Fort Walton Beach Resolution — 2025-10 Approving the Community Redevelopment Area Plan Update — reading text

Community Redevelopment Area Plan Adopted: Final | August 2025 By Resolution 2025-10  Acknowledgements This 2025 Community Redevelopment Plan Update was undertaken by the City of Fort Walton Beach and provides for minor modifications of the 2019 CRA Plan prepared by Tindale Oliver Design. Mayor Nic Allegretto, Mayor City Council (Community Redevelopment Agency Board) David Schmidt (Chairman of CRA Board) Logan Browning Gloria DeBerry Bryce Jeter Ben Merrell Debi Riley Payne Walker City of Fort Walton Beach Staff Jason Davis, City Manager Chris Frassetti, Growth Management Director Alisa Burleson, CRA Administrator 2019 CRA Plan Prepared by Prepared for TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction........................................................ 4 1.1 Historic Overview............................................4 1.2 2012 CRA Plan Update....................................7 1.3 2018 CRA Expansion........................................ 7 1.4 The CRA in 2018..............................................11 1.5 Development Assessment...............................25 1.6 Public Involvement Summary .........................26 1.7 Purpose of the 2025 CRA Plan Update...........26 2.0 Planning Context & Framework.........................30 2.1 Planning Holistically.........................................30 2.2 Description of Character Areas....................... 30 2.3 Goals, Objectives & Strategies........................48 3.0 Plan Elements.....................................................58 3.1 Conceptual Design...........................................58 3.2 Land Use & Urban Design ............................... 62 3.3 Transportation, Connectivity & Walkability ...70 3.4 Infrastructure .................................................. 74 3.5 Housing............................................................78 3.6 Economic Development..................................82 4.0 Funding & Capital Improvements.....................87 4.1 Prioritization of Projects & Initiatives .............88 4.2 Financing Plan.................................................. 88 4.3 Projects & Initiatives Prioritization..................91 4.4 Coordination & Partnerships...........................97 5.0 Conclusion & Statute Requirements.................99 5.1 Overview of Relevant Statutes........................100 INTRODUCTIO  Colonel George Walton, the acting governor of Florida. In CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1868, John T. Brooks purchased 111 acres in what is now Downtown Fort Walton Beach and the area of Brooks SUMMARY OF ACTIONS Landing. The most significant factor in the city’s growth was the creation and later expansion in 1937 of what is now The primary purpose for updating the 2012 Fort Walton Eglin Air Force Base. The community's name was officially Beach Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Plan is to changed from Fort Walton to Fort Walton Beach on June address changes that have taken place since adoption and 15, 1953, to promote tourism and the waterfront. to refocus projects, programs, and initiatives to guide the redevelopment process within the CRA for the next five The Fort Walton Beach CRA was established in 1977, with years. This chapter provides an overview of the planning the Redevelopment Trust Fund and Community process, a historical overview of the CRA and the 2012 CRA Redevelopment Agency following in 1982. The original CRA Plan update, an assessment of the existing CRA conditions was focused primarily on the Downtown portion of the city and programs, and the purpose of the 2018 CRA Plan along Miracle Strip Parkway/ US 98, stretching between Elm update. Avenue on the east to about Memorial Parkway on the west and was ±222 acres in size. The boundaries were expanded The planning process began in June 2017 with a kick off with a plan update in 1998, which saw the CRA grow PlanINTRODUCIN meeting, initial field work, and an area tour to evaluate the northward along Eglin Parkway to Hughes Street. The 1998 existing CRA and surrounding areas that potentially could be boundary update brought the grand total to approximately included in the CRA. A return trip in December 2017 607 acres or about 12% of the overall City limits (Map 1 1). resulted in an update presentation to the City Council detailing the progress up to that point and a presentation of The primary purpose of the CRA Plan is to eradicate blight a preliminary Finding of Necessity (FON) for the areas of conditions identified in the adopted FON. Resolution 96 14 concern. In May 2018, both the CRA Assessment Memo and relating to the FON was adopted on August 13, 1996 (see the FON were completed, which contained information on Appendix A), which identified substantial deterioration and demographics and trends and a review of the existing CRA the following eight blight conditions: Plan and other plans relevant to the CRA that would help Dilapidated and deteriorating structures guide the development of the updated Plan. Also in May, a Land use deficiencies stakeholder meeting was held that consisted of a brief Fire code violations and unsafe conditions project update and a question answer session to obtain Vacant lots and closed buildings public input on issues, opportunities, and other potential Diversity of ownership project ideas. Throughout the project, outreach and Inadequate infrastructure coordination with the ongoing Downtown Master Plan were High crime rate conducted to ensure consistency. The final CRA Plan was Inadequate transportation facilities completed in December 2018 and adopted in May 2019. Subsequent updates in 2007 and 2012 refined the CRA Plan 1.1 Historic Overview focus and re prioritized projects and programs to more effectively address the needs of the CRA at that time. A Fort Walton Beach is a seaside community in Okaloosa 2007 update to the CRA Plan began to change the focus of County, Florida, and is bordered by bodies of water, planning and development to a more mixed use district including Santa Rosa Sound to the south and with greater residential density, recognizing that successful Choctawhatchee Bay and Cinco Bayou to the north. urban centers require both residential and business Founded in 1937, the city has a “small town” feel with the development. With little vacant land throughout the CRA benefits of an urban community. It is rich with Native and the city, growth is possible primarily through increased American history dating back 14,000 years, and the earliest density and infill development. The 2012 update to the CRA permanent American settlers began arriving not long after Plan continued to focus on more streamlined approaches to Florida became a territory in 1821. In early 1861, a unit of the development of mixed use areas and smart growth the Florida Militia, the Walton Guards, established an through a comprehensive improvement program. encampment in the area, named Camp Walton after 2 Fort Walton Beach CRA Figure 1 1: Indian Temple Mound & Museum (Source: VisitFlori Figure 1 5: Downtown, Miracle Strip Parkway/US 98 Figure 1 2: Eglin Air Force Base (Source: Florida Memory) Figure 1 6: Mixed Use, Eglin Parkway NE Figure 1 3: Storefront, 1978 (Source: Florida Memory) Figure 1 7: Multi Family Residential, Carson Drive SE Figure 1 4: Finding of Necessity, 1996 Source: City of Fort Walton Beach Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan 3  Map 1 1: 2012 Fort Walton Beach CRA Boundary (as modified in 1998) 4 Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan  realm to create a cohesive neighborhood fabric. 1.2 2012 CRA Plan Update Assessment and refinement of design requirements to The 2012 CRA Plan identified key goals, objectives, and ensure consistency with the vision, goals, and strategies such as land use, infrastructure, transportation, objectives. design guidelines, housing, and economic development as Consideration of complete street improvements. well as special projects. As part of the 2018 CRA Plan Refinement of existing grant programs to match update, an assessment was completed to evaluate the 2012 updated goals, objectives, and policies. strategic goals and priorities and the CRA’s planning and programming initiatives (Appendix B). Through this Even with the 2012 CRA Plan accomplishments, the assessment, the CRA’s goals and community objectiveshave Redevelopment Agency decided to reassess the 2012 CRA been updated, resulting in guiding principles on which to Plan and prepare the 2018 CRA Plan update to formulate base the 2018 CRA Plan update. new ideas and to reimagine those that are no longer relevant or feasible. Some of the accomplishments from the 2012 CRA Plan include the following: As part of the 2018 Plan update, the City of Fort Walton Beach desired to assess areas surrounding the CRA to Created a Mixed Use District through zoning and land 5INTRODUC