Eustis commissioners on Jan. 13 signaled consensus to hire outside professional help to move the city’s downtown master plan toward implementation and to hold a follow-up workshop before the plan is formally incorporated into the Community Redevelopment Area redevelopment plan. The commission’s informal agreement directs staff to pursue consultant options and schedule additional discussion in February so commissioners can consider next steps, including procurement for development- and finance-focused assistance.

The master plan, completed in late 2024, provides high-level guidance for downtown redevelopment. City Manager Tom and outside consultant Mike Gohman of Gohman & York told the commission the document is a solid first step but not detailed enough for lenders and developers. Gohman said master plans commonly require a second phase of market-specific work — detailed drive-time analyses, tenant/amenity lists, pro formas and development-agreement negotiation support — before a municipality can effectively market a site to investors.

Commissioners and staff discussed which next steps should happen in parallel: (1) soliciting a developer-facing economic and financial consultant to vet developer pro formas and help structure development agreements; (2) hiring a real-estate development attorney or retaining counsel with experience drafting development agreements; and (3) a targeted outreach plan to potential developers and investors using market data. City staff told the commission the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will consider recommending incorporation of the master plan into the CRA redevelopment plan at its Jan. 16 meeting; the City Commission would then consider incorporation (likely in February) if the CRA forwards a recommendation.

The discussion produced an operational direction rather than a formal ordinance or binding contract. Commissioners asked staff to circulate procurement options and proposed scopes of work for a development-market consultant and for specialized real-estate legal counsel so the commission can decide at its next available meeting. Staff said any consultant procurement would follow normal purchasing rules and could be structured as a services contract, an RFQ/RFP process or a procurement waiver where lawful.

Commissioners emphasized speed and momentum in light of improving capital markets identified by the consultant and the potential for private-sector interest in Florida redevelopment projects. Several commissioners said the city should pursue multiple tracks concurrently — design standards/architectural guidelines, a targeted consultant to test market feasibility and a development attorney to draft contract protections — so the city can respond quickly if a developer shows interest.

Next procedural steps the commission directed staff to prepare: a proposed scope and procurement path for a downtown/development consultant, names or categories of specialized real-estate counsel for the city’s legal team to evaluate, and scheduling of a dedicated workshop in February to review consultant proposals and the detailed next-phase scope.

Meeting outcome: commissioners expressed consensus to pursue professional consultant support and hold a follow-up workshop; no formal vote was taken.