Plant City’s website has been revamped and will soon be relaunched.
At the City Commission meeting Monday, July 13, IT director Kent Andrel presented the new layout of the website, set to go live Thursday, July 23.
“The site navigation is more user-friendly,” Andrel said.
The new layout for the website is both more visual and more functional, and includes many improvements and enhancements.
Residents of Plant City can sign up for “Notify Me,” a subscription-based program which sends out notifications on city updates, issues and events as selected by individual users.
Along with the “Notify Me” program comes the “Alert Center,” which will notify the community of public safety alerts and concerns, such as natural disasters. These alerts will also be posted on a banner on the website’s homepage.
Both “Notify Me” and “Alert Center” can optionally send text messages to phones or email addresses.
Residents will also be able to make payments online through the new website, and now have the option to report hazards and concerns, such as fallen trees, code violations and potholes, through a new module called “Report a Concern.”
In addition to a cleaner, more functional use, the website will automatically post updates to the city’s Facebook and Twitter pages, so that residents will remain up to date no matter what platform they use.
A page for frequently asked questions is currently being updated.
The new site design incorporates reactive display technology that automatically sizes content to any screen resolution, such as an iPad or cellphone.
Those who are frequently on the go will be able to take advantage of the website’s new mobile app, set to go live Tuesday, September 1. The app is free for both Apple and Android platforms, and is specifically designed for mobile devices. The modules are still the same, Andrel says, and the departments will not have to put in extra time to keep their pages up to date. The app is free to download at the Apple Store or Android Play Store.
“I think it’s wonderful, especially to make it so user-friendly,” Mayor Rick Lott said.
New website features
Notify Me
Alert Center
Report a Concern
Online payments
Updated FAQ page
Automatic updates to social media platforms
In Other News
The commission scheduled three public hearings for the next meeting Monday, July 27. At that time, the commission will hear ordinances creating the Varrea Planned Development District, rezoning approximately 10 acres from Hillsborough County into the County Line Road and rezoning the Rice Road Planned Development District.
The commission unanimously approved an ordinance regarding the Interstate 4 Tech Corridor Overlay District. Previously, the planning board had recommended the commission to adopt the ordinance.
“It’s another big win in our community,” Lott said.
The purpose of the tech overlay is to attract jobs to the area and for the land to have light industrial uses. The adoption of the ordinance does not change the underlying zoning or current land uses.
There are numerous options for development in the tech corridor overlay. Three of the top suggestions include a corporate village, which would consist of offices as well as light retail and limited residential usage, as well as a traditional corporate campus and industrial park.
“This can bring in high-tech jobs at a faster build out,” Lott said. “It’s very exciting. Time is money.”