From the City of Apopka and Staff Reports
This Wednesday at 5pm, the Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will meet to decide the direction of a property located on the 300 block of East 8th Street intersecting South Higland Avenue.
At the January 15th Meeting,
Planning Manager and Acting CRA Director Bobby Howell laid out a plabn for the property.
"This is the plat for the A Street replat," he said. "The plat proposes creation of four single family lots ranging in size from .22 acres to .17 acres and a .083 acre community park. Property is located in the CRA community redevelopment area and is a CRA project. However, this is just a plat that's being considered tonight. There are no CRA stipulations tied to that. The intent is to redevelop the parcel to allow for the construction of four single family residences and the development of the park. Behind the references, the plat is shown on the screen for the record. Access is provided via South Highland Avenue and East 8th Street. Plat is consistent with Florida Statute 177 platting and the Development Review Committee recommends approval. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended motion this evening as approval."
But Commissioner Nadia Anderson did not see the need for a community park.
"So the park that is going to be behind the fout lots," she said. "I'm just concerned with that. I don't understand the point of that park. I think there's already a park in the area in regards to the maintenance of that park and just more activity for the community to kind of hang out in, engage in other activities."
According to Google Maps, the two nearest parks to 8th Street are Alonzo Williams (0.9 miles from the property) and Kit Land Nelson Park (1.1 miles away).
Then, at the February 5th meeting, a property owned by Duke Energy just a block away from the 8th Street property was presented to the Council as a potential homeless respurce center.
But Commissioner Nick Nesta had another idea.
"I guess the next question is why don't we... instead of (the other property on 8th Street) because this site has a lot of constraints to it. It's kind of awkwardly shaped especially if we add it to the other parts of the draft to vacate some right away. It it makes it very unique and very tight as well. The site that we have just down the block at 308 East 8th Street is over an acre. Why don't we just repurpose that for resource resource center, save the $137,000 and closing costs and whatever else it's gonna take to do that and just utilize that site that we already have that's a couple hundred feet away."
So what will it be? Affordable housing? A pocket park? A homeless resource center? Maybe you would rather see a larger park on the 8th Street property instead of four more houses... or a larger homeless resource center. Here's your chance to weigh-in and express your opinion on this property and on the direction the CRA takes in the future.
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The Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is seeking input from residents and community stakeholders to determine what they want to see in the updated Redevelopment Plan and how they want to see the CRA area continue to redevelop.
The meeting is on Wednesday, February 12th, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Apopka Community Center for the CRA Redevelopment Plan Update Community Meeting. At this meeting, there will be an opportunity to hear more about the plan and provide feedback.
The purpose of a Redevelopment Plan is to address changes in building stock, market conditions, demographics, technological advances, and many other challenges in hopes of improving the maintenance and quality of life for the enjoyment of all residents. The plan also aims to create vitality in the downtown area, which will spawn additional economic growth and increase property values.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, or if you would like to participate online in addition to attending in person, please visit our online feedback form to give your input on items or priorities that you have for the new plan.
Additional Community Redevelopment Agency Information
- What is the City of Apopka’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA)?
CRAs are a specifically focused financing tool for redevelopment. Under the Florida Statute, local governments can designate areas as Community Redevelopment Areas (CRA) when certain conditions exist, such as substandard or inadequate structures, a shortage of affordable housing, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient roadways, and inadequate parking. The City of Apopka and Orange County established the downtown CRA in 1993. Per Florida Statute, the CRA adopted a Redevelopment Plan in 1993, and an update of the Redevelopment Plan was adopted in 2017. In 2024, the CRA Board indicated that the 2017 update needs to be updated.
In addition, the CRA offers multiple residential and non-residential assistance programs for properties within the CRA. They include the Residential Fee Assistance Program (RFAP), Residential Renovation Assistance Program (RRAP), Demolition Assistance Program (DAP), Façade Renovation Assistance Program (FRAP), Building Code Assistance Program (BCAP), Building Permit Refund Assistance Program (BPRP), and the Business Impact Fee Assistance Program (BIFAP).
- What is a Redevelopment Plan?
The purpose of a Redevelopment Plan is to address changes in building stock, market conditions, demographics, technological advances, and many other challenges in hopes of improving the maintenance and quality of life for the enjoyment of all residents. The plan also aims to create vitality in the downtown area, which will spawn additional economic growth and increase property values.
- What does the process look like for updating the Redevelopment Plan?
The CRA seeks input from residents and community stakeholders to determine what they want to see in the updated Redevelopment Plan and how they want the CRA area to continue to improve and redevelop.
