Winter Park CRA board reviews 10‑year CIP models, project-balance accounting and potential $10 million land-acquisition pool

Winter Park Community Redevelopment Agency staff on Monday presented a 10‑year capital improvement worksheet under two growth scenarios and asked the board for direction on prioritizing housing, infrastructure and amenity projects.

"We tried to scribe all of those different pieces into very generically what we think context is," said the staff presenter (Staff member), describing two pro‑forma approaches that show a low‑growth and a moderate‑growth fiscal outlook and which both phase some projects into later years to match funding availability. Staff said the models also account for uncertainty tied to possible tax‑related changes in November.

Why it matters: the worksheet lays out how the CRA might sequence or defer projects such as the West Fairbanks stormwater work and the Park Avenue refresh while keeping carryover amounts—labeled on the sheet as "project balance"—available for multi‑year initiatives. The accounting and presentation affect transparency about what the CRA has already committed, what it expects to spend and when.

Board members repeatedly asked staff to show "spent to date" numbers and total expected project costs rather than forward‑looking estimates. One member flagged a midyear negative shown for the Park Avenue refresh of about $193,000 and asked whether actual expenditures were being captured.

Staff replied that the packet is a midyear snapshot and not all actuals are posted yet, and that some differences reflect direct purchase orders and tax‑saving direct buys that are adjusted against master purchase orders. "This is through June, so not all actuals are being reflected on that," the presenter said, and offered to provide monthly budget‑to‑actual reports going forward.

On project balances, staff used the Denning‑Fairbanks intersection as an example: the CRA is holding roughly $1.5 million while awaiting a federal grant decision from a congressional office that could cover part of the anticipated $3 million project. If a grant is awarded, staff said it would reduce CRA spending; if not, the agency would reallocate funds.

Land acquisition debate: the worksheet includes a line that would build toward roughly $10 million for future property acquisition. Several board members said they had not understood that as a formal, final decision and asked whether the CRA had voted to be a landowner; staff said there was no formal vote and that the figure reflects board direction given in prior discussions and a planning exercise to show how such a fund could be built.

"If you want to start building a fund to go after land acquisition for whatever purpose ... here's how we could start building that fund," staff said. Board members asked staff to make the intent and any future proposed votes clearer in minutes and in packets so members who miss a meeting can see major shifts in policy direction.

Parking and short‑term revenue options: staff described a lease arrangement with Mount Moriah Church covering 48 parking spaces through the life of the CRA and noted that one‑time payments were being used to hold the effective lease rate steady through 2037. A board member suggested exploring higher‑revenue options for that parcel if the church is willing to consider a sale or longer lease term.

Other items: staff also previewed a Canton Avenue stormwater feature using a hydrodynamic separator that requires no power to remove pollutants; summarized grant programs (business façade and retail build‑out) and the summer youth employment program; and said the CRA agency will present the plan to the city commission in late July with a target for agency approval in August.

Next steps: staff offered to supply clearer project actuals, monthly budget‑to‑actual reporting and a one‑page summary of total expected project costs by project. The board will continue discussion of priorities and may adjust the CIP presentation before any formal funding or land‑purchase decisions are made.