Community Redevelopment Agency (cra) Advisory Board - Regular Meeting

Call to Order

Meeting Minutes May 7, 2026, Regular Meeting (Pg. 2-5)

Incentive Consideration – 235 N Florida Ave (Downtown) (Pg. 6-12)

Downtown CRA – Redevelopment Plan Update (Pg. 13-15)

Strategic Acquisition – 841 W Lemon St (Downtown) (Pg. 16-26)

Strategic Acquisition – 927 N Tennessee Ave (Midtown) (Pg. 27-37)

Proposed Transfer of City and CRA-Owned Properties (Pg. 38-46)

Monthly Financials

Restore the Core Plan Updates Schedule

Report on Dixieland CRA Plan Update

CRA Project(s) Updates

Public Comments from Audience

Comments from Board Chair and Advisory Board Members

Adjourn

Call To Order

Board Members in attendance: Chair Chrissanne Long, Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley, Scott Gardner, Lynne Simpkins and Ronald Roberts Absent: Vice Chair Christine Goding and Jason Ellis Staff: Valerie Vaught, Karen Thompson, Shelley Guiseppi, Jonathan Rodriguez, Sandra Fairall, Carlos Turner, Assistant Director of Economic Development Jason Willey, Director of Community and Economic Development Brian Rewis, Assistant City Attorney Alex Landbeck Guests: James Randolph and Kelley Klepper, Kimley-Horn Associates

Meeting Minutes March 5, 2026

Ronald Roberts motioned to approve; Lynne Simpkins seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

Strategic Acquisition – 838 N. Tennessee Ave (Midtown)

Karen Thompson presented the strategic acquisition for 838 N. Tennessee Ave. This parcel is 6,750 square feet, zoned O-1. The CRA's current property assemblage identified this as an opportunity through the Mass Market Area Plan. Opportunities to acquire additional parcels would boost the Area Plan and allow the CRA leverage for interested development prospects. Under the proposed Agreement, the CRA would purchase the property for a purchase price of $250,000. This price is consistent with a broker's opinion of value and a commercial appraisal report prepared for the CRA. The CRA will provide a deposit of $5,000 and have a 120-day due diligence period to assess the suitability of the property. The CRA may terminate the agreement in its sole discretion at any time prior to the expiration of the due diligence period. Closing will occur within 30 days of the expiration of the due diligence period, on or before August 28, 2026, provided the CRA does not exercise its right to terminate. Staff recommended approval of the strategic acquisition and requested the CRA Advisory Board recommend its final approval in accordance with the terms and conditions described to the City Commission, acting as the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency at their next regular meeting. Board members held discussion regarding the strategic acquisition of 838 N. Tennessee Ave., including the purchase price, comparison to adjacent property acquisitions, the condition of the existing structure, and the CRA's acquisition and appraisal process. Staff explained that the property negotiations occurred over several months and that the acquisition price was supported through both a broker's opinion of value and formal appraisal process. Staff also noted that the purchase price was partially attributable to the presence of a structure on the property including an income-based approach to appraisal valuation and recent acquisitions in the surrounding area.

Dixieland CRA – Redevelopment Plan Update

Kelley Klepper, Kimley-Horn Associates presented the Dixieland CRA Redevelopment Plan Update. He stated the process began approximately one year ago and included a review of existing conditions, data and analysis, robust public engagement and feedback, and implementation planning. The process included site visits, a community open house, public engagement opportunities, and publication of the draft plan online. Public feedback received throughout the process was reviewed and incorporated into the plan. Mr. Klepper stated the effort represents structured and targeted redevelopment rather than a project focused solely on generating revenue. Existing conditions throughout the district were reviewed in person, and opportunities for improvement were identified. The Dixieland CRA ten-year market demand summary includes recommendations related to housing, retail, office, and hotel development. The Dixieland Plan Update Recommendations were organized into four primary focus areas: - District definition - Urban form and economic development - Transportation - Activating the public realm Implementation strategies were categorized into short-term (within three years), mid-term (four to seven years), and long-term (seven or more years) timeframes. He noted the Plan's findings support an extension of the Dixieland CRA beyond its current sunset of 2031 for an additional 10-years. Board members also discussed the Dixieland CRA Redevelopment Plan Update, emphasizing the importance of continued community engagement, maintaining flexibility within the redevelopment plan, infrastructure coordination opportunities, and ensuring all relevant topics are incorporated into the final document. Specifically, Board members encouraged and requested the following: - Community engagement continues beyond the Plan update process - Small business engagement and support remain a priority, in addition to other implementation strategies of the Plan - Ensure any additional public feedback is captured and reported back to Advisory Board Staff summarized that the full redevelopment plan addresses many of the topics raised during discussion and clarified that the presentation provided only a summary of the larger document. Staff further explained that public feedback continues to be collected through the CRA website and incorporated into the planning process, while additional public meetings and presentations to other boards are anticipated. Staff also noted that consideration has been given to a potential extension of the Dixieland CRA beyond its current 2031 sunset date to support implementation of the plan's long-term goals and projects. Valerie Vaught added that the additional public feedback will be collected through July 1st. A report will be presented back to the CRA Advisory Board summarizing all public feedback obtained on the Dixieland Redevelopment Plan modification through this date.

Monthly Financials:

Valerie Vaught provided a brief financial update.

2025 Annual Report:

Valerie Vaught reviewed the 2025 Annual Report and thanked Shelley Guiseppi for her work on the report.

Restore the Core Plan Updates Schedule:

Valerie Vaught provided an update on Restore the Core and the full plan update adoption schedules, including Dixieland, Downtown and Midtown tentative hearing dates through August 2026 Chair Chrissanne Long asked for the statistics of the website traffic to be provided to the board.

CRA Project(s) Updates:

Valerie Vaught stated staff would provide brief updates regarding the commercial infill concepts previously toured