City staff presented a proposal to transfer ownership of a parcel at 206 C Street (address referenced during the meeting) into the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency to facilitate redevelopment.
Staff said the county had acquired the parcel and offered it to the city; the city accepted the parcel and staff recommended transferring it to the CRA because the CRA has broader tools and flexibility to work with developers than the city’s general fund process. “To the CRA means that the CRA has a whole lot more development potential than the city,” a staff member said.
Commissioners asked whether the transfer is automatic for properties inside the CRA boundary; staff said the commission must approve a transfer and that placement in the CRA gives the agency more flexibility to redevelop rather than leaving the city to maintain a vacant lot. Staff indicated the transfer will allow the CRA to pursue redevelopment options; no formal vote was recorded in the meeting transcript provided.