Meeting for community input to take place April 23
By Teresa Sargeant
Reporter
In light of two new bills introduced during the current state legislative session impacting Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), the Apopka CRA Board reviewed almost a dozen projects at its April 16 meeting before the projects could potentially be impacted by the bills, if they become law.
Interim CRA director Bobby Howell explained that House Bill 991 and Senate Bill 1242 would limit CRA powers after Oct. 1, and outlined the proposed projects to close out the CRA if the bill becomes law, including trail completion, park upgrade and property acquisitions.
City attorney Cliff Shepard said although there is disagreement in the House and the Senate about what bill or amendments they’d like to see, he advised the CRA board to plan its projects as if the CRA would cease to exist starting this year.
“Right now, if you’re planning, I think this (projects) list is great because you cannot move fast enough to keep up with the changing mind of the legislature,” Shepard said. “So, if you could get these projects underway sooner rather than later, that’s what I would do.”
However, the Legislature might find a way for CRAs to continue albeit with tighter reins and penalties for non-compliance such as what to spend the funds on, Shepard explained.
In the event the bills becomes law, details of the following projects would need to be updated before Oct. 1, according to information in the CRA Board meeting packet: the Central Avenue portion of the Downtown Apopka Trail; the City Hall Park; the upgrades of Apopka Action Sports Park, Alonzo Williams Park amenities and Edwards Field amenities; signal and pedestrian upgrades to Fifth and Central Avenue; property acquisitions for the expansion of Alonzo Williams Park and Kit Land Nelson Park; Fifth Street gas lamps; and the Eighth Street and Highland Avenue homes and neighborhood park.
Specific projects include $305,000 for Edwards Field improvements, $275,000 for residential improvements, and potential land acquisitions.
The board also deferred final decisions on acquisitions like the Quest property located on the corner of West Fourth Street and South Washington Street, pending further discussion.
Concerns were raised about the lack of community involvement in the CRA process and the call for more equitable distribution of funds, and how money is spent on projects that don’t benefit the entire community.
Resident Clinton Stanley recommended the CRA increases its budget to help more people because the $250,000 budget in the residential renovation assistant program only helps a small percentage of the community. Stanley brought up the need for more focus on youth programs and access to resources to the community.
During public comment, Mario Hicks proposed allocating $1 million for the 459 homes in the CRA area.
“Developers don’t need impact fees waived in thousands of dollars,” Hick said. “The residents that are on fixed incomes and property owners that have inherited their properties, and they really, really need these funds and should be able to get them. We need to reconsider some of these plans and programs that are set forth here today.”
To get more citizen input on allocations, the CRA Board scheduled a follow-up meeting at 6 p.m. on April 23 at Apopka City Hall.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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