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Panama City commission adopts resolution to expand St. Andrews community redevelopment area
Summary
The Panama City Commission unanimously adopted Resolution 20250408.1 on April 8, 2025, approving a finding of necessity and extending the boundary of the St. Andrews Community Redevelopment Area; the county will retain 26% of tax increment from the expanded parcels, the city said.
The Panama City Commission on April 8 adopted Resolution 20250408.1, approving a finding of necessity to expand the St. Andrews Community Redevelopment Area and authorizing an interlocal agreement with Bay County. The vote was 4-0.
The resolution, which cites the findings prepared by GAI Consultants, concludes that blighted conditions exist across approximately 2.14 acres and authorizes the city to add the territory shown in the attached exhibit to the St. Andrews CRA. City staff told commissioners the county negotiated to retain 26% of the tax-increment revenue generated by parcels in the newly expanded area; by contrast the city said the county kept 15% under an earlier Downtown North expansion.
Why it matters: expanding a CRA allows tax increments generated inside the boundary to be reinvested in that area, funding public infrastructure and improvements without raising property tax rates citywide. Staff recommended adoption after the Community Redevelopment Agency and the planning board reviewed the consultant findings.
City staff said the finding of necessity followed the criteria in chapter 163 of Florida statutes and was reviewed by the CRA board on Feb. 18, 2025. The commission approved the resolution after a public hearing and brief public comment.
Public comment focused on how the expansion and related projects would affect access and parking at the St. Andrews Marina. Derek Thomas, who identified himself as living on West 10th Street, said parts of the marina have been effectively closed to public trailer parking and urged the city to address trailer parking and temporary construction laydown uses that block boat-trailer spaces. "Those are the only boat trailer parking spaces at that marina and they have all been for 90% of the time closed to the public," Thomas said.
City staff responded that some spaces are limited during current construction of 50 new slips and that the city is studying additional trailer parking behind nearby businesses to add 17–18 trailer spots. A staff member said the construction contractor is using portions of the marina as a laydown yard and staff would "check into it" and attempt to minimize the impact while work continues.
Commissioner questions centered on the types of projects the CRA can fund; staff listed typical uses such as paving, stormwater, sidewalks, streetscaping and blight cleanup. One resident asked how CRA spending benefits homeowners; staff reiterated that tax increments from the designated area are invested back into improvements inside the CRA.
The resolution text (20250408.1) was read into the record. The commission voted to adopt the resolution 4-0, which brings the expansion into effect subject to the interlocal agreement with Bay County.
Following the vote, Mayor Michael X. Rowan Sr. closed public comment and the commission moved on to other agenda items.
