Downtown ad hoc committee begins work
An ad hoc committee for matters relating to the downtown zoning district of Fort Myers Beach formalized during an organizational meeting Thursday and began to look into community redevelopment agency (CRA) issues.
After selecting LPA Chairman Hank Zuba as its chairperson and Beach resident John Pohland as vice chair, the committee set its priority goals relating to CRA, FEMA and pedestrian impact on traffic. Downtown FMB is defined as between DiamondHead Resort and Lynn Hall Park, including Old San Carlos Boulevard and what was formally known as Seafarer’s Mall and Helmerich Plaza.
Zuba suggested the committee mission focus first on CRA.
“The primary goal is to evaluate CRA options for our downtown area and whether or not it is economical or politically doable,” said Zuba. “Our job is to recommend to the Council whether or not it is a good idea to have a CRA and, if so, how long and with what effect.”
The Town originally had a CRA that encompassed the entire island, but centered on Times Square in hopes of alleviating traffic by creating a pedestrian walking district in place of a road. That CRA is no longer in place, but another may be needed to address issues and generate revenue on development in the downtown region.
Mayor Anita Cereceda, the Council liaison of the group that includes Public Safety Committee Chairman Bruce Butcher, Smokin’ Oyster Brewery owner Bill Freeman and Beach resident Tracey Gore, confirmed the focus is to see if a CRA, known as a mechanism of a dependent special district in which any future increases in property values are set aside to support economic development projects with the district, is really needed.
“I think CRA is a time of the essence issue,” said Cereceda, “to generate a tax increment fund by whatever redevelopment at Seafarer’s and Helmerich plus the other commercial developments that will happen in the downtown area. FEMA regulations will redefine redevelopment downtown.”
A six-month general timeline has been set for providing suggestions and presenting findings. If a consensus on an issue is approved, Council will hear about it sooner.
Defining CRA was the first task of understanding for the committee. Maureen Rischitelli, the ad hoc staff liaison, provided the group with Florida Redevelopment Association information on CRAs.
“The CRA establishes an area and defines it as ‘blighted’ and says how much tax revenue is being generated,” said Zuba. “You establish some kind of a value for the vacant parcels for its highest and best possible use.”
“The point is to capture tax dollars,” added Cereceda. “If it is feasible, will it give us future potential revenue stream for whatever is needed downtown?”
The term “blighted” was discussed and agreed upon to be merely a governmental technical term in reference to CRAs and recommended Florida statute language. Roundabouts and Florida DOT’s acquisition of the Estero Boulevard section from the end of bridge to Crescent Street were also discussed and could be discussed more in depth later.
The Town has a downtown redevelopment agency (DRA) in place. While that money is used for maintenance purposes (repair to the Town fountain, for instance), DRAs do not generate revenue.
“(DRAs) are not going to help to redevelop those vacant sites,” said Zuba. “It doesn’t help us generate enough money to acquire additional sites.”
Beach Chamber President Bud Nocera, who was in attendance, confirmed that statement.
“A DRA is not going to be able to put in tax increment financing,” he said. “Generally speaking, a DRA is the implementation source once the tax increment money is generated.”
Captured taxes from properties in the downtown zoning district would come from the same tax pot already allocated, says officials. The budget process would be to move some of the tax money from the existing pot into a CRA pot.
The committee was formed after Zuba made a formal request to Council to encourage Town officials to look into a community development plan at Seafarer’s and Helmerich plazas. The narrow scope was broadened to include the downtown zoning district.
The downtown ad hoc committee will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at noon, as well as Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. Hopes are to bring in speakers, such as Town Manager Don Stilwell, former Town Manager Marsha Segal-George and/or Florida DOT’s Carmen Munroy, to explain CRA programs and related downtown development at future meetings.
Residents and business owners in the affected area are encouraged to attend future meetings. Public comment will be taken.
Questions that arose in the meeting are expected to be answered.
“I think with the questions that everybody is raising here, those answers will be extraordinarily helpful for the Council to better understand the dynamics,” said Cereceda. “Because, if this small group doesn’t understand it, we will never be able to explain it to the general public.”