About 36,000 people call DeSoto County home and while it may be considered small compared to coastal Florida areas, the county is growing and evolving.

That’s why the residents are encouraged to participate in helping to shape the county’s future whether they want to see the area grow or not.

“A lot of times we hear we don’t want any more growth we just want to close the doors. We’ll that’s just not realistic,” said Jennifer Codo-Salisbury. She's the executive director of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

Florida, she says, is one of the fastest growing states in the country. Even rural Florida is expected to grow.

That’s why Codo-Salisbury wants residents to share what’s important to them as the regional planning council and county government work on what future DeSoto County will look like.

For instance, do residents want to see more walking and bike trails? What about connector roads to drive across the county with less traffic?

They want to know how concerned people are about preserving DeSoto’s rural way of life? Or where the idea of additional housing options possibilities falls into their list of priorities for the county.

“As we look at future growth, how do we strike a balance with our natural recourses, our services and our infrastructure and maintaining a high quality of life?”
Codo-Salisbury asked.

Codo-Salisbury and the county are hosting a workshop Thursday at Turner Agri-Civic Center on Roan Street in Arcadia. The workshop is from 4:30 to 6:30. There will be presentations, information about a survey and break-out sessions for the public to weigh in on the future.

Find the survey and more on the workshop here.

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