Public invited to reception and presentation on Feb. 15 at Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort

The City of Deerfield Beach was recently selected as one of 15 communities nationwide— and the only city in Florida—to receive Smart Growth America’s free smart growth technical assistance, which includes training with a smart growth expert from the National Complete Streets Coalition.

The technical assistance was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program.

What are “Complete Streets” and Complete Streets policies?

Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. They allow buses to run on time and make it safe for people to walk to and from train stations.

Adopting a Complete Streets policy for the city’s roadways means that every transportation project will make the street network better and safer for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists – making Deerfield Beach a better place to live.  This is the second award for technical assistance that the City of Deerfield Beach has received in less than a year through the EPA’s Building Blocks program.

The first award was in April 2011 for Using Smart Growth to Produce Fiscal and Economic Health. Input from public meetings resulted in a memo from the EPA, with recommendations on next steps for applying Smart Growth Principles in Deerfield Beach.

Mayor Peggy Noland believes that Complete Streets planning is coming to Deerfield Beach at the right time. “We have seen major roadway improvement projects on Hillsboro Boulevard and the Dixie Flyover, and plans have been underway for several years to improve State Road A1A. A Complete Streets policy will assure us that our community’s roadway objectives are kept in the forefront as new projects come online, ensuring a better and safer quality of life in Deerfield Beach.

Two Complete Streets events will be held at the Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort, at 2096 NE 2 Street.

[  ] On Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the public is invited and encouraged to attend a Complete Streets reception and presentation to learn more about Smart Growth and Complete Streets principles. The reception is sponsored by the Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Complimentary parking will be available in the Wyndham’s parking lot, located just south of the hotel, at the corner of NE 20th Terrace and NE 1st Street.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., a Complete Streets Policy Development Workshop will be held as part of the technical assistance grant provided by Smart Growth America (through funding from the EPA) and sponsored by the National Complete Streets Coalition. The public is welcome to attend the workshop, however input will be limited to decision makers, community stakeholders and city staff. At the end of the workshop, the instructors will help the city develop strategic next steps based on the community’s opportunities and strengths. For more information about the Complete Streets presentations and workshop, contact Chief Planner Amanda Martinez at amartinez@deerfield-beach.com or 954-480-4208. For more information on Complete Streets, visit www.completestreets.org.