Title
Eastside Redevelopment Area Expansion, Study Area 1 (B)
A resolution of the City Commission of the City of Gainesville, Florida, finding that the conditions in a certain area in the eastern portion of the City of Gainesville (Study Area 1) constitute blight, and that the rehabilitation, conservation, redevelopment, or combination thereof of such area is necessary in the interest of the public health, safety, morals or welfare of the residents of the City; and providing an immediate effective date.
Explanation
In February of 2008, the City Commission allocated funds to study expanding the Eastside CRA Area to the northeast (See the attached map). The City retained WilsonMiller to conduct the study which has been completed and is now on file in the office of the Clerk of the Commission. WilsonMiller and staff will present the findings of the study (the Report) and additional information for the City Commission's consideration.
The resolution finding blight is the first step necessary to expand the Eastside redevelopment area to include the subject property, which will allow the property to generate tax increment funds to assist in rehabilitating and redeveloping the area. Should a potential expansion of the Eastside Redevelopment Area move forward, it may also become important to consider the impact of new legislation affecting the funding structure for redevelopment trust funds. This legislation has come into effect since the last boundary modification to one of Gainesville's Redevelopment Area's, and a potential Eastside expansion would be the first local action impacted by these changes. As such, the City and the CRA may wish to engage the County in discussion related to potential funding structures and contributions to the redevelopment trust fund for any potential expansion areas to the Eastside Community Redevelopment Area (the funding structure for areas currently within the CRA would not be affected). An appropriate timeframe to consider any such discussions would occur if/when the CRA proposes Redevelopment Plan modifications that would expand the boundaries of the Redevelopment Area.
Florida Statues indicate that there is a two part process to determine if blight exists in an area. The first part of the process requires that the area must contain a "substantial number of deteriorated or deteriorating structures . . ." The WilsonMiller Report contains data indicating the presence of a substantial number of deteriorated or deteriorating structures within Study Area 1. Therefore, Study Area 1 meets the first test.
The second part of the process requires at least two of 14 factors listed in the Statute to be present within the study area. The WilsonMiller Report contains data indicating the presence of five of the 14 factors, including "Incidence of crime in the area higher than in the remainder of the municipality" and "Fire and emergency medical service calls to the area proportionately higher than in the remainder of the municipality." Therefore, Study Area 1 also meets the second test.
Fiscal Note
None
Recommendation
The City Commission 1) accept a report from the consultant addressing blighted conditions in the proposed expansion area (Study Area 1); 2) receive public input; 3) adopt the proposed resolution; and 4) refer the report and the resolution to the Community Redevelopment Agency and recommend the CRA amend the Eastside Area Redevelopment Plan as appropriate.
Alternative recommendation: do not adopt the proposed resolution.