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Century Residents Discuss Future Plan For Town

May 6, 2008

Residents in the Town of Century had the chance to get their voices heard as the town prepares to create its first comprehensive plan since 1990. The town’s nearly hired consultant, Peggy Fowler of Land Design Innovations in Fort Walton Beach, conducted the meeting, but seemed unaware of many of Century’s problems.

A recurring message from residents in attendance at the meeting Monday evening was “save our school”. Some members of the Escambia County School Board have proposed closing Carver/Century K-8 School as soon as possible in a cost cutting measure.

Fowler said she was unaware of any plan to close the school.

One resident asked about the possibility of using the old Century Hospital once again, or some other plan to improve health care in Century.

“That’s one part of our infrastructure that needs help,” he said. Others in the audience noted that the county’s health department facility is now open only one day a week.

Fowler said she was unaware that Century did not have a hospital or a full-time public health department.

“If you don’t have the school, if you don’t have the hospital, then your infrastructure is pretty much shot,” the resident continued.

“The public health and a school is important,” Fowler said.

Another resident discussed the possible need for a police force in Century. Currently, Century is served by the Escambia County’s Sheriff’s Department, having disbanded the police department several years ago.

Fowler (pictured left) said she was unaware that the town did not have a police force. Nor did she seem to know that Century has a chamber of commerce.

When asked by an audience member “who are you, and who do you represent”, Fowler did not respond with her name or company, other than to say that she was “local to Century in Fort Walton Beach”.

When asked by NorthEscambia.com after the meeting why she did not seem to know that Century’s school was in danger of closing, that there is no police department and no hospital, Fowler responded.

“Is there a qualified consultant here in the city of Century who knew about these things?”, she asked. “I am learning about Century from these meetings. For me, I’d rather be hearing it from the people who live here.”

“We will be be finding out these things,” Fowler said. She stated that the town was paying $8,000 for her firm’s work on the new comprehensive plan.

During the meeting, Fowler explained the type of issues that would compose the town’s new comprehensive plan.

She said the plan’s planning stage would include a “school concurrency” study, to make sure schools were adequate for growth.

There would also need to be a “transportation fair share” plan, where developers of subdivisions, shopping centers or office parks would be required to pay their share for transportation improvements.

Fowler identified potential issues that Century would face in the future. One would be economic growth. “It hasn’t grown a whole lot in 20 years,” she said.

But Century has two good things going for it on the economic front, she said. The town is designated as both a Brownfield designation for sites that are possibly contaminated from previous industrial use, and as an Enterprise Zone, which carries various financial incentives for locating in the town.

Housing was identified as the most serious problem in Century in the 1990 comprehensive plan, and that remains a major issue today, Folwer said, adding that the problem was made worse by hurricanes and deterioration of houses where the owner has been unable to make repairs.

Other issues to be addressed in the new comprehensive plan for Century include: drainage, the water and sewer system, recreation and open space, land use and possible annexation of surrounding areas into the town.

A map and comment forms for citizens to make additional input into the Century comprehensive plan will be available this week during regular office hours at the Century Town Hall and the Century Branch Library.

Pictured above: A Century land use map adopted in 1990. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News