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CRA counsel urges Riviera Beach to expedite major projects after state legislation threat
Summary
City general counsel reported that a proposed state-level CRA bill did not pass this year but could return; counsel recommended accelerating or ‘papering’ large CRA projects to reduce legal risk if the bill resurfaces next year.
General counsel for the City of Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency told the board that a proposed change to state law affecting CRAs failed to pass in the recent legislative session but could return next year, and he urged staff and commissioners to accelerate key redevelopment projects and complete necessary paperwork.
The topic matters because a future law could limit the CRA’s ability to initiate or approve new projects; legal counsel said preparing projects on an accelerated timeline would reduce the risk that the CRA could be blocked by future state action.
The counsel from Pittman Law Group said the legislature considered “a very draconian bill” that would have prohibited new projects after Oct. 1 and that the measure did not pass in the most recent session. He cautioned that failed bills often reappear in subsequent sessions and recommended that the CRA “expedite any big projects that we have and that we get into those projects and get them papered” within the next nine to 10 months to avoid future constraints.
Executive Director Jadel Mercius acknowledged the warning and said staff will prioritize certain high-profile projects and work to ensure required documentation is in place for planned waterfront and marina developments.
Counsel’s remarks were delivered as a briefing rather than a formal action item. Commissioners responded by noting the market sensitivity of development timing and the need to balance speed with prudent financial and procurement practices. Counsel urged that papering projects — meaning completing agreements and approvals — would provide a safeguard if the state revisits restrictive CRA legislation.
Staff did not present a formal timeline at the meeting; counsel and the executive director said they will return with further recommendations and documentation for projects the CRA should prioritize.
