Guiding Principles...
... Help Create a Vision for the Future
These Guiding Principles and Vision Statements came from community input, and will guide future decision making in the City.
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Elevate the importance of community safety in all neighborhood improvements.
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Prioritize areas or neighborhoods with the greatest safety needs.
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Everyone has an opportunity to own and live in a safe home in the same neighborhood that can be passed down for generations.
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Each neighborhood has a unique cultural identity and history emphasized in buildings, art and civic spaces.
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All community residents benefit from new growth.
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Every development decision will lead to a City with equal opportunities for those who live, work and recreate here.
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Spark a re-emergence of walkable commercial areas with dining, entertainment and local businesses.
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Through investment and infrastructure, existing commerce thrives while new business is welcomed.
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Get ahead of environmental vulnerabilities to neighborhoods and infrastructure before changes occur.
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Preserve the waters, natural areas and green spaces that make Riviera Beach great for future generations.
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Citywide recreation and entertainment opportunities and community services are inclusive and accessible.
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Intentionally improve person-by-person success by providing education, access and training for citizens young and old.
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan is a policy document (usually with a 15+ year horizon) which guides the City's long-term development & provides a blueprint for the future. The Comprehensive Plan (or Comp Plan, for ease) consists of (1) goals, objectives and policies (GOPs); (2) complementary maps that embody the intent of the GOPs; and (3) data-driven analyses that validate the GOPs. The GOPs reflect the community’s shared vision for its future and the strategy for how the City intends to meet the needs of existing and future residents, visitors and businesses. Florida Statutes require all local governments in the state to maintain a comprehensive plan that is consistent with statutory requirements and with the State Comprehensive Plan and regional plans.
The Comp Plan is not an obscure technical document without a clear purpose. In the State of Florida, all proposed development in a given community is required to be consistent with the comprehensive plan for that community. The Plan is used by City staff and by various appointed advisory committees and boards to make recommendations regarding development proposals; and by elected officials on the City Council to make decisions based on those recommendations. In addition, the Plan is often studied by developers and their agents; and it may be consulted by property owners, business owners, and community advocates.
It is also important to remember that the Comp Plan is implemented primarily through the Zoning Code and other ordinances, which translate the plan’s broad policies into the real-world standards and regulations that all development in the City must follow.
The Current Plan
The City's current Comprehensive Plan dates from 2010, with a few more recent updates. As part of the update process, the City will be updating the goals, objectives and policies of the current plan, as well as creating a new set of data and analysis documents to reflect the City's current conditions.