Title
Potential Eastside Redevelopment Area Expansion, Study Area 1 (B)
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. On January 15, 2009, WilsonMiller and City staff presented the findings of the study (the Report) and additional information for the City Commission's consideration. At that time, the City Commission accepted a report from the consultant addressing blighted conditions in the proposed expansion area (Study Area 1), received public input, and adopted a resolution finding blight in the area. Additionally, the City Commission also referred the report and the resolution to the Community Redevelopment Agency and recommended the CRA amend the Eastside Area Redevelopment Plan as appropriate.
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 Statutes 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, the City of Gainesville found that 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, the City of Gainesville found that Study Area 1 also meets the second test.
The next steps in the process are as follows: Should the CRA wish to pursue an expansion of the Eastside Redevelopment Area, Staff will identify the appropriate boundary amendments to the Eastside Redevelopment Plan and will work with the Eastside Redevelopment Advisory Board and the community to draft the appropriate Plan amendments as well as any necessary text changes to the Plan. Once a draft Plan is complete, the issue will go before ERAB and then CRA will hold a meeting to approve the amended Redevelopment Plan and to recommend City Commission adopts the amended Plan. At that time, the CRA must provide notification to taxing authorities that the CRA has approved Redevelopment Plan amendments which include modifying the boundaries of a Redevelopment Area, and that the CRA is recommending the City Commission also approve these changes. The County will then have a 30-day window in which to notify CRA and City if the County has competing policy goals and plans for the public funds the County would be required to deposit to the community redevelopment trust fund under the proposed modification to the Redevelopment Plan. If such notice is provided, a joint City/County Commission will be held to discuss the proposed modifications. Following this meeting, the City Commission will hold a meeting to adopt the amended Redevelopment Plan, and to request the City Attorney prepare ordinances redefining the legal description of the Redevelopment Area and defining the base value for tax increment calculations. The City Commission will then hold meetings to adopt these ordinances related to CRA boundaries and the tax increment base value for newly established CRA areas.
Fiscal Note
None at this time.
Recommendation
City Commission to the CRA: 1) Consider the report and the City Commission resolution and direct staff to prepare a draft amendment to the Eastside Area Redevelopment Plan to amend the boundaries to include Study Area 1; and 2) make any text amendments to the Plan as appropriate.
Alternative recommendation: Do not amend the Eastside Area Redevelopment Plan.