Amended Item 3B- CRA Update
Amended Item 3B
January 9, 2017
City of Atlantic Beach
Mayport Road Community Redevelopment Area
Background
The City of Atlantic Beach has a history of redevelopment efforts along the Mayport Road corridor.
Beginning in the early 2000s with a joint study with the City of Jacksonville for a Community
Redevelopment Area (CRA) across both jurisdictions. While the CRA never materialized, the plan
resulted in several code changes in Atlantic Beach and the Mayport Road Overlay in Jacksonville. As part
of the plan a corridor study was done in 2001 that later led to the construction of landscaped medians on
Mayport Road in both cities. In later years Atlantic Beach hired a grant funded community policing officer
that transformed into a city funded full time staff person to promote redevelopment. Jacksonville has also
continued its efforts this year by commissioning a CRA study for portion of Mayport Road and the
surrounding area within its jurisdiction.
Current Efforts
Atlantic Beach recently
completed its own CRA plan for
its portion of Mayport Road and
the surrounding area within its
jurisdiction. This plan is the
culmination of a years’ worth of
work started by the City
Commission with the help of a
Technical Advisory Committee
that met 3 times and assisted
with 2 public workshops. The
plan was created under the
direction of the City’s Planning
Department with help from
consultants; VHB, Northeast
Florida Regional Council, and
Community Redevelopment and
Planning. Additionally, an
online survey was created with
multiple choice and write-in
areas that had over 150
responses and the team
interviewed 10 stakeholders including the Chamber of Commerce, local leaders, and Navy representatives.
The map above identifies the proposed CRA area that includes all commercial along Mayport Road, the
City’s light industrial area the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
This study includes the Finding of Necessity as required under the Community Redevelopment Act as
defined in Chapter 163, Part III of the Florida Statutes and includes a list of eligible activities outlined on
the next page to occur as part of the CRA.
Amended Item 3B
January 9, 2017
Potential Projects and Programs
The Mayport Road Redevelopment Plan outlines 5 Capital Improvement Projects and another 8
Community Development Programs that are designed to improve the quality of life for existing residents
while creating a positive environment for new residents and businesses.
Capital Improvement Projects
TRANSFORM MAYPORT ROAD INTO A
COMPLETE STREET
Many survey respondents’ primary concerns were
about pedestrian and bicycle safety on Mayport
Road. We hope to work with FDOT’s upcoming
policy changes to make improvements similar to
those being taken on by JTA throughout
Jacksonville. This will also help to connect
residents on both sides of Mayport Road that
currently feel separated to businesses and
recreation areas like the beach and marsh.
IMPROVEMENTS TO NEIGHBORHOOD
ROADS
Many roads in the CRA are inadequate due to
narrow right-of-ways, need for maintenance or a
lack of pavement in general. The goal of this
project is to again improve roads with the
Complete Streets model so that the roads are safer
for all users and access in the City is improved.
IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKS
The CRA contains multiple parks and 2
community centers and is bordered by the
Intracoastal. Parks can provide a major boost to
the quality of life, which will spur redevelopment.
GATEWAY SIGNAGE AND MURALS
Another common comment about the Mayport
Road area is the negative perception it has.
Branding the area with signage and murals similar
to what is desired in the Arlington CRA and
recently completed in downtown Jacksonville will
make the area more welcoming while beautifying
the area and providing a sense of place.
SEWER AND SEPTIC INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS
Several portions of the CRA remain undeveloped
or underdeveloped due to a lack of public utilities.
Improvements can direct develop away from
environmentally sensitive lands while removing
potentially hazardous septic systems in those
sensitive areas like COJ’s new Septic Tank Phase
Out Program.
Community Development Programs
COMMERCIAL NODE ALONG MAYPORT
ROAD
This program would be to work with property
owners to create a center of commercial activity
on Mayport Road that could also host small events
similar Hemming Park and Unity Plaza.
MARKETING, EVENTS AND
PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR
This program is a staff person that administers the
CRA including the marketing of local businesses.
REVITALIZE THE INDUSTRIAL
DISTRICT
Road improvements with new landscaping and
signage that would direct industrial traffic away
from residential neighborhoods and attract new
businesses.
HOMEOWNER AND BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
Grant programs for façade improvements to both
residential and commercial properties benefiting
low income residents and small businesses.
MASTER STORMWATER STUDY
Recent flood events and hurricanes have caused
the City to recognize a need for significant
improvement to the stormwater system.
COMMUNITY CODE ENFORCEMENT
AND POLICING PROGRAM
Often times the biggest issues in an area
warranting a CRA are code violations and crime.
This program provides additional code
enforcement and police officers to the CRA area.
PROPERTY ACQUISITION
This can be utilized for improvements to roads,
parks or to combine properties for redevelopment.
UPDATE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
A cause of a lack of investment in an area can stem
from problems with the City’s Comprehensive
Plan and codes that need updates.
Amended Item 3B
January 9, 2017
Financial Projections 2010 Taxable Values as a
One of the requirements of the Finding of Necessity as defined by Percentage of 2015 Values
§163.340(8)(b) of the Florida Statues is to show no appreciable CRA 91.35%
increase in taxable value over 5 years. As seen in the chart to the COJ 96.87%
right, Atlantic Beach is still below the taxable values of 2010 and 2015 Taxable ValuesJacksonville is considerably closer to those taxable values CRA $168.6 Msuggesting Jacksonville is economically healthier than Atlantic COAB $1.4 BBeach. It is important to note that the CRA comprises a third of CRA % of COAB 12.3%Atlantic Beach’s land area, but only accounts for about 12 percent COJ $52.6 Bof the total taxable value of the City. This also demonstrates CRA % of COJ 0.003%Atlantic Beach’s commitment to redeveloping the area as this area
could approach a third of the City’s property tax revenue if begins Land Area
to equal taxable values in the rest of the City. By comparison this Acres in the CRA 827
area is only represents 3 one thousandths of a percent of Acres in the COAB 2,480
Jacksonville’s total taxable value. CRA’s % of COAB 33.4%
The vital part of a CRA is the ability to capture increases in taxable value over the base year. As part of
the CRA study the team constructed 3 projections that are included in the plan. Those include a
conservative 1% growth, a moderate 3% growth (the industry standard) and an aggressive 5% growth.
CRA Revenue
$14.2 M Total CRA Revenue
$10 M COJ’s Share
$4.2 M COAB’s Share
COJ Revenue During CRA
$1.4 M Annual Revenue
$29.4 M Total Revenue
COJ Revenue After CRA
$1.1 M Annual Increase
9 Years Time to Recoup Share
These projections assume the State
Statute defined maximum of 95% of
each jurisdictions’ full millage rate.
Long Term Impacts
The goal of the CRA is to provide long term, dedicated funding for projects and programs that will nurture
existing businesses and improve the quality of life for current residents while making the area more
attractive for new development. Both Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville stand to benefit from an increased
tax base, but that is not the only benefit Jacksonville can expect to receive. About 1.75 miles of the City
of Jacksonville borders the CRA including a third of Jacksonville’s portion of Mayport Road. The
improvements made in the CRA will undoubtedly spill over into Jacksonville providing immediate
increases in property tax revenue along with likely reductions in demand for police and code enforcement
services. Additionally, the CRA hopes to benefit the Navy by not only providing a better place for them
the live and work, but also to provide an improved home for military related contracting businesses.
16 33 50 67 85 104 123 142 163 183 205 227 250 273 298 323 348 375 402 430
39 80 121 164 208 253 300 348 398 449 502 556
612
669
729
790
853
917
984
1,053
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200
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1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
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YEAR
20 YEAR CRA REVENUE PROJECTIONS
City of Atlantic Beach City of Jacksonville