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Keystone Heights approves draft 2025 CRA Plan update outlining streetscape, parks and economic development projects
Summary
City staff presented a draft update to the Community Redevelopment Area plan, updating the 2004 plan and 2015 amendment and proposing streetscape, parks, economic development, infrastructure, and property-acquisition priorities; the board approved the draft for further processing.
City Engineer Jamie Booth and City Planner Janis Fleet presented the draft 2025 Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Plan on June 23, 2025, telling the board the CRA plan had not been updated since 2015. The presentation outlined the CRA’s statutory authority under Section 163.358, Florida Statutes, noted the CRA’s redevelopment activity is funded by tax-increment (increment) revenues tied to Fiscal Year 2005 with a 30-year window ending FY2035 (final payment due on or before Jan. 1, 2035), and described proposed projects grouped into streetscape and parking, park improvements, economic development, and infrastructure and facilities.
Specific proposed initiatives in the draft include upgraded parking facilities and sidewalk reconstruction along S. Lawrence Boulevard, Commercial Circle and Sylvan Way; park upgrades at Keystone Beach Park, Azalea Park and portions of the Rails-to-Trails corridor; hiring an economic development/downtown manager; a CRA-specific website and branding campaign; façade and landscaping grants for local businesses; and property acquisition options for redevelopment. The presentation also noted that lake projects were removed from the CRA plan and that septic-to-sewer work should be treated as a capital-improvement-program (CIP) item rather than included in the CRA plan.
Vice Mayor Speedy Kussler moved to approve the draft 2025 CRA Plan and Councilman Dan Lewandowski seconded; all members present voted in favor. The City Manager told the board that the Florida House may consider statutory revisions affecting CRAs in January–February 2026, noting the need to keep the plan and procedures current.
