2025 #IamPSL Citizen Summit draws record attendance

Published on March 05, 2025

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Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places program introduced after resident feedback at 2023 Citizen Summit

The 2025 #IamPSL Citizen Summit set a record for attendance when more than 1,000 individuals participated in the annual event that encourages Port St. Lucie residents to share their input and help shape the City’s future.

Held at the Port St. Lucie Community Center on Feb. 1, the eighth-annual event also gave attendees a chance to see how residents’ ideas get put into action – the City officially launched the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative, an idea that began after feedback from residents at the 2023 Citizen Summit.

Each year at the Citizen Summit, residents are asked to vote on where they would like to see taxpayer dollars invested. At the 2023 Citizen Summit, residents indicated their top priority was increasing access to neighborhood parks and preserves.

Kate Parmelee “The Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative is the product of a year-long innovation project developed in response to this need, with the support of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins and the Centre for Public Impact,” said Kate Parmelee, Deputy City Manager for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation.

“By working with residents to identify topics that matter to them and by applying the lessons taught through these incredible learning opportunities, we are developing solutions that can greatly benefit our City.”

In 2024, Port St. Lucie was one of 40 cities chosen from around the world to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and was accepted into the Innovation Track.

An interdepartmental City team received expert training over the course of a year in human-centered design facilitated by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins and the Centre for Public Impact. Using that training, the team worked to develop innovative strategies that would increase residents’ access to green spaces.

Citizen Summit 2025 crowd of attendees The City team interacted with more than 1,000 residents, who generated over 1,000 ideas about how to better access green spaces. That led the City team to develop a portfolio of programs and opportunities, including the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative, a collaborative effort to increase access to nature and high-performance public spaces.

Through Naturally PSL, the City is bringing awareness of Port St. Lucie’s green spaces and places that are available for the community to enjoy, upcoming projects and conservation of our natural areas. The City is working to engage residents as well as private, public and nonprofit partners in contributing to land acquisition and green space enhancements.

Naturally PSL Trails Map One of the key findings from interviews with residents was lack of awareness of where green spaces were located throughout the City and where future green spaces were planned. The City team identified the need for an interactive map for residents that included walking and cycling loops that connect the City’s green spaces and inspire residents to explore. The map and more can be found on the City’s website at CityofPSL.com/NaturallyPSL.

The Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative also includes:

  • Park and conservation land improvements
  • Park and trail connections
  • An interactive website at CityofPSL.com/NaturallyPSL
  • Naturally PSL Environmental Stewardship Awards
  • Naturally PSL Conservation Corps
  • Village Green Drive Green Street Festivals  
  • Opportunities to contribute towards a land bank that is being developed to further preserve green space

The City has made progress in identifying and improving areas as green spaces. That includes:

  • 744.4 acres of land designated as green spaces
  • 198 acres of City-owned natural preserves
  • 41.4 miles of trails available within the City limits
  • 20.3 miles of additional trails being planned
  • 2 new parks opened in 2024 with six more to be opened and improved

Residents or potential partners who would like to get involved in the Naturally PSL Green Spaces & Places initiative should visit CityofPSL.com/NaturallyPSL for more information.

Hear directly from residents and staff about what made the 2025 #IamPSL Citizen Summit so successful by watching this video:

Residents who did not get a chance to attend this year’s Citizen Summit can still provide input by visiting link.cityofpsl.com/csquestionnaire to complete a questionnaire that will allow them to share their perspectives and priorities for the City.

Take the Questionnaire

Feedback gathered at this year’s Citizen Summit and through the online survey will be shared with the Mayor and City Council in advance of their annual Strategic Planning session this spring. New ideas incorporated into this year’s Strategic Plan will be prioritized in the City’s budget.

The City Council has received national acclaim for its use of resident feedback in its planning and other cities have begun to visit the Citizen Summit to replicate its format, serving as a model for civic engagement.

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