Montverde Council votes to pursue Community Redevelopment Area study

The Montverde Town Council on Jan. 28 voted unanimously to direct the town manager to begin the process of seeking designation of a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).

Town Manager Paul Larino and Town Planner Sean Parks told the council a CRA allows a municipality to freeze the current tax base for an area and capture any future increases in taxable value for 30 to 40 years so those incremental revenues can be applied to infrastructure, streetscapes and parks. Parks said the town would need county approval and must qualify by showing infrastructure deficiencies — not necessarily dilapidated buildings — such as streets, sidewalks or commercial parking shortfalls.

Why it matters: a CRA can provide a locally controlled revenue stream dedicated to rebuilding deficient infrastructure and to make projects more competitive for grant funding. During the hearing the council heard from a Groveland official with CRA experience who said his town used a CRA for streetscape and stormwater work. Councilmember Joe Morganelli raised concerns that the tool results in a shift of tax revenues; Councilmember Allan Hartle said a CRA can strengthen the town’s base for grant applications.

The council voted 5–0 to direct the town manager to move the CRA process forward, including public hearings and coordination with the Lake County Commission. Next steps include preparing the formal redevelopment plan, mapping the proposed area, and scheduling the county-level approvals required for designation.