Got cement? On St. Pete Beach, you can turn your asphalt or cement right of way space into a lush, tree-filled space – and the City will pay for it.
Cathy Salustri
Homeowners in St. Pete Beach can apply for a new beautification program if the home lacks vegetation in the right of way. According to a Mar. 12 press release, the homeowner must also permit the city to plant trees and vegetation in said right of way.
Although the city commission agreed to fund the project, but funds are slim, so the process is first come, first serve. Interested homeowners can apply online. St. Pete Beach Chief Operating Officer, Jennifer McMahon, will oversee and monitor this project.
“We are excited to have these beautification program funds available and urge residents to take advantage of them. Everyone will enjoy the look of the new greenspace. The program increases the beauty of our streets and improves the tree canopy, McMahon wrote in the release.
The three-step program is free to the homeowner, and once the City of St. Pete Beach reviews and approves the application, the City makes arrangements for the project.
The replacement of cement and asphalt with trees and vegetation will ensure a more ecologically sound landscape and increase the City’s tree canopy, according to the press release.
Here’s how the program works: Interested homeowners apply to the program and if approved, the City reviews available funds and distributes them accordingly. Then, the city sends out city workers and contract workers to scope out the landscape and plant trees and vegetation for the homeowners.
After the trees get planted, the homeowner can complete a survey about the process; the City will review the feedback and determine how to use it to better the program.
For more information contact McMahon at 727-363-9274 or email rddirector@stpetebeach.com.
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