Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Downtown Redevelopment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CRA advisory board recommends downtown redevelopment plan update to City Council
Summary
The Fort Myers CRA Advisory Board voted to forward a draft downtown redevelopment plan and accompanying ordinance to City Council. Consultants highlighted public engagement, a roughly $80M 10-year funding framework and priorities including mobility, resiliency and affordable housing.
The Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board voted to recommend a downtown redevelopment plan update to City Council, moving the ordinance forward for advertisement.
Jared Beck, the consultant presenting the plan, told the board the update reflects extensive public engagement: "I think we had roughly 2,000 online participants and really some great robust in person conversations." The draft ties investments to themes including mobility, resiliency, mixed-use redevelopment and housing preservation and identifies project-level priorities and partners.
The presentation outlined a 10-year funding allocation described by staff as "roughly $80 something million," with about $17 million proposed for mobility projects and approximately $10.9 million for resiliency work. Staff emphasized the plan is intended as a flexible tool for the CRA and the city: inclusion in the plan authorizes action, but does not compel a particular project.
Commissioners pressed staff on how prescriptive the plan is. One commissioner asked whether the CRA would underwrite master planning for the former News-Press site; consultants said the language is a recommendation and the plan is "fluid," not a binding program. The board approved the recommendation to send the ordinance and plan to City Council for consideration at the next council advertising cycle.
