Residents in Panama City are getting the chance to help shape how their hurricane-damaged town will look in the future.
Town officials are seeking the community’s input on redesigning the town through a series of public meetings, focus groups and creative work sessions that will take place June 11 - 22. The goal of the series is “total citizen involvement,” said Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki.
Consultants for the town will incorporate resident feedback on a variety of topics — including housing, infrastructure, transportation and social services — into the town’s Long Term Recovery Plan, which officials expect to release in the fall.
Up to 90% of the homes and buildings in Panama City received some degree of damage, and at least 500 structures are slated to be demolished because the owners cannot or will not repair them, according to the city manager’s office, which oversees code enforcement.
“We have a blank slate,” Brudnicki said. “There’s a lot of things that we probably would not have been afforded had we not had the storm.”
For a complete list of meeting dates and times, residents can visit RebuildPC.org. Residents can also complete an online survey through June 22.
