City board looks to use funds to redevelop downtown Apopka

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The city of Apopka’s Community Redevelopment Agency Board unanimously approved two resolutions, including one that greenlights the $2.24 million budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 to include coverage of six CRA assistance programs, one demolition program, as well as the revitalization of the city of Apopka’s downtown area.  

The board met on Wednesday, August 21, at City Hall. The CRA Board consists of all five Apopka City Council members as well as Apopka restaurant manager Steve White and Orlando attorney Nikki White. White is the Orange County representative.  

The other resolution the CRA Board approved was to roll over the remaining, unspent trust fund money of $2.25 million from the 2018-2019 fiscal year into the new one. The city anticipates the $2.25 million will stay unused as of September 30.  

“Whenever we have projects, you’re supposed to spend that money within the three-year period unless it has a particular project that has to go from one year to the next in order to gain money to pay for it,” Jim Hitt, the city’s community redevelopment director and CRA director, told the board. 

The 2019-2020 CRA budget contains $1.62 million worth of multi-modal trail construction in several parts of the downtown area. Trails would include one going from Central Avenue and the Station Street Project – also known as the Downtown Apopka Triangle – to McGee Avenue, another one from the Downtown Apopka Triangle to Hawthorne Avenue and Alonzo Williams Park, and a third from Park Avenue to Hawthorne Avenue.  

The multi-modal trail projects would include lighting, landscaping, signage, and so forth.  

The $1.62-million budget includes $300,000 allocated for the Fifth Street Parking Lot construction, renovation and redevelopment. The city would go to bid with this project this September or October, Hitt said. Design was completed in-house, saving the city about $50,000.  

An estimated $200,000 would be needed for the actual construction.

Extra money, which the city has yet to calculate the numbers, is required for landscaping and a stem wall surrounding the parking lot, Hitt said.  

Established in 1993 under Florida statute using Tax Increment Funding, the Community Redevelopment Area contains a mix of businesses, residences and historical properties that need redevelopment or are considered for development. The city maintains a separate trust fund for projects in this area.  

Apopka’s Community Redevelopment Area is about 633 acres, or almost 1 square mile, said Hitt. 

The CRA regulates activities and programs offered within a Community Redevelopment Area.   

Local governments may identify areas as Community Redevelopment Areas. Since all funds used in financing CRA activities are locally created, the state does not oversee CRAs. However, redevelopment plans must be in line with local government comprehensive plans.  

In accordance with Florida statute, the city must post the Community Redevelopment Area map and previous two years’ budgets online.

After the CRA Board’s approval, the items will be publish on the city’s website.

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