As the CRA Board is aware, Stantec has been actively engaged in an update to the Community Redevelopment Plan (Update) since summer 2022 pursuant to a scope of services which includes the following items.

• Kick Off
• Document Review & Assessment
• Public Involvement
• Evaluate CRA District Boundary Map
• Vision and Goals, Objectives, and Policies
• Five Year Capital and Operating Budget, and Funding Sources
• Grant Programs
• Economic Development Incentives
• Redevelopment Plan

A driving factor in engaging Stantec on the Update was to build off and incorporate the great community-driven brainstorming, designing, and planning work that had been carried out as part of creating and adopting the related Branding Master Plan and Downtown & US 19 Master Plan. Accordingly, Stantec’s presentation is anticipated to review the foundational pieces of the CRA’s previous Community Redevelopment Plans, the Branding Master Plan, and the Downtown & US 19 Master Plan and highlight successes to date as a lead-in to proposing the Agency’s way forward, which includes articulating a Vision and setting corresponding updated Goals, Objectives, and Recommended Priorities. 

It is also anticipated that the meeting of March 19, 2024, will allow for the beginning of a CRA Board discussion, which can be continued to the standalone meeting of March 28, 2024, as appropriate.  Following the meeting of March 28th and with the benefit of the CRA Board’s feedback, CRA staff would then work with Stantec to complete the actual Update document which would be presented to the CRA Board at a future meeting.  Once the Update document receives preliminary approval from the CRA Board, it would wind its way through the public approval process, which is anticipated to include the following steps:

• CRA Board recommends approval of draft Update document and directs staff to initiate the formal approval process.
• Standalone Public Workshop.
• Public Hearing at Land Development Review Board.
• CRA Board reviews draft Update document, with any revisions, and directs staff to present it to the City Council.
• City Council review and approval/denial/modification. 

As part of the CRA Board’s discussion of Stantec’s presentation, staff would especially appreciate specific guidance on the following matters:

• Expansion of the Community Redevelopment Area.  To recommend that the City proceed with the preparation of a Finding of Necessity to formally include the Leisure/Van Doren Study Area within the Community Redevelopment Area pursuant to state law.
• Vision.  Stantec will present their findings on what should be included within the CRA’s Vision Statement, but with the expectation that we will need to “make it our own” by making it specific, meaningful, and inspiring to you and our community.  With this outcome in mind, would the Board prefer:

1. For the Board to workshop and then adopt a Vision Statement; or 
2. To direct staff to draft a Vision Statement, following additional public engagement, for further consideration by the Board.

• Goals and Recommended Priorities.  Please advise staff of desired:

• Additions; deletions; and/or modifications; and
• Hierarchy of priorities, if any, for the Goals or Recommended Projects/Initiatives, as in:

1. Do you want to list the Goals in any order of priority?  
2. Do you want to prioritize projects within the framework of the geographic focus areas, such as a Top 5 for Downtown, Top 5 for US 19, and Top 5 for Neighborhoods?