Presentation to the BOCC

On behalf of our studio, I would like to say thank you to all of the citizens and the Board of County Commissioners for so warmly welcoming us at the gathering last night. Our group worked extremely hard to provide a very thorough and comprehensive vision plan for a sustainable Jefferson County. During this process, we greatly enjoyed getting to know your county and its incredibly involved and committed citizenry. We look forward to making the finishing touches on the document so it will be ready for everyone in the county to read! Thank you again for the wonderful educational and professional opportunity. Happy holidays to all!

Moving Forward

This week we created our first draft of the final visioning plan. We have compiled all community input, existing conditions, and recommendations for the county. It is amazing to look back at what we have learned over the past ten weeks! I headed up the methodology of our project, starting at the beginning and moving into the future, ending with our proposed presentations in December and it was really impressive to me of how far we have come in this process. Most of us had never spent quality time in Jefferson County before this studio and now we are all avid supporters of encouraging it to maintain its unique character and thrive well into the future.

One of the major trends we have picked up on from the beginning, and will be reflected in our plans for the future, is the important connection between the community and the environment. Jefferson County’s natural resources are the pride of the county and the community wants to continue to be tied to their continued preservation and conservation. Jefferson County is also very interested in maintaining a strong sense of community. As a small, rural county, Jefferson County has deep roots and its culture is a big part of its future. We are also very aware of the cultural and historical significance of the county and will incorporate those elements into our recommendations.

The whole studio is very excited to meet with you again and present our findings and suggestions in December. We have many different visuals and designs that we believe would work well in a county as rich in resources and community involvement as Jefferson County.

Keep looking at the blog for updates on details of the presentation!

Revisiting Jefferson County

Throughout this semester, myself and my colleagues have taken every opportunity to visit Jefferson County in an effort to immerse ourselves in the local culture. We have done this with hopes of both pinpointing and better understanding the characteristics that define Jefferson County’s unique sense of place. After participating in the two community visioning sessions held in mid-October, I decided to venture out into Jefferson County again this past weekend. On this visit I was equipped with a new and enlightened perspective.

After individually talking with community members and engaging in discussion with my colleagues about the results of our visioning sessions, I developed a new perspective with which to view Jefferson County. The unique stories and insights detailed to us at the visioning sessions were invaluable and rightly color the lens in which I view Jefferson County. On my visit I decided to re-trace some of my previous travels and partake in new adventures. The most notable aspects of my visit included: kayaking down the Wacissa, driving along Jefferson County’s scenic rural highways, and walking the throughout downtown and southside of Monticello.

My parents, 35 year residents of Tallahassee and avid outdoor recreation enthusiasts, had never been kayaking down the Wacissa River and were excited to join me on my adventure. It was a beautiful day and the three of us could not stop raving about the extremely pristine condition of the County’s natural resources. There were a few other kayakers on the water, but we felt like we had the river all to ourselves. However, I have to admit that we did have a little trouble finding the magnificent Blue Springs, but the journey was nothing but enjoyable.

With each visit to and experience in Jefferson County I find myself better understanding the features, attitudes, and characteristics that define Jefferson County’s unique sense of place. I am looking forward to continuing my learning experience and creating a successful visioning plan for Jefferson County in the weeks ahead!

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who came out last night to our first Visioning Meeting! We had such a fantastic crowd and I can speak for every member of my group when I say that we all appreciated your feedback and ideas. The discussion at every table was energized and thoughtful, both focused on current conditions and ideas for the future. We look forward to compiling all of the feedback and coming back to you in December or January with a Visioning Plan that you can all be proud of!

Again, thank you so much for coming out and be sure to tell your friends who missed out to come on Monday from 7pm to 9pm at the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church (780 Second St)!!

Shannon and Liz’s Community Visioning Meeting Adventurous Marketing Effort

Liz and I drove out to Jefferson County last Sunday to pass out flyers for up and coming Community Visioning Meetings. We would like give a big thank you to all the friendly businesses and citizens that posted our flyers. Everybody we came across was just so polite and pleasant. Thank you so much!

Working on the Visioning Meeting...

Today our group continued to perfect our plan for the upcoming Visioning Meeting. We're organizing our mapping activities, surveys and agenda. We're all very excited to get over to Jefferson County on the 18th and 24th to hear everyone's input! Make sure you invite everyone to come out to our meetings!

Planned Visit for Wednesday, the 12th

Every time I make a trip to Jefferson County, I am pleased to make the acquaintance of residents who are deeply invested in the future of the county. Whether they are business owners, county or city government employees, or people who are just going about their day to day lives. I will be in Jefferson County tomorrow, Wednesday, October 12th, to see if I can speak with extension office, a few school officials, and church communities.

While it is an important factor in my visits to the county, this is not just an effort to get the word out about our upcoming public visioning meeting. I will be handing out fliers for the event but my visit is also for the purpose of absorbing as much information and public perception as possible. Over the last two weeks, I have learned that more people in Jefferson County (than previously thought) know that "a bunch" of FSU students are working with the county for a future development plan. I think the more we are able to talk to people about what we are actually working towards, the less chance there will be for any misunderstanding and resentment in the future. Communication is key in a project like this and I sincerely hope that people will be open and honest if they allow any of us a chance to speak with them.

Looking forward to meeting new people on Wednesday!

New Leaf Market Farm Tour

Greetings!

I just wanted to give everyone a quick reminder about New Leaf Market's 4th Annual Farm Tour this Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th. You can visit local farms, have lunch, tour, learn about farming practices, and pick up some treats. Jefferson County is well represented on the tour. Backyard Farm, Clear Lake Farm, Full Moon Farm and Apiary, Golden Acres Ranch, Green Industries Institute, Heavenly Homestead, Holly Hill Farm, and Monticello Vineyards & Winery are all a part of the tour. To see all the farms involved and get a map of their locations visit:

http://www.newleafmarket.coop/events/farm_tour/tours.php

I'll be starting out at Tupelo's Bakery on Saturday morning to meet the folks from Full Moon Farm & Apiary. They're even having introduction to beekeeping classes at 9:30am and 1pm! Hope to see you Saturday!

Planning Paradigm Shift

We have been working for the past six weeks on collecting data on the existing conditions of Jefferson County and deducing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats arising from these conditions. I have really found this element of the project to be very enlightening and encouraging. Jefferson County is so rich in opportunities of so many different kinds and in many ways is the unknown gem of the panhandle. While Tallahassee steals much of the attention, Jefferson County can offer opportunities and resources that Leon County lacks, and those are the options that our studio is going to focus on.

One of my goals for this project is to work on how planning is viewed by some of the members of the county. We have had firsthand experience and reports of residents who are steadfast against planning, but it is my hope that they feel this way because of misinformation and misunderstanding. By keeping our process transparent and interactive, we can combat this view with a community involved and inspired plan. Perhaps by the end of the year many of these residents will have a complete paradigm shift and view planning as a positive and necessary part of the future.

This studio will ultimately combine community visions with our expertise and resources to propose an image of Jefferson County that merges the two elements into one sustainable future. I am really looking forward to the next steps and especially to meet with the community at our two visioning meetings so we can continue our dialogue with the people who know Jefferson County best!

UPDATED Visioning Meeting Information

The Florida State University Planning and Development Lab is bringing not one, but TWO Visioning Sessions to Monticello!

As previously posted, the first meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 18th from 7pm to 9pm at the Monticello Opera House (185 West Washington St).

The second meeting will be held on Monday, October 24th from 7pm to 9pm at the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church (780 Second St).

Both meetings will go over the same community input exercises and are designed to identify the desired future for Jefferson County. We will then use this information to provide fresh professional planning analysis for the community.

Hope to see you there!

Agricultural and Environmental Scenes of Jefferson County

Over the past 4 weeks, I've had the opportunity to witness the pristine natural environment and productive agricultural lands of Jefferson County.

During the weekend of September 17th, I went to the Jefferson County Farmers Market off of East Washington street. The Market is a stand which sells grocery items (mostly vegetables, fruits and meats) throughout the week. They try to sell local products when they are in season. From my observation, they are the only other fresh producer supplier in the County in addition to Winn Dixie. There are many convenience stores throughout the County but the ones I visited did not sell produce.

Near Ashville, I had a conversation with a friendly dairy farmer. The farmer explained that he was part of a larger dairy cooperative and had been in Jefferson County for the past 7 years. His farm supplies milk to Publix supermarkets throughout the southeast. He also explained his innovative practices of processing water which has been contaminated with manure to fertilize his corn crops. This has helped decrease his fertilizer costs and prevented excess fertilizer runoff.

At the Lake Ella Farmers Market on Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak with a Jefferson County goat & sheep farmer and an apiarist. Both farmers have been farming in the County for 15 years or less. They are also participating in the New Leaf Farm Tours on October 16th. They told me about a potential new farmers market in Jefferson County.



This past weekend, I went with two of my colleagues to kayak the Wacissa. Since a written narrative has been expressed on the blog, I'll present a visual one.

Join Us for a Community Visioning Meeting!!

Mark Your Calendars!

Please join us for a Community-wide Visioning Meeting! Through this meeting we hope to gain an understanding of community perceptions of Jefferson County, strengthen the vision of our project and role of the community, and brainstorm solutions to help shape the future of the county.

Meeting Details:

Where: Monticello Banquet Hall, 185 West Washington Street
When: October 18th, 7pm
Who: Everyone with a vested interest in Jefferson County! Tell your friends!

Come out to enjoy food, company, and ideas as we all work to unify our views of Jefferson County!

A beautiful Saturday on the Wacissa River

A Jefferson County resident was kind enough to take my studio colleague and I out on the Wacissa River this past Saturday. Before making arrangements to visit the Wacissa, it was the understanding of our group that getting to know the river was necessary before reaching any conclusions about what the priorities in the county currently are. During our numerous trips to the area, especially at the recent BOCC meeting, I have spoken with residents who have told me that the ultimate priority for them is the preservation of the Wacissa River and its surrounding environment.

When we arrived at the headwaters, our guide already had his airboat in the water and was carrying a conversation with another gentleman who was playing with his young son and Labrador Retriever in the water. Our guide took a moment to speak with us about the current condition of the river. Though drought conditions had lowered water levels by approximately two feet, the water remained clear and pristine and one could see the smaller fish swimming to and fro near the bank. A rope swing hung from a tree just to the right of where we stood.

The county recently closed a second boat ramp located farther down the river. Our guide, Mr. Stephen Walker of Waukeenah, explained how the boat ramp on which we stood was currently the only boat ramp available to anyone wanting relatively easy access to the river. The county had closed the second boat ramp under the assumption that they would be deeded another ramp quickly. This has not happened yet. Mr. Walker explained how this has been problematic because swimmers access the river using the same ramp he and others use to load their boats into the river. Luckily, we had chosen a day that many people had decided to use for canoeing and kayaking, so he did not need to dodge swimmers near the ramp as we departed.

The trip started slowly and we were able to take in the sights of the glassy water and the amazing aquatic environment beneath it. Our guide also stopped at Blue Springs. My colleague and I both jumped into the rejuvenating deep blue water and even tried our luck a few times with the rope swing attached to a tree there. Large fish swam beneath us as a Blue Heron flew overhead. As we climbed for another attempt at the rope swing, we saw a snake swimming in the water. Though it seemed that is was just swimming away from the disturbance of our swimming and splashing, we were extremely cautious moving forward.

Mr. Walker took us farther down river and showed us the old dam that had been constructed to allow the laying of railroad tracks. Though the tracks have been removed for a while now, a large portion of the dam remains. An eight foot gap was dug into the dam to allow passage back and forth. Our guide also told us about the "slave canals." These are canals that were dug by slaves to allow for the transport of cotton from the Wacissa to the Aucilla. They were unsuccessful, however, due to continuously low water levels and were abandoned years after they were dug. Some remain to this day but we were unable to travel far enough to see them.

The width of the river and the unobstructed view of the sky from the water made me think about coming back to the river at night during a full moon. The river is a beautiful resource and it is one I can understand being priority for residents in Jefferson County.

My most recent trip to Jefferson County

Today my husband and I drove from our home in Tallahassee up Highway 90 to Monticello. I absolutely love the canopy road, especially with all the crepe myrtle trees lining each side of the highway. I look forward to taking the drive next Spring, when the crepe myrtles are in full bloom.

Being a Sunday afternoon, we didn't see much activity around downtown. We assumed this was due to most people attending church, or just choosing to relax on a Sunday. We did, however, have a chance to briefly speak to two avid cyclists who were actually from Tallahassee. They said they love biking from Tallahassee to Monticello, because it was the perfect distance and they enjoy the calm scenery in downtown Monticello.

Overall it was a good trip and I have quite a few pictures to add to our visioning board.

The beautiful Wacissa River

Good morning!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to kayak on the Wacissa River with two of my classmates. We started out from Tallahassee around 9 and enjoyed the scenic drive down Apalachee Parkway to Wacissa. We all agreed the countryside was lovely. The double-kayak rental was $30 for three hours from Wacissa Canoe and Kayak rentals, furnished by the very friendly Amy.

The river was stunning. From the launching point at the rental store, we headed down a shallow creek for about 5 minutes before emerging onto the wide and sunny river. We saw coots, egrets, herons, alligators, turtles, and mullet as we made our way down the cool waters of the Wacissa. After kayaking for an hour in search of Blue Spring, we were forced to admit we'd passed it and head back. Luckily, there were plenty of other paddlers enjoying the water and after a few inquiries we struck gold (or blue). Blue Spring was breathtaking. We pulled our kayaks out of the water and swam around with about 10 other visitors. Only one of our party was brave enough to try the rope swing, for which we were rewarded with several cannonballs.

After about half an hour at the spring, we paddled back to return our kayaks. My trip to the river was eye-opening. Not only did I get to enjoy the calming and restorative peace of nature, I got a glimpse of what the Wacissa River means to those who use and enjoy it. It is such an important resource for the people of Jefferson County and is one they really seem to value. We met a lot of people on the river, many from Tallahassee, but there was a spirit of friendliness and respect for nature in all them.

Great meeting today - Mark your calendars for upcoming Visioning Meeting!

Today our studio group had a great meeting with 4 members of the Jefferson County community. The meeting, held in our studio here at the FPDL at FSU, allowed us to advance our knowledge of the situation in Jefferson County. We would like to thank our attendees for their insight today.

We would also like everyone to begin marking their calendars for the upcoming Community-wide Visioning Meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 18 at 7pm. The location is still to be determined, but check back for updates!

Gaining Physical Awareness & Appreciation for Monticello and Lloyd

On September 8th I had an opportunity to take the Historic walking and driving tours of Lloyd and Monticello. Using the maps provided by the Chamber of Commerce, I arrived around 9am on the Thursday morning to explore the historical and physical surroundings of these two historic areas.

I first visited Lloyd, parked my car in the post office lot and walked the streets, taking pictures of each historic house. By mid-morning there was a good deal of car traffic, but virtually no foot traffic (aside from myself). The houses listed on the historical registry could not have been more varied, both in architectural style as well as in general upkeep and care. Some of the buildings were clearly well kept, even down to the manicured lawn. Other houses appeared to be barely standing, with weeds growing up over the porch banister. However, the one thing every building on the historical map had in common was the bronze plaque with the historical name and designation that it was on the Historical Register. Most of the buildings are named after the owner and many of the names repeat, evidence of particularly strong families in Lloyd’s history.

Some other general observations I had from my trip to Lloyd was that it was all-in-all a very quiet place. I received a few smiles and greetings from people entering and leaving the post office while I took pictures, but besides that there were no other people around. The area is not very pedestrian friendly, lacking sidewalks on the major streets, but the drivers waved and slowed down around me as I walked. The natural environment was amazing, massive trees in nearly every yard beautifully framed the very traditional architecture of the houses. Without reading the historical pamphlet, there would be no doubt in a visitor’s mind that this little town once was a flourishing and affluent railroad village.

Monticello and Lloyd could not have more different vibes. Driving into Monticello, I was flanked by semi trucks and other vehicles all headed towards the center of town and the roundabout. Again, I parked my car and started the historical tour. Having visited and wandered around Monticello downtown before, I walked beyond the dots on the map and strolled around most of the streets, talking to other pedestrians and residents going about their normal Thursday business. The historical houses were beautiful and just as varied as the ones in Lloyd. With examples of Greek, Roman, and Colonial influences, the buildings on the registry were all well-kept and many are open for visitors, while others are still private residences.

My favorite part of walking and driving around Monticello was the ability to put together the past and present factors that make the city such a unique place. Dispersed among buildings that are hundreds of years old there are new developments and quaint shops, constant activity, churches on nearly every corner, and people walking the streets downtown. This town, despite the evidence of economic decline, has character and charm, qualities that are earned over decades and are treasured by the members of the community. I was frequently stopped by residents to ask if I was lost or looking for something, when I explained that I was enjoying the Historic Tour, they would direct me to their favorite locations and give advice on what should not be missed during my visit. Everyone was friendly and helpful, more than willing to discuss their hometown. Despite this vibrant culture, there is evidence of struggle. Many stores are closed, some whole buildings are shut down, others have signs that they are going out of business. For being the largest town in Jefferson County, the economic downturn in Monticello alone bespeaks the need to find a method for economic growth without losing the charm of the historic city and county as a whole.

Thank you!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the BOCC meeting attendants who came to the County Courthouse Annex this evening. We appreciate you having given us a moment of your time to talk to us about the county you call home. It was wonderful to speak with each of you and we certainly hope you will continue to communicate with us by e-mail, telephone, or feel free to comment on any of the ideas or concepts you see on this blog.

Once again, thank you!

A community leader’s perspective on living in Jefferson County

09/06/2011 - Date of visit

I had a chance to talk to a community leader to gain their perspective on Jefferson County. This local leader described how the residents valued the “small town” feel and wanted to preserve the natural resources. She especially enjoyed the small town atmosphere; however, she did have a few concerns over the lack of commercial retailers. She felt that for any medium to large-scale purchase she would have to drive to Tallahassee.

She described the “From the Farm to the Table” initiative that was going on in the county. The farmers sell their produce in Monticello and throughout Northeastern Florida with an emphasis on buying local. She brought up the Watermelon Festival that was this past June, where between 3,000 to 5,000 people attended. This event was a yearly tradition, although the number of watermelon farmers dropped to a remaining few. She said the reason for the decrease in watermelon farmers was that the growing seasons were better in other parts of Florida.

Being a relative new resident, she couldn’t give me that much background other than what I already researched on the web. She did talk about the Opera House and Art Museum as being especially important to her as a resident. This past spring students from all the area schools came to the art gallery to display their artwork and to learn more about art history. An unofficial, on-going initiative that I thought was interesting was the search for informal cemeteries. She described how these cemeteries were overgrown and many were former slave cemeteries.

Lastly, I asked about the public school system and she described how the school was transitioning with a new administrator. She believed that the school district was working on a grant to help improve educational standards and test scores. She mentioned that the private school, Care Charter School of Excellence, was taken over by the Jefferson County School District last year. The kids were transferred over to the public school system and this caused some frustration among parents. I sensed that racial problems may have been carrying over in this school district as well.

Discussion of Jefferson's assets and impediments

On 9/7 I had a great conversation with a Jefferson County leader regarding their views of Jefferson County. This individual stated that they believed Jefferson's greatest strengths for economic development potential was its location, with close proximity to I-10 & U.S. 19, easy access to the Capital City of Tallahassee, cultural and historic resources, plantations, and old families.

For industries/areas where there was greatest potential for economic development in the county, this individual believes that transportation & logistics, distribution, some manufacturing and light industrial hold the most promise for the county in the immediate future.

For impediments to growth, the individual was quick to point out that some of the county's strengths are also some of the county's impediments to growth. An example of this are the older families and large land holders. Other issues discussed were the county's lack of a natural gas tap, as well as the county's land use designations.

From this point our discussion turned toward local incentive programs and grants the community is taking advantage of, which include a local incentive ordinance to refund capital improvement valorization.

This individual stated that she is proud that many of the local officials are beginning to re-evaluate their role and are increasingly enthusiastic about increasing the county government's sopihistication level. The person encouraged us to take a look at the I-10 interchanges and evaluate their development potential.

At the end of our conversation we agreed that the rest of our studio group should have the opportunity to meet and discuss the vision for Jefferson County's future.