ST. CLOUD, Fla. – For years, city planners have been trying to figure out how to manage the growth in St. Cloud.
The state of Florida has mandated that cities and counties plan strategically for future development. Currently, public meetings are underway to determine which areas will be designated for commercial land use.
One major concern among locals is the preservation of St. Cloud’s lakefront.
Kayla Rivera, a local resident, frequently visits Lakefront Park with her 7-year-old son after school. Living just ten minutes away, she emphasizes the importance of keeping the area free from commercial buildings and housing developments.
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“It’s a place where me and my family come to play and get some exercise,” Rivera said. “It’s already getting a little overwhelming at times, especially with school in session.”
The city and council members are in the process of deciding which parts of the city will be open for future development as required by the state statutes on future planning. These plans aim to shape the city’s landscape up to the year 2045.
A proposed map has been sent to residents, highlighting potential commercial land use areas.
Mark Denius, another local, brings his 17-month-old daughter to the lake to play and shared his perspective on the growth plans.
“What we have now is perfectly fine, but obviously they don’t care, they see every inch of land as inventory so they are just willing to do whatever is best for their pockets,” Denius commented.
In response to community feedback, the city of St. Cloud provided a statement explaining that the update to the plan includes a designation for Employment Land Use intended to foster new job opportunities. The plan also addresses the anticipated population growth in the area.
Several public meetings have been held throughout this planning process, with modifications made based on input from residents.
The public is invited to participate at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at a final public hearing in front of the city council. The city council is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes at that time.
This city of St. Cloud says they are committed to working with the community and are listening to their concerns.
They provided the statement below that says in part:
“This update has been underway for several years. The state of Florida requires cities and counties to have Comprehensive Plans to manage future growth. Therefore, we are planning today for what the city will look like by 2045. This update of the Future Land Use Element addresses (1) balancing the jobs- to-housing ratio, by expanding employment opportunities over the next 20 years. For example, the update includes a designation for Employment Land Use to plan for new jobs in the community. (2) It also addresses the population growth and accommodates the future growth. For example, the city’s geographical boundaries have increased by nearly 40% from 2017 to 2024. And finally, (3) it strikes a balance between growth management and preserving St. Cloud’s existing character. By placing the right uses in the right places, we can preserve our parks, lakes, and open spaces, enhancing our quality of life... It is not too late to participate. We’ve held several public meetings throughout this process and have made changes to what we are proposing based on feedback received from the community. The Comprehensive Plan covers the entire city....This is an organic process that has been evolving with extensive feedback from the public, and we try to be as responsive as possible...Our website highlights some of the changes that have been incorporated since the 2024 public meetings. St. Cloud will continue to plan for the growth that will inevitably happen in the city and the entire state in the next few decades.”