[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6328979,"mediaKeyId","2316518-e09a61f9670c37d0051bcba078fce272","parentId",2316518,"title","Apopka CRA debates Eighth Street plat: pocket park proposal divides board, staff to rework options","audioSeconds",1196,"startMs",536000,"endMs",1732000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316518-e09a61f9670c37d0051bcba078fce272&start=536&end=1732","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316518-e09a61f9670c37d0051bcba078fce272/thumbnail_536000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6328979/Apopka/Orange-County/Florida/Apopka-CRA-debates-Eighth-Street-plat-pocket-park-proposal-divides-board-staff-to-rework-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328979-fec77f0937cd372b8bc8e8cc678158b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776571199&Signature=PikuzG7zUkB4y0GS2AzN2t~1uN-Fi5RgblAJsLf7II3-IPgJ5NXuvvrr7ze1EVIdwnNWweCjNhmicDnY2KZgNG-wz1CEOrywNjBV5w2I9~ouRjZWkujNCSV4aMMw0ViAqGiXHom91M7FcD7zMOJaUYzDdfzBgrRFs3o57MPU4kWF9-aYQlPjEI9pSB66UlQt7vglAUvnCtYzkjDm-vyWPjlHPjE3kxBzF9dAPzFirpsQgpItMzZBhhcjxDkYZHYB5bROFdtbPnaE1SYdDgIWOX~7rW4Fr0rlwewmc4k8N8pMIdJRm0Q6~4NgVaBzzQfo6s1nLy5K2NrckxKrOc4EHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Apopka, FL","date","2025-02-13T19:52:25Z","article","City planning staff presented a proposed replat for a city-owned parcel on Eighth Street in the downtown CRA that would subdivide the site into four lots; the plan also included a small park on the parcel, but board members and residents debated whether the site should instead be reconfigured to permit additional homes.

The plat, presented to the City Council on Jan. 15 and returned to the CRA for further discussion, drew concerns that a park at that location could attract criminal activity. Member Nesta said she “still find[s] value in having the park,” noting the neighborhood lacks walkable open space. Member Drago and other board members urged a housing-first approach, arguing deeper lots and template-driven housing could increase property values and put city parcels back onto the tax rolls.

Member Drago said 60-foot lot widths are narrow for building a “decent house” and recommended reconfiguring the site so rear-yard depths would be about 190 to 200 feet without encroaching on a stormwater easement. He also suggested issuing an RFP that would require selected builders to use a limited set of architectural templates to raise housing quality across multiple city-owned parcels.

Staff cautioned that the rear of the parcel contains a stormwater easement and that the easement limits buildable area; as a staff member put it, the easement “can be your backyard, but it's not your backyard.” Board members discussed specific lot dimensions: Lot 1 was identified as roughly 80 feet deep while the other three lots were about 60 feet, and an easement along the east side was noted as roughly 33 feet wide. An attendee and several board members proposed a master planning approach that would consider several vacant city parcels in the CRA together so development could be done at scale.

Member Williams urged safeguards when deeding city land to developers — deed restrictions, milestones in an RFP and a right of first refusal — to prevent conveyances that fail to produce the intended affordable housing or to sit undeveloped years after transfer.

No formal motion or vote occurred at the meeting. Chair remarks toward the end characterized the outcome as “no consensus,” and staff were asked to return with revised options for lot sizes, park location and whether to pursue a master-plan RFP covering multiple city-owned parcels in the CRA.

Background: The parcel had been presented earlier as a plat to the City Council and was tabled due to neighborhood concerns. The discussion included residents’ calls for parks and amenities and board members’ calls for housing that increases property values and tax rolls.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Workshop February 12 2025 at the Apopka Community Center","oneSentenceSummary","The CRA and board members discussed a city-owned Eighth Street parcel proposed for four lots and a pocket park; board members split between increasing lot depth for additional homes and keeping a small park. No formal decision was reached; staff will return with revised options.","taxTitle","Apopka, Orange County, Florida","taxId",4597,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328984,"Apopka CRA launches outreach to rewrite 2017 redevelopment plan; public input open through Feb. 28",1918,82000,2000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316518-e09a61f9670c37d0051bcba078fce272&start=82&end=2000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316518-e09a61f9670c37d0051bcba078fce272/thumbnail_82000.jpg","/articles/6328984/Apopka/Orange-County/Florida/Apopka-CRA-launches-outreach-to-rewrite-2017-redevelopment-plan-public-input-open-through-Feb-28","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328984-f25ac850cf38cf1589d1a2be226e5e05/orig.mp4?Expires=1776571199&Signature=Alk9hI9x1a0sX-B6-d1lhIDhhu2~FeX1qyA~ivUtK4S0-z6N2b-MRtjYHBpC87kh~2fFQXVEhWUC-T1ha2t2ZpsGrcdx2GKc1hWONuCZC7TAzAGxIp5pSgl-m0hO-sE9rbx~JF6ZMHYpxFHbIwyCydZ4~OcKASRHtpPF9iz~1FnWkFsVVw9B6LGKv7CpG~XyTIw99xYZ7N6~jZEixJaOJxXaInouFWrCv77ughhqMT6CEu~2Co32dM7gmOg7BUIuozkWEd8u9mvTbrQdvFyNT5dbaD-Sqfg3YKMPoANqC5w2qO~j2w1vhzTzjx7vD2mGGo5nqHn4GsukhZwEY2G5yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bobby Hall, the city’s planning manager and interim Community Redevelopment Agency director, told residents that the CRA will hire a consultant to rewrite the agency’s 2017 redevelopment plan and asked attendees to complete questionnaires or visit QR-linked materials by Feb. 28.

The rewrite effort follows a Nov. 6, 2024 CRA board direction to staff to begin a rewrite because many parts of the 2017 update are now out of date and unimplemented. Hall described the purpose of a CRA and said the district — roughly 400 acres covering downtown Apopka — has a mixed set of future land-use designations that complicate redevelopment planning.

“The CRA is responsible for developing and implementing the community redevelopment plan that addresses the unique needs of a targeted area,” Hall said. He told the meeting the plan is a “living document” that can be amended and that staff will collect tonight’s findings and pass them to a consultant hired through a request-for-qualifications process.

At five staffed stations, residents were invited to comment on themes including health and recreation, diverse retail and restaurants, cultural amenities, infrastructure, and technology investments. Hall said staff will post the session results to the city website and that public input submitted online will be accepted through Feb. 28.

Several speakers suggested next steps for public engagement. One attendee proposed using the collected results to fund a subsequent visioning workshop so residents can see visual options — for example, how wide sidewalks or mixed-use development would actually look in the downtown — before the consultant drafts the plan. Hall responded that a visioning workshop would be possible if it matched the board’s direction.

Staff thanked information-technology and planning employees for preparing the QR codes and materials and said the consultant’s work and schedule will return to the CRA board after an RFQ process.

No formal vote or final decisions about plan content were taken during the session; staff described this meeting as an information- and input-gathering step ahead of the formal consultant selection and plan-drafting process.

Background: Hall said the CRA was created in 1993 and updated its redevelopment plan in 2017. He also cited examples from the Florida Redevelopment Association of typical CRA projects — streetscapes, sidewalks, parks, street trees, façade grants and other incentives — while noting that the CRA’s pattern of multiple future land uses within the district creates inconsistencies for developers and residents.","City planning staff led an interactive public session as the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) begins work to rewrite its 2017 redevelopment plan; staff will collect feedback, post results online and seek a consultant via an RFQ to prepare the update.","actionData","errors"]

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Apopka CRA debates Eighth Street plat: pocket park proposal divides board, staff to rework options

Apopka CRA launches outreach to rewrite 2017 redevelopment plan; public input open through Feb. 28