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Council approves interlocal agreement with Gas Works CDD to fund downtown infrastructure
Summary
Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement among the Gas Works Community Development District, the City of Tampa and the Community Redevelopment Agency to fund infrastructure improvements within multiple CRAs; council members emphasized the CDD—not the private developer—will be the contracting entity for the funds.
Morris Massey of the legal department presented a proposed interlocal agreement among the Gas Works Community Development District (CDD), the City of Tampa and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to fund infrastructure improvements in three downtown CRA areas: Central Park, Ybor 2 and downtown. Massey said the council had previously approved the concept and the CRA had asked for negotiated agreement language.
Councilmember Carlson, who had earlier raised transparency concerns about developer subsidies, said the revised agreement removed direct references to the developer as a payee; instead, the CDD will manage infrastructure spending and the improvements will become city-owned. Carlson noted the CDD is subject to sunshine and public-records rules, which provides public oversight in contrast with prior arrangements where developer payments had less transparent accounting.
Tyler Hudson, counsel for the developer, and Cliff Shepherd, CRA counsel, reviewed the revisions. Massey said he and the CRA attorney had reviewed the proposed edits and judged them non-substantive; the council voted unanimously to approve the interlocal agreement.
Councilmembers said the infrastructure investment could yield a substantial return in taxable value once redevelopment occurs; several members urged caution about transparency and about ensuring city-owned infrastructure is the focus of CRA spending rather than direct cash subsidies to a private developer.
