"-type programs

Strategy #4: Eliminate tourism divisiveness between communities
  • ​Create county-wide partnerships/focus group

Trade/Career & Technical Education

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​"In the year 2030, Career and Technical Education (CTE) has a positive perception within Citrus County. CTE incorporates forward-thinking skills that prepare students to succeed in post-secondary education, the workplace and community life, keeping Citrus County intentionally competitive. Future young leaders have the means to live, work and thrive in Citrus County.
 
CTE programs/trainings offered are determined by a seamless partnership among schools, public leaders, and the private sector. Because of the rapid global change in emerging occupations and economies, CTE programs are more responsive so that skill sets needed in the workplace are met and industry needs of our community are supported.
           
CTE programs are offered in the middle and high school worlds through innovative curriculum and approaches. Educators are empowered to deliver high-quality CTE programs that ensure all students are positioned for career success.
 
Employers value both technical skills and employability skills such as communication and critical thinking. The strongest job growth is in knowledge-based and non-routine occupations. The majority of jobs will require some form of postsecondary education or training."

Strategy #1: Business Engagement
  • To engage our businesses to want to partner with our schools to create sustainable career opportunities for our post-secondary education system
  • Build partnerships with the CareerSource and Building Alliance and a medial alliance partner

Strategy #2: Expansion
  • Expand CTE Opportunities K-12 to incorporate further education beyond college thinking into trade and career

Strategy #3: Create Positive Perception
  • Market CTE programs to improve the image of the post-secondary education.

Strategy #4: Effective Partnerships
  • Create partnerships for life not only with the community and government but also within the other Citrus 2030 groups so we can grow a better post-secondary program that will create more opportunity for our educated to live and work in Citrus County

Youth Development

ASPIRATION STATEMENT: ​"In the year 2030 our youth will live in balance. Excellent educational opportunities will be balanced with numerous recreational activities for kids of all ages.
 
Outdoor recreational opportunities in nature will continue in abundance and will be balanced with indoor technological and cutting edge recreation. Less-regulated free play areas will be balanced with more organized and supervised activities.
 
Opportunities for advanced education leading to university entrance will be balanced with technical and trades-based education, preparing all of our youth for entrance into the working world with skills and knowledge regardless of career path.
 
In 2030 our youth will be well-fed, well-housed, well-educated, well-rounded, and will speak with pride of growing up in a community with opportunity for all things and one that prepared them for a rich, civic-oriented adult life."

Strategy #1: Advise & influence local government decisions related to youth (1-2 years)
  • Explore requirements to become an advisory council
    • Resources: County Attorney, County Commissioners
  • Identify and engage key stakeholders
    • Resources: Education Foundation, Community Alliance, Student Services, student peers
  • Create Youth Development Council
    • Resources: Community Alliance, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Jessie's Place
  • Collaborate with schools to incorporate into curriculum
    • Resources: School Board, Education Foundation, Youth Development Council

Strategy #2: Build capacity to engage families (3-5 years)
  • App database for Citrus County's Youth Services
    • Resources: CF interns, WTC IT students, Chamber of Commerce, Jessie's Place
  • Referral partnerships
    • Resources: Youth Development Council, Early Learning Coalition
  • Create a Youth Program Specialist
    • Resources: BOCC, schools (tax-funded)

​Strategy #3: Expand infrastructure to positively impact youth services (8-10 years)
  • Create, expand, improve, and/or update recreational facilities to be all-inclusive
    • Resources: BOCC, Parks & Recreations, Youth Development Council
  • Reduce barriers to access
    • Transportation
    • Safety
    • Communication
      • Resources: Youth Development Council, BOCC, Department of Transportation
  • Build youth development programs
    • Arts
    • Recreation
    • Mental health
    • Behavioral health
      • Resources: Private organizations

Community Participation

County residents interested in participating in future planning for Citrus County’s pathway to 2030 may email their names, residential zip codes and phone numbers to citrus2030info@gmail.com.

Guest Speakers

Civic, professional, business and community organizations interested in having a guest speaker make a Citrus 2030 presentation may email their requests to citrus2030info@gmail.com. 

​Community groups interested in a guest speaker should indicate if a presentation on a particular aspiration is desired.
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