Treasure Coast Sun

The 2025 #IamPSL Citizen Summit, held on February 1 at the Port St. Lucie Community Center, saw a record attendance with over 1,000 participants. This annual event is designed to encourage residents of Port St. Lucie to share their ideas and contribute to shaping the city's future.

This year's summit featured the official launch of the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative, which originated from resident feedback at the 2023 Citizen Summit. At that time, residents prioritized increasing access to neighborhood parks and preserves as a key investment area for taxpayer dollars.

Kate Parmelee, Deputy City Manager for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, stated that in 2024, Port St. Lucie was selected among 40 cities worldwide to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative's Innovation Track. An interdepartmental city team received training in human-centered design from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins and the Centre for Public Impact. Using this training, they developed strategies to enhance access to green spaces.

The city team engaged with more than 1,000 residents who contributed over 1,000 ideas on improving access to green spaces. These efforts culminated in creating a portfolio of programs under the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative aimed at increasing public access to nature and high-performance public spaces.

The initiative focuses on raising awareness about available green spaces in Port St. Lucie and promoting upcoming projects and conservation efforts. The city aims to involve residents along with private, public, and nonprofit partners in enhancing land acquisition and green space improvements.

One significant finding from resident interviews was a lack of awareness regarding existing and planned green spaces throughout the city. To address this issue, an interactive map featuring walking and cycling loops connecting these areas has been made available on the city's website at CityofPSL.com/NaturallyPSL.

Residents or potential partners interested in participating in the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative are encouraged to visit CityofPSL.com/NaturallyPSL for more information.

For those unable to attend this year's summit but wishing to provide input can do so by completing an online questionnaire available at link.cityofpsl.com/csquestionnaire. Feedback collected will be presented to the Mayor and City Council before their annual Strategic Planning session this spring. New ideas incorporated into this year’s Strategic Plan will be prioritized within the city's budget.

The Port St. Lucie City Council has gained national recognition for its effective use of resident feedback in planning processes. Other cities have begun visiting the Citizen Summit as a model for civic engagement.