Creating a “Sustainable Satellite Beach” has been a catch phrase for years but it is quickly becoming a reality as evidenced by the city reaching its first Green Achievement Target (GAT) with the grand opening of its Logos Community Garden at 4 p.m. Sept. 9.
The garden is part of the Sustainability Action Plan developed in conjunction with Florida Institute of Technology intern Zach Eichholt. The 20 GATS, to be fulfilled within five years, include recommendations for specific actions to be measured for success. The garden is a sister project to FIT’s “Ethos” community garden.
Satellite Beach, with its official Sustainability Board, leads the state in such efforts for a smaller city. That word has gotten out as evidenced by Eichholt, board members and city officials being asked to give pointers to other cities about their experiences at the Florida Planning Association conference to be held in Daytona Beach, Sept. 5-8.
One example of sustainability expected to be discussed is the city’s six bat houses installed over the last two years. They are inexpensive yet one bat house can hold up to 500 bats and reduce the mosquito population.
The community garden project was “low hanging fruit” for the plan because the garden was a public project and had been in the planning stage, said FIT master’s degree student Eichholz, who took about a year writing the 49-page Sustainability Action Plan adopted by the City Council this May.
“To us it just made sense and it seemed to also be a great way to show off the plan’s intentions and power of change for the betterment of all city residents with the opening of a beautiful new community garden in a very public and well-loved spot, Desoto Park,’’ he said.
Other GATs, already in planning or in the works, include converting municipal buildings to solar power in the next two decades, starting with the City Hall/Civic Center; installing an electric vehicle charging station at a municipal building; employing xeriscaping practices at all municipal building grounds; and, eventually, replacing all fossil fuel-based city administrative vehicles with electric vehicles.
Environmental Program Coordinator Nick Sanzone said he is pleased with the progress so far, and the reputation for sustainability the city has achieved, but he noted there is much more to be accomplished and that takes community involvement.
“The idea is that the city is cultivating a volunteer network for sustainability efforts of all kinds. I want to have everybody’s thoughts on how to make the community better,’’ he said.
Eichholz said the biggest challenge in making a smaller city sustainable is overcoming the perception that such efforts are too expensive. “I think Satellite has shown that being sustainable can be done at all levels of government and that even small changes can make a difference,’’ he said.
The Logos Community Garden, located on the south end of the Desoto Park next to the tennis courts at 499 Desoto Parkway, is comprised of 4-by-8 beds for rent for $50 by residents wanting to create their own gardens for their own produce. The beds will be irrigated through a series of rain barrels which collect water from a nearby roof. The project also includes a shade house for sprouting seeds and growing pollinator plants sensitive to light.
Volunteers are needed; contact Environmetal Program Coordinator Nick Saszone at nsanzone@satellitebeach.org.