CRA board pauses appraisals for adjacent property, debates parking and boat-ramp options
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Summary
After protracted discussion, the Port Richey CRA board agreed Jan. 13 to stop and table appraisals on the adjacent 'bait shop' parcels and to revisit the issue with full board participation. Board members debated appraisal costs (about $2,000–$3,000 each), an asking price cited at $1.6 million and alternatives for parking and a relocated boat ramp.
Port Richey — The Community Redevelopment Agency board voted Jan. 13 to pause any further appraisals related to an adjacent commercial property (the "bait shop" parcels) and to revisit next steps once the full board can participate.
City staff told the board an appraisal vendor had been identified and that appraisals had been ordered but not performed. Staff clarified that, contrary to earlier confusion, the appraisal process would likely require two appraisals for the property cluster and that each appraisal would cost roughly $2,000–$3,000, producing an approximate $6,000 outlay if two are completed.
Board members questioned whether the CRA/city had previously authorized a purchase and whether the expenditure of appraisal funds was prudent without a defined plan for the site. Several members said they believed the parcel owner had an asking price near $1.6 million and said the board needed clear objectives — for example, public parking, boat ramp relocation, or long-term park expansion — before investing in appraisals or purchase negotiations.
A number of planning options were discussed during the meeting. Board members suggested moving the boat ramp to alternate locations (Brasher Park, a site near American Marina/Ebbtide, or the south side of Waterfront Park) and exploring federal or county funding for dredging or channel improvements. Staff cautioned that environmental permitting (including state-level dredging restrictions) could limit options. Members also discussed whether the Ebbtide site lies outside CRA jurisdiction and whether a moratorium on certain developments would be legally and practically feasible.
Outcome: The board agreed, by voice, to stop/hold appraisals and to have a more detailed discussion of the property’s intended purpose before authorizing appraisal or purchase expenditures. Several members asked staff to bring the item back when Member Lisa Burke can participate and to provide clearer cost estimates and a proposal for intended use.
What to watch: The board asked staff to return with clarified appraiser quotes, environmental-permitting constraints, jurisdictional limits for CRA funding and a proposed plan for how the parcels would be used if purchased. No purchase authorization or contract award was recorded at the meeting.