CRA approves $75,000 reimbursement grant for two EV chargers at Plantation Ford

The Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously to approve a $75,000 reimbursement grant to Plantation Ford to install two electric vehicle charging stations in the city’s 441 gateway district.

Councilmember Weinstein pulled the item from the consent agenda to raise a question about whether the grant represented the best use of limited CRA funds. Weinstein said he had spoken with a CRA official and that while many businesses along the corridor could seek money from the program, he believed the project would still provide a public benefit. "There appear to be... a lot of businesses that could utilize a grant of $75,000," Weinstein said, but added he supported investments that bolster the gateway.

Don Hall, who identified himself in the meeting as the CRA director, told commissioners the chargers would be public-use infrastructure and part of a revised grant program intended to spur reinvestment in the gateway. "This installment of these chargers is public use and we want to make sure that we are investing into the infrastructure of the CRA and this is part of the infrastructure," Hall said, noting the CRA previously had no public EV chargers and that the updated program drew interest from multiple businesses.

A commissioner noted Plantation Ford is contributing the bulk of the project cost — on the order of about $570,000 — and that the CRA grant would function as a catalyst similar to prior incentives. Hall said the grants are reimbursement-based and that much of the expense is infrastructure required by state or city standards: "the majority of the cost is infrastructure. It's almost like 60%."

Hall also told the commission that a nearby Publix location has no chargers and that the city is preempted by state law from requiring private businesses to install chargers; the CRA's approach is to use incentives to encourage private investment rather than mandates. The transcript records the reference to state preemption but does not specify a statute or code.

After discussion, a motion to approve the resolution carried on a roll-call vote with all commissioners recorded as voting yes. The approved grant is reimbursement-based and is intended to support two public EV chargers at Plantation Ford as part of a total project budget of about $577,928.

During public comment, resident Dennis Koffman praised the CRA's recent activity in the gateway and commended the CRA director for attracting development to the area.

Note on names in the record: a commissioner referred during discussion to "Glendon Hall" as the CRA contact; the CRA director who addressed the commission introduced himself as Don Hall during the meeting. The transcript contains both forms; the director identified himself as Don Hall.