SEMINOLE – Creating a clear, strong idea of what the City Council would like to see developing around this area was the goal of visual preference survey results shared at the Nov. 22 workshop.

Prior to the session, councilors were given disposable cameras to photograph a travelog of elements they liked and disliked across the city. A few councilors ventured outside Seminole to take photos of areas doing a good job on redevelopment.

Poster boards loaded with colored photographs lined the small workshop room in City Hall as Clarence Eng, the project manager for Renaissance Planning Group, reviewed and summarized the findings. Visualization is the first stage in the council-approved contract designed to help the city develop streetscape guidelines that include beautification, signage and architectural identity.

Several positive community icons that photographs captured included Thurston Groves, Seminole Isle, the recreation center, City Park, the St. Petersburg College campus and Pinellas Trail.

For the most part, the city's landscaping received high marks from the council, particularly along 113th Street. Decorative stop signs and road signs were in the spotlight as were ponds and well-kept parks. The council said it wanted to focus on environment, eateries, entertainment, education and economic redevelopment.

Many of the negative images the council photographed included the old Kash n' Karry, water tower, used car dealerships, abandoned trailers and commercial vehicles parked on the street.

Councilor Pat Harstein wants to build on Seminole's theme of being a “good place to live.” Whatever is done in the area, she said, it should be connected to the environment. “It needs to set the mood, set a tone,” she said.

“Perhaps if we could start with one business, like one in a strip mall, that could change its appearance, it would get it started,” said Mayor Dottie Reeder.

Eng said the next step is to further study the photographs along with the workshop comments and develop recommendations for the city's new image. Using examples and alternatives, community workshops will be held to get residents involved in the final recommendations.

“We need to engage them and give them some things to chew on,” said Eng about community workshops that are planned for the January and February timeframe.

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