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City tourism panel to set parameters for management plan
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
Citizen Staff Writer
KEY WEST — A
city committee organized to create a sustainable tourism management plan
will meet tonight to discuss how the study will be prepared and what
areas will be addressed.
Committee
members were selected by the city commission earlier this month with the
goal of creating a comprehensive resident/visitor plan addressing the
impact of tourism on Key West's neighborhoods, environment and economy.
City commissioners said they want to create a tourism economy that is
sustainable through the next several decades and that balances the needs
of residents and businesses. The committee was formed just weeks after a
prior tourism committee appointed by Mayor Jimmy Weekley wrapped up its
work and issued a report.
The new
14-member committee, comprised of local business owners and Old Town
residents, met for the first time last week and selected Island House
owner Jon Allen as chairman and Ocean Conservancy's Keys Project Manager
Nancy Klingener as vice chairwoman.
Mike Dively,
chairman of the mayor's Ad Hoc Planning Task Force, gave a brief
description of the task force's report, and shared his vision for this
committee. He said he thought the committee should generate options on
the report's five general elements. He also mentioned the report's two
goals for a resident/visitor plan: "to preserve and enhance the
uniqueness of Key West as a place for residents to live and visitors to
enjoy" and to "assure a sustainable environment for our tourism-based
economy."
Allen spoke of
the need for the committee to have sufficient staff assistance, obtain
accurate statistical information, to take a survey to determine
community priorities, and to make the committee's contact information
available to the public.
The high cost
of housing also was discussed during the meeting.
tohara@keysnews.com |
