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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.23.26 CRA Minutes City of Clermont MIND"TES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY(CR A� MEETING MINUTES June 23,2026 CALL TO ORDER The 4-- Yi unity Redevelopment Agency met on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in the Clermont City Council Chambers_Chair Murry called the meeting to-.,der at 2:30 pm with the Following Board Members Present: Board Members Schu-tt,Crawford, Strange,Bain,Myers and Petersen. Other City officials present were Deputy City Manager Matthys, City Attorney Waugh and City Clerk Howe. AGENDA ITEMS Item No. 1 -Meeting Minutes from April 2S,2026 Board Member Bain motioned to avvroye meeting minutes• Seconded by Board Member Myers The motion vassed 6-0 with all members v—ent yoicimx aye_ Item No_2-Maim Street Update Natalie Kahler, Executive Director of Main Street, provided an update on recent activities, initiatives, community engagement efforts,and upcoming projects.The presentation highlighted Main Street's role as a nonprofit organization and its partnership with the City, while noting continued efforts to help residents understand the distinction between the two entities_ Recent events included Moms on Main, the monthly - Wine Stroll,and the America 250 Flag Walk,which has provided educational opportunities for participants to learn about the history behind each flag_Upcoming sl+**•**+er activities include a community picnic event in conjunction.with the Fanners Market,an apple pie contest,and continued promotion of the flag exhibit_ She also provided updates on business engagement initiatives, including the"Face That Runs the Place' campaign, which has received significant online engagement, and the launch of the Clermont Onscreen website featuring historic films and community archives_ The presentation also included updates on community engagement projects,including ongoing discussions related to Center Lake and the Sketch Your Dream Park initiative for the Montrose tot lot. Ms_ Kahler emphasized the importance of involving children in the park design process and highlighted community support for incorporating ADA accessibility features_ Upcoming jg--t-funded projects were discussed, including design guidelines for the CRA district, historic art exhibits, and a traveling exhibit highlighting local inventions, industries, individuals, and identities. She reported continued growth since Florida Main Street reaccreditation in 2022,including a net increase of l 23 businesses,approximately 220 new jobs,over $1 1 million in private investment,and nearly 6,000 volunteer hours_ Board Member Crawford arrived at 2:38pm Chair Murry opened public comment_There were no comments.Chair Murry closed public comment_ Board Member Strange asked i£Main Street had received the requested letter of support from city staff for the Center Lake project_Ms_Kahler stated that the letter had not yet been received. Board Member Petersen asked whether Main Street could take over the small park on Montrose that is currently in disrepair and help restore it For community use. City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY(CRA) MEETING MINUTES June 23,2026 Ms.Kahler stated that while Main Street is not looking to take ownership of the property,they are assisting with community engagement, have funding available to help initiate improvements, and are willing to support the project through grant writing and fundraising efforts. City Manager Van Wagner added that staff will be meeting with Main Street next week to discuss the project further. Patrick Bianchi,Board President of Main Street clarified that they had received the letter of support for the Clermont Botanical Garden. He also stated that Main Street's 2027 work plan includes reviewing all parks, not just the downtown park area.He explained that after receiving concerns from the community regarding the Montrose park, Main Street discussed the opportunity with its board, which expressed interest in supporting improvements; however, any future direction would ultimately be determined by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), City Council, or both. He added that Main Street will be meeting with city staff next week to better understand responsibilities related to maintenance and management of the park before engaging the community on potential improvements. Board Member Strange expressed confusion about the purpose of the current meeting, stating that she believed it had been called specifically to discuss the downtown master plan contract referenced during the January meeting. She questioned whether this was the Board's regular quarterly CRA meeting and, if so, why updates from partner organizations and discussion of the downtown master plan were not included on the agenda. City Manager Van Wagner explained that the meeting was intended to provide Main Street with an opportunity to present its required contractual update to the CRA Board.He added that he and City Attorney Waugh had been discussing the process for moving forward with the downtown master plan contract and deferred to City Attorney Waugh for additional clarification. City Attorney Waugh stated that he also understood the meeting to be the CRA Board's regular quarterly meeting. He explained that staff had discussed whether the meeting was necessary,but after Main Street requested an opportunity to address the Board and consider the Board's previous direction to hold more frequent CRA meetings to conduct CRA business,staff determined the meeting should proceed.Regarding the downtown master plan,City Attorney Waugh recalled that the Board had previously approved an allocation of up to$200,000 for the project and noted that staff had addressed the budgetary aspect. He stated that he was unclear of additional action the Board was expecting related to the master plan at this time. Board Member Strange questioned the purpose of the meeting,asking why updates were not being provided by all organizations that manage community property or receive public funds if this was the CRA Board's quarterly meeting. She also questioned the status of the downtown master plan contract, stating that she believed the meeting was intended to address moving the project forward and seeking clarification on the purpose of the meeting and action expected from the Board. The CRA Board discussed the status of the downtown master plan contract and the need for clearer communication and accountability. Board Member Strange stated that she believed the meeting was intended to move the master plan forward and expressed frustration that, despite prior Board approval of up to $200,000, the contract had not been finalized, and updates had not been provided. She requested regular updates from Main Street, the Historic Village, South Lake Chamber, LCRA, and the Women's Club regarding their use of public facilities and funds,stating that downtown businesses and residents were seeking progress. City of Clermont MINUTES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY(CRA) MEETING MINUTES June 23,2026 City Manager Van Wagner explained that the Board's prior approval authorized moving forward with the project,that Economic Development Director Norris had been working with DPZ to finalize the agreement, and that the contract was nearing completion. He also acknowledged that communication and follow- through could have been improved and accepted responsibility for delays. Board Member Crawford expressed the need for additional CRA oversight and resources,noting that the CRA has grown significantly and may benefit from dedicated staffing or clearer responsibility for managing CRA initiatives. Board members agreed that periodic updates from organizations receiving CRA support or managing public facilities would be beneficial. Board Member Bain shared similar concerns regarding the CRA structure, stating that the current arrangement of the City Council also serving as the CRA Board may limit the CRA's ability to focus solely on redevelopment activities. He suggested the Board consider a future structure consisting of CRA residents,business owners,and property owners,supported by dedicated CRA leadership,to provide greater focus, transparency, and community engagement. Chair Murry requested that staff review the legal requirements for CRA Board composition and bring the discussion back at a future CRA meeting with additional time for consideration. The Board also confirmed the desire for quarterly updates from organizations receiving CRA support or managing CRA-related facilities.City Manager Van Wagner stated he would reach out to the organizations to request reports and noted that written updates would be acceptable when there are no significant items to present. The Board agreed that the CRA structure discussion could also be revisited during the upcoming budget workshop process. Board Member Schuett noted that the Board had previously discussed holding a CRA workshop to address vision and priorities. She suggested that,as the downtown master plan moves forward,the workshop could be incorporated into the planning process; however, if the master plan timeline is delayed, she recommended scheduling a separate workshop. She emphasized the importance of having facilitated discussion on prioritizing CRA funds and reinvestment efforts downtown. The Board discussed that the previously planned workshop had not yet occurred due to scheduling conflicts and agreed the discussion should be revisited. ADJOURN: With no further comments,this meeting adjourned at 3:07pm. APPROVED: Tim Murry, it ATTEST: Tracy Ackroyd H we, MC City Clerk