Hernando County commissioners agreed last fall that the county needed to improve its neighborhoods by knocking down blighted structures. They just couldn’t agree on how to pay for it. Commissioners can avoid a repeat of that debate when they consider a proposed foreclosure registry ordinance later this month. Under the plan, a portion of the…
Turning around the central Tampa neighborhood of Sulphur Springs will require smarter planning, years of work and tens of millions of dollars. The blight didn’t appear overnight, and it won’t disappear quickly. But the city of Tampa has made a good start in recent months, unveiling housing programs that Mayor Bob Buckhorn predicts will “set…
You know buildings are in bad shape when blue roofing tarps would be an upgrade. At the Brooks Villas apartment complex, which has been abandoned for six years, the tarps that once covered the roofs have been worn to tatters. Several of the roofs have started to collapse. Some of the others have collected so…
Over eggs, Boynton Beach city leaders and business owners discussed possible solutions for the city’s struggling economy. On Thursday at the Courtyard Marriott, about 30 people attended the city’s first-ever “economic development stakeholders breakfast.” “Economic development requires a long term plan and long term vision,” said Boynton’s economic development manager Scott Kline. “We have a five-year plan…
NEW SMYRNA BEACH — A roughly $107,000 Community Redevelopment Agency grant approved for the development of a assisted living facility on Washington Street will be reallocated after a building permit could not be secured in time to meet the city’s April 1 deadline. With the grant voided, that money could be shifted to fund home repairs…
PANAMA CITY — City officials are casting a broad net in hopes of drawing in a variety of private interest in the Marina Redevelopment Project. Panama City commissioners unanimously agreed on language Tuesday seeking partnerships with private developers from across the country to help with marina plans. The city is expecting complete proposals from developers,…
Bonita Springs leaders want to reach out to the private sector to help make their vision for a vibrant downtown a reality. The City Council asked city staff at a strategic planning workshop Wednesday night to work on requesting proposals for developing two city properties on Old 41 Road. “I think it is time,” Mayor…
Oviedo’s decade-long vision of creating a vibrant town center — where residents can live, shop, dine or just spread a blanket on the grass to watch a concert — will soon take a major step forward when construction begins on Center Lake Park in the coming weeks. Tucked just north of East Mitchell Hammock Road,…
BELLEAIR — Town commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday night to reduce the size requirement for hotel properties, dismaying preservation advocates who say the decision paves the way for demolition of the historic Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa. The neighboring Belleair Country Club had requested the change in December, saying it wants to buy 2.3 acres of…
BELLEAIR — A lawsuit filed against Belleair by resident Rae Claire Johnson caused the Town Commission to tap the brakes last week on one action that could encourage redevelopment of the Belleview Biltmore hotel property. But it didn’t even slow them down on another. The commissioners voted 4-1 to create a new zoning district that…
After hearing the desires and concerns raised by the Historic Ocala Preservation Society’s members, along with those of residents and business owners from the Ocala Historic District, the City Council at a workshop meeting Tuesday said it would like a master plan developed for the district. “I can’t believe we don’t have a master plan…
Florida Regional Councils Association Unveils New Economic Scorecard Website Utilizing Six Pillars Metrics TALLAHASSEE, FL (March 31, 2014) — Florida’s Regional Planning Councils received a new suite of economic development tools recently, as the Florida Regional Councils Association launched a new website on regional metrics. Each of Florida’s eleven regional planning councils will now be…
