Title
Staff Review of APD's Preliminary Blight Findings Report for the Expansion of the CRA's Eastside District (B)
Explanation
Asset Property Disposition, Inc. (APD) was commissioned by Mr. Robert Simensky, developer of the proposed Hatchet Creek Planned Unit Development next to the Gainesville Regional Airport, to conduct a Blight Findings Report for the Waldo Road Corridor, including the project site, as part of Mr. Simensky's request to expand the Eastside Community Redevelopment District. APD's report was presented to the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) on July 16, 2007. After that presentation, the CRA approved a motion requesting that the City Commission ask staff to review the study and report staff's findings to the City Commission.
On November 19, 2007, the City Commission approved a motion referring APD's report to Planning and Development Services staff for review and recommendations.
In the attached memorandum, staff analyzes whether or not APD's report documents that the study area meets the statutory definition of Slum Area or Blight Area. Staff from Public Works, Codes Enforcement, GPD, Building, Planning, Neighborhood Planning, Housing, and Community Development Block Grant coordinated in developing the memorandum. A City Commission finding that the study area meets the State's definition of Slum Area or Blight Area is necessary to include the study area in the Eastside CRA district.
State law (Section 163.355, F.S.) says that to expand a CRA district, a city must adopt a resolution finding that the proposed expansion area meets the State of Florida's statutory definition of Slum Area or Blighted Area. The APD report indicates that the subject property meets the criteria for Blighted Area.
The State definition of Blighted Area contains two parts, both of which must be present for an area to meet the definition. The first part is the first paragraph of Section 163.340 (8), F.S., which states that:
"Blighted Area" me...
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