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Margate CRA discusses Ray Hall redevelopment, impact fees and truck-route concerns over nearby Coconut Creek warehouses
Summary
CRA staff said they are working with a developer on the Ray Hall property and will price extending a citywide undergrounding utility project to include that parcel to reduce developer costs tied to undergrounding and impact fees.
The Margate CRA on July 8 discussed redevelopment interest in the Ray Hall property and larger development pressures near the city border, including a nearby large warehouse project in Coconut Creek that board members said could increase truck traffic on Margate streets.
Staff said they had met with the property's development partner and that the partner has contractual deadlines with the owners. Staff described several cost pressures on the developer: parks impact fees, utility undergrounding requirements and potential costs to upgrade a lift station that serves the property and neighboring parcels. When asked about the scale of impact fees, a staff member said parks-impact fees were “I wanna say, were they were around a million dollars,” and noted the amount is based on the number of residential units and mirrors the county ordinance. Staff said the developer is exploring credits for in-kind park elements such as a dog park, plaza or walkway and that the CRA could consider participation in public improvements if the project offers public benefit.
Staff also said the CRA is designing an undergrounding project for utilities from Atlantic to Coconut Creek Parkway and asked staff to price extending that work to include the Ray Hall parcel so the developer could benefit from economies of scale rather than installing undergrounding for a single parcel.
Board members raised concerns about the nearby warehouses in Coconut Creek that will use Margate-area roads to reach the turnpike. Members asked whether the city received any impact fees for those warehouses; staff said the city would receive water/wastewater ERC increases but did not expect parks or road impact fees in the same way as residential developments. Members pushed staff to obtain traffic studies and to engage with Coconut Creek and the developers to understand truck routing and mitigation measures. One board member said Margate has standing to comment on traffic impacts even when projects are outside the city and requested staff follow up.
Why it matters: impact fees, undergrounding and lift-station upgrades can materially affect a project's feasibility and the timing of residential and mixed-use redevelopment. The CRA's willingness to consider participating in public improvements could lower upfront costs for a developer and affect downtown buildout timing.
Ending: Staff said they will price including the Ray Hall property in the ongoing utility undergrounding design and keep the board informed about any formal requests for CRA participation.
