Apopka CRA races to budget trail, parks and home-repair projects as state bills threaten new work after Oct. 1

Apopka’s Community Redevelopment Agency met Nov. 6 to examine a proposed project list and to prioritize spending after state bills that would sharply limit CRA powers were filed in Tallahassee.

“We're here this evening to discuss House Bill 9 91 and senate bill 12 42,” said Bobby Howell, planning manager and interim executive director for the CRA, opening the presentation on the items staff recommended to close out or accelerate if the legislation takes effect.

Those bills, Howell said, would “limit the powers of CRAs” and — in the worst-case scenario the agency discussed — would prevent CRAs from initiating new projects after Oct. 1, 2025 unless the project was fully budgeted or otherwise exempt. Cliff Shepherd, who identified himself as the FRA attorney of record, told the board that the situation was unsettled in the legislature and counsel advised a conservative planning approach. “For today's purposes you should plan as if you're not going to get to go any more past this year,” Shepherd said.

Why it matters: Apopka’s CRA relies largely on tax-increment financing (TIF) revenues that the city now receives as rebates from the county. If the legislature restricts CRAs’ ability to start or budget new projects, the city could be required to return unspent CRA funds to the county rather than reallocate them locally. That would halt or delay capital work under active consideration, including a multi-phase downtown trail, several park upgrades and property acquisitions.

What staff presented: Howell and CRA staff (Radley and Blanche) walked the board through a proposed list intended to “close out” or accelerate work if the bills pass in their current form. Items discussed included: - Completion of the Downtown Apopka Trail to Alabama Avenue and a Central Avenue segment of the trail (trail work was shown as a multi-phase item on staff slides). - City Hall pocket park (benches/seating near a bakery on…