Jax beach taking steps to improve downtown area

Empowering the Jacksonville Beach Community Redevelopment Agency is a priority and that means adding a staffer, possibly acquiring office space outside city hall and streamlining a vision for the area.
During a city council workshop Oct. 21, councilors agreed they and the members of the CRA are getting frustrated at the lack of progress in improving the city’s downtown area.
It has been suggested the council take over the duties of the CRA, but councilors agreed that maintaining a free-standing agency could be beneficial.
Councilor Keith Doherty said the CRA has not been given a fair shake given the way the city has directed the board in the past.
Councilor Cory Nichols, who previously served on the CRA, has said that too often the CRA has merely rubber stamped city decisions and not initiated action.
A redevelopment coordinator should be hired, councilors said, with specific duties to be detailed. For example, the person could identify problems that need to be addressed downtown, such as mulch and trash, as well as coordinate other duties.
It was also suggested a second code enforcement officer could be added to the city’s payroll.
Efforts should also be made to look at the 2007 vision plan for downtown as well as two other plans for the area and coordinate them, councilors said, rather than develop a new plan from scratch.
CRA member Frances Polovski told the council that combining past plans is a good idea to avoid stalling. She said, as a business owner, that she thinks the CRA needs to be empowered.
She said the CRA’s hands have been “extremely tied.” She cited as an example a police storage building owned by CRA in downtown that cannot even be painted. Mayor Charlie Latham said that situation is evidence better organization is needed.
Povloski said the CRA has long maintained more help is needed for redevelopment and questioned why it has taken so long.
CRA member Art Graham also echoed Povloski’s comments. He said that there is a disconnect between the CRA and council, noting that some people can’t even listen to audio briefings of either meeting when using Apple devices.
YouTube should be used for all council and board meetings, councilors said, to improve access.
Graham said hiring a redevelopment coordinator could improve communication so that all know what is going on and what is needed.
He added that he and others would be amenable to CRA meeting twice a month to discuss problems and goals.
Noting that is has been suggested the city return to the county a portion of tax increment funds in the south redevelopment area, Graham said that is a bad idea. He said that area still has flooding problems that TIF money could be used to correct.