Winter Haven commission advances unsolicited proposal for 292‑space downtown parking garage amid public debate

The Winter Haven City Commission on Dec. 8 approved a resolution directing staff to publish a public‑interest determination and begin negotiations with 6 10 LLC on an unsolicited proposal to design, build and convey a four‑story, 292‑space parking structure on property northeast of 3rd Street Southwest and Avenue C Southwest.

The proposal, submitted Oct. 13 and accompanied by a $25,000 application fee, estimates total delivery costs at $10,217,496. City staff described the action as the second of three public meetings required under Florida’s public‑private partnership statute (section 255.065), and said final terms would return to the commission for approval if negotiations proceed.

Why it mattered: downtown business owners and some residents said the city should proceed cautiously, questioned the site price and valuation and warned that building a garage does not by itself guarantee people will use it. Jessie Skubna, a downtown stakeholder, told commissioners the city’s own materials showed hundreds of empty spaces during a recent event and said the $2 million property valuation and the $10 million project cost merited more scrutiny. “This is our tax money,” Skubna said. “If you’re going to purchase a piece of land for $2 million, how is that responsible?”

Developer and investor supporters argued the structure is an investment in downtown’s economic future. Bud Strang, president and CEO of 6 10, said the city will need to plan for growth and pointed to comparable cities with multiple garages. “If we think that all we are ever going to need in downtown Winter Haven is one parking garage, then we have failed,” Strang said.

What staff and commissioners said: City staff told the commission the proposal had been evaluated under the statutory public‑interest criteria — public benefit, financial structure, proposer qualifications and regional compatibility — and that the report would be published in the Florida Administrative Register for seven days as required. The city manager told the commission that approving the resolution does not authorize construction or spending; a comprehensive agreement would be negotiated and require future city‑commission approval. Commissioners stressed that any leasing of garage spaces to private users would require future commission sign‑off despite a code provision that allows the manager to recommend leases of structured facilities for commission approval.

Key concerns raised in public comment included: whether the parking study used to justify the site was adopted, whether the city was overpaying for land, the potential for perceived favoritism toward 6 10, the city’s ability to keep most spaces public rather than leased, how to improve downtown ADA access and micro‑mobility, and whether surface‑lot alternatives could deliver more spaces for less cost.

Next steps: staff was directed to publish the public interest determination and to begin negotiating a comprehensive agreement; any final deal will return to the commission at a later public meeting for approval. The city manager told commissioners he did not expect the negotiated agreement to return before Feb. 1, 2026, at the earliest.

The vote: commissioners voted to advance the proposal by voice vote after extended public comment and deliberation.