Jacksonville Beach CRA discusses South End plan amendment, 50% TIF reduction and public-art additions

The Jacksonville Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday discussed a planned amendment to its South End redevelopment plan that would formalize a 50% reduction in tax-increment financing (TIF) revenue, add public-art projects and make the South End plan stylistically consistent with the CRA’s downtown plan.

The amendment is intended to reflect a practice the agency says has been in effect since February 2019 and to document projects and priorities, not to immediately change revenue flows. Taylor (CRA staff) told the board, “Just because it’s in the plan, it we are not authorizing the reduction.” She said a formal resolution would be required and that any final change would also need city council and City of Jacksonville (COJ) notifications and approvals.

Board members pressed staff for fiscal and implementation details. One board member said the South End capital improvement program (CIP) currently lists about $14,000,000 in projects, with roughly $7,000,000 budgeted for the coming fiscal year and about $7–8 million remaining to complete identified work. Board members and staff emphasized that the reduction to 50% would not be irrevocable; the CRA could bring a future resolution to increase the TIF share if financing needs change.

Taylor described the amendment’s other changes: adding public art opportunities in the South End, carrying forward identified capital projects so they are eligible for CRA funding, and standardizing plan presentation with the downtown plan. She said the plan text notes that inclusion in the plan does not itself authorize construction; separate project approvals and appropriations would still be required.

Finance and implementation questions came up repeatedly. Taylor and other board members said the CRA’s chief financial officer would need to provide a year-end fund-balance appropriation and that staff expects to bring a consolidated goals-and-objectives/CIP summary to the board next month. Taylor said the state now requires CRAs to publish CIP goals and objectives publicly and that the CRA will post that information by Dec. 1, 2025.

Public-works work and investigations were flagged as potential dependencies. Staff said public works planned a study (funded this fiscal year at roughly $100,000) to re-evaluate infrastructure needs in portions of the South End; some original roadway segments have become private and are not eligible for CRA work, complicating project scopes and costs.

Board discussion focused on two trade-offs: (1) returning a portion of increment revenue to other taxing authorities, principally COJ, versus retaining funds in the CRA for remaining capital work; and (2) ongoing maintenance obligations after capital improvements are completed. One board member urged caution so future Councils are not left with unanticipated maintenance burdens.

No formal vote was taken on the South End plan amendment at the meeting. Staff said it will return with a revised draft, supporting financial detail from the CFO and a recommended schedule for a resolution, city-council notice and the required public hearing process.

Looking ahead, Taylor said staff plans to bring the amended plan back to the CRA next month, follow with the statutory notices and present the matter to the Jacksonville City Council for final action. She also recommended an additional workshop including finance and counsel before any final resolution is submitted.

Ending: The CRA did not adopt the amendment at the meeting; staff will supply the CFO’s year-end appropriation information, a revised plan draft and a public-notice schedule at a future meeting.