Commission directs staff to prepare public solicitation for community center site; title search pending

The City Commission instructed staff to prepare a public solicitation for proposals related to the community center site in the CRA area and to follow statutory public-notice rules for disposal of CRA-owned property. Staff said a title review for the site is expected back next week and reminded commissioners that state law requires public notice and an opportunity for competing proposals before the city may dispose of CRA property.

Why it matters: Two proposals or interests have been discussed publicly for the community center site; commissioners emphasized that any unsolicited proposal that involves CRA property must be advertised so others can submit competing proposals. Staff said that statutory notice requirements include published advertisements and posting so the public and other developers can respond.

What the commission directed: Commissioners directed staff to prepare the public solicitation and associated notice and to return with a draft. During the workshop commissioners expressed a preference to limit the initial solicitation to the community center parcel (not to tie in an adjacent downtown parcel that one proposer had sought to include). Commissioners also discussed an advertisement window: staff advised the statutory minimum and Commissioners discussed opening responses for 45 days; several commissioners asked staff to prepare a 45-day response window following public notice and to work the timeline so the solicitation does not fall wholly into the holiday season.

Legal and procedural notes: Staff and the city attorney (staff) reminded the Commission that the CRA/public-land disposal process requires publishing notice (the transcript refers to the statutory public-notice requirement) and distributing the unsolicited proposal information so that competing proposers can respond. If the Commission chooses not to move forward with an unsolicited proposal the city may decline it, but if the Commission considers it the public-notice process must run. Staff noted appraisals and title work as part of the process and said the title review was pending.

Next steps and caveats: Staff will: obtain the completed title search for the community center site; prepare draft public-notice language and an RFP/RFQ tailored to the Commission’s direction; and return to the Commission with the draft and a recommended response period. Commissioners emphasized they retain final approval of any sale or developer agreement and can reject any proposals.