HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-17-2020 Agenda Packet
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY REGULAR MEETING
Ocoee Commission Chambers
150 North Lakeshore Drive
Ocoee, Florida
Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed actions;
however, attendance inside the Ocoee Commission Chambers may be limited to accommodate
social distancingand is subject to change based on the Governor’s Executive Order. This
meeting is broadcasted live on Spectrum Channel 493with a live stream at
www.Ocoee.org/197/Ocoee-TV. Any interested party is invited to offer comments and/or
questions during the hearing by emailing citizens@ocoee.orgor calling 407-554-7118or by
registering in advance by emailing citizens@ocoee.orgor calling 407-905-3105 and City staff
will call you during the live meeting.
November 17, 2020 AGENDA 5:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Roll Call and Determination of Quorum
Public Comments
Approval of Minutes of the September 15, 2020, CRA Budget Meeting
Election of Officers
Staff Presentation, Deputy Dev S Director/CRA
AdministratorCorless
FY 2020/2021 CRA Board Meeting Dates Revision
PACE – Another Economic Development Tool
Update on Capital Projects
Maintenance Activities
Board Comments
ADJOURNMENT
PLEASE NOTE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 286.0105: ANY PERSON WHO DESIRESTO APPEAL ANY
DECISION AT THIS MEETING WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND FOR THIS PURPOSE MAY NEED TO
ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE WHICH INCLUDES THE TESTIMONYAND
EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS BASED.
ALSO, IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE286.26: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO
PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THESE PROCEEDINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, 150 N.LAKESHORE
DRIVE, OCOEE, FL 34761, (407) 905 -3105 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Ocoee Community RedevelopmentAgencyBoard
FROM:Ginger Corless, Deputy Development ServicesDirector/CRA Administrator
DATE:November17, 2020
RE:Election of Officers2020-2021
As defined in the By-Laws, election of officers shall be conducted as the first order of business
of the Annual General Meeting.The Chair, Mr. Firstner will run the meeting and request
motions from the CRA Board for a new Chair and Vice-Chair.
The following identifiesthe chair and vice chairfor pastseven (7)fiscal years (FY), including
the current year.
FY 2019-20 (November 2019)
Chair, Richard Firstner
Vice Chair, Randy June
FY 2018-19 (August 2019)
Chair, Richard Firstner
Vice Chair, Vacant (Todd Duncan resigned August 22, 2019)
FY 2018-19(May 2019)
Chair, Richard Firstner
Vice Chair, Todd Duncan
FY 2018-19
Chair, Vacant (John Grogan)
Vice Chair, Richard Firstner
FY 2017-18
Chair, Rosemary Wilsen
Vice Chair, John Grogan
FY 2016-17
Chair, Joel Keller
Vice Chair, Rosemary Wilsen
OcoeeCRAorth
phone: (407) 905-905-3167ocoeecra.com
_____________
Election of Officers 2020-2021
September17, 2020
Page 2of 2
FY 2015-16
Chair, Ginger Corless (Ocoee appointee)
Vice Chair, John Grogan
FY 2014-15
Chair, Carla Johnson (Orange Countyappointee)
Vice Chair, Joel Keller
FY 2013-14
Chair, Rusty Johnson
Vice Chair, Ginger Corless (Ocoeeappointee)
MEMORANDUM
TO:Ocoee Community Redevelopment Agency Board
FROM:Ginger Corless, Deputy Development Services Director/CRA Administrator
DATE:November 17, 2020
RE:Proposed Revision of City of Ocoee CRA Meeting Schedule for FY
2020/2021
Due to a conflict of scheduling, CRAstaffis proposing a revision to previously
approved meeting dates.
1.Meeting #1:(Today)
th
Tuesday, November 17at 5:00 p.m. (before City Commission meeting)
Proposed New Dates
2.Meeting #2:
nd
Tuesday, March2at 5:00 p.m. (before City Commission meeting)
3.Meeting #3:
th
Tuesday,May4at 5:00 p.m.(before City Commission meeting)
4.Meeting #4:
th
Tuesday, September 7at 5:00 p.m.(before City Commission Meeting)
Ifthese dates don’t work, CRA is to propose new dates.Staff requestsCRA adoption
of FY 2020-2021revised meeting calendar.
OcoeeCRAorth
phone: (407) 905-905-3167ocoeecra.com
_____________
MEMORANDUM
TO:Ocoee Community Redevelopment Agency Board
FROM:Ginger Corless, Deputy Development Services Director/CRA Administrator
DATE:November 17, 2020
RE:Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
A New Economic Development Tool
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) was established by Florida Statute 163.08 as
a financing mechanism that enables low-cost, long-term funding for energy
efficiency, renewable energy, and wind hardening improvements to real property.
It is funded by private capital and is repaid as a non-ad valorem assessment on the
property’s annual tax bill. The assessment can be amortized over a period of five to
thirty years, depending on the effective useful life of the Qualifying Improvement
installed. The PACE financing stays with the property, which allows the assessment
to transfer when a home or building is sold.
Currently, there are four PACE Districts created, pursuant to Florida Statute 189.012,
whichoffer PACE financing:
Florida Resiliency Energy District
Florida Green Finance Authority
Florida PACE Funding Agency
Green Corridor Property Assessment Clean Energy District
In order for this economic development tool to be offered within the Fifty West
Redevelopment Area and the city as a whole, the City Commission must adopt a
resolution giving PACE District(s) permission to provide PACE financing within the
City's jurisdictional limitsand agreements executed with the PACE Districts.If
approvedby the City Commission, the PACE Districts work with the Orange County
Property Appraiser and Tax Collector to place the assessments on anyrequesting
property owner's tax bill.
It is important to note that there are no costs or administrative requirements for the
CRA or City to allow this program to be offered by the four PACE Districts within the
jurisdictional limits of the city.
OcoeeCRAorth
phone: (407) 905-905-3167ocoeecra.com
_____________
Page 2of 2
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
A New Economic Development Tool
The following provides and overview of the program:
Benefits of allowing the PACE program to be offered within the jurisdictional limits
include:
a.Becomes another economic tool that may be offered within the City to
stimulate quality development.
b.Improves property values.
c.Can aid in local job creation.
d.Promotes the City’s and CRA’s goals of increasing the use of renewable
energy and improving energy efficiency.
e.Funding can be applied towards new development and/or for upgrading
older building stock within the city.
Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to energy efficient windows,
doors, HVAC, solar, backup generators, lighting, insulation, water heater, pool
pumps and heaters.
Benefits to Residential Property Owners
a.Covers up to 100% of upfront costs, not credit based
b.Financing terms up to 30 years with fixed, single digit interest rate
c.Potential to reduce utility bills and realize savings on property insurance
d.Can be combined with other incentive programs
Benefits to Commercial Property Owners
a.Treated as an expense versus capital expenditure
b.Accelerates energy asset and qualified building upgrades with no return on
investment threshold.
c.Lowers direct and indirect O&M costs
PACE financing also provides residential consumer protections which include,
confirm terms calls with the property owners, contractor funded at property owners
signature of completion certificate, financial disclosures and a 3-day right to cancel.
Central Florida government agencies that have adopted PACE Financing Program
Resolutions include the cities of Winter Garden, Winter Park, Apopka, Orlando, St
Cloud, Longwood, Kissimmee, Ocala, Sanford, Mount Dora and the counties of
Orange, Osceola and Flagler.
As stated earlier, neither theCRA nor the City areparty to any financing agreement
with private propertyowners nor would the CRA/City be responsible for
administering, marketing or managing PACE.
CRA Projects
Accomplishmentsin FY 2020
and
Planned Activities for FY 2021
The following provides an overview of the projects and activities CRA staff have
recently completed and are currently working on.
Clarke Road Median RefreshCompleted
FY 2019-2020:In Octoberand November of
2019, the Clark Road medians were
landscaped between SR 50 and Matthew Paris
Boulevard.Building on the plantpalletused on
Old Winter Garden Road and S. Blackwood
Avenuenative palms, oaks and grasses along
with easy to maintain shrubs such as Petite
Oleanderwere planted.AMedjool Date Palm
and blue daze were installed at the tip of the
Clarke Road median at SR 50 to accentuate
Clarke Road Before
the Welcome to Ocoee sign. Total cost of
improvements $95,986.
FY 2020-2021: The project has been installed
over a year; therefore, our landscape
maintenance contractor has been instructed
to remove the bracing from the palms and
staking of the trees at the end of November
(end of Hurricane season). Over the past year,
the plant material, specifically the Muley Grass,
has been runover by a few vehicles. Staff plans
to have the damaged plant material removed
Clarke Road After
and replaced. New Blue Daze is scheduled to
be refreshed in the Spring of 2021.
SR 50Median Landscaping Project Complete
FY 2019-2020:In late February2020, the preconstruction meeting was heldwith
Down to Earthand construction began in mid-march. In the Redevelopment
District (between SR 429 and Clarke Road) over 13 palms, 25 Crape Myrtle, three
(3) magnolia trees and 19,179 shrubs/groundcoverwere planted. The project was
finalized on September 16, 2020 and the contractor transitioned their activities to
maintenance. Staff has completed and submitted all FDOT required forms and
documentation.
FY 2020-2021:Down To Earth is now responsible for maintaining the medians for
the duration of aone-year warranty period(September 16, 2020 to September
15, 2021).Down to Earth is in the process of replacing aMedjoul Palm, as well as,
several shrub beds throughout the corridor.
SR 50 Phase 3
SR 50 Phase 1SR 50 Phase 2
SR 50 Streetlighting–CRA staff has requested an update from the design engineer
and FDOT regarding the status of the lighting project.
Wellness Park
Embracing Healthy Community Design
The park includesfour (4) outdoor
exercise areas.Each of the exercise
areas will be located underneath a
sunshade. The park will also include
awellness-walking loop and a
ceremonial plaza.
The cost to construct Wellness Park
has increased to almost $2.2 million.
$2 million is identified in the FY 2020-
2021CRA budget.Staff is lookingat
ways to reduce the overall cost. The
implementation of this project will
be the primary focus for FY 2020-
2021.
S. Bluford Avenue Corridor
The Downtown Connection
In FY 2020-2021, the CRA is partnering with the City (Public Works) to improve the
intersection of BlufordAvenueand GenevaStreetby removing the existing span
wire system for the traffic signal and replacing it with a mast arm system. The CRA’s
share of the intersection improvements is estimated at $175,000. Staff did evaluate
the possibility of installing a roundabout in this location, however, the roundabout
improvement would cost nearly $1.4 million.
S. Bluford Avenue is a critical local connector road for the City, as well as,for Fifty
West in that it connects SR 50 to City Center and Downtown. In FY 2020-2021 CRA
staff securedaconsultant to engineer the project and prepare the construction
documents. The professional services are estimated to be around $383,500.
Currently construction cost is estimated to be nearly $5 million. Construction is not
programmed until FY 2021-2022 and will probably have to be completed in
phases based on available funding.
Gateways to City Center
When constructed, City Center will serve as a major destination not just for the
Redevelopment District, but for the City as a whole. The following two projects are
aimed at improving the entryways to City Center West Orange, while improving
transportation and adding a public park.
Maine Street Parkwill be developed at the
corner of Bluford Avenue and MaineStreet,
where there is an existing retention pond. The
park will includea walkway around the pond,
seating areas, enhanced landscape and
overlooks at either end of the pond where
once the historic Maine Street traversed.
Whereas, City Center West Orange is
responsible for constructing thepark, $50,000
hasbeen allocated in theCRA’s FY 2020-2021
budgetto design and fabricate historical
interpretive exhibits, and for detailing at each
of the overlooks.The CRA’s work will not start until late FY 2020-2021.
N. Blackwood Avenuewill be the primary access to City Center from SR 50.
Recognizing the importance of this connection, staff is working with an
engineering and landscape architecture consultant to design a new streetscape.
Improvements include a roundabout at Montgomery Avenue, enlarged medians,
landscaping and new streetlight. Based on the change in direction to incorporate
a roundabout, this project has been delayeddue to the need to address utility
conflicts. $350,000 has been allocated in the CRA’s FY 2020-2021 budget to
address acquisition of right-of-way, and addressing utility conflicts, the N.
Blackwood Avenue reconstruction project will be coordinated with City Center
West Orange as theyramp down construction.Theestimated construction cost is
currently $1,500,000which has been identified for in FY 2021-2022.
Small Area Plans “Public-Private” Partnerships
In FY 2020-2021, staff will continue towork with property owners of prime
redevelopment locations within Fifty West to visualize the potential of their
property and the role it can play in implementing the CRA Redevelopment Plan
and the Target Areas Special Development Plan.This work includesnegotiations
with propertyowners in Target Area One regarding infrastructure.
Maintaining the CRA
The City and CRA just enlisted the services of a
new landscape mainterance contractor,
CEPRA Landscape. We have had a couple of
issues related to the contractor missing a few
of the sites within the CRA; however, we are
working with the contractor to quickly address
these areas.The contractor has recently
trimmed the palms and will be placing fresh
mulch in all landscape beds before the end of
theyear.