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

PlanINTRODUC The CRA should assist in the Downtown Master Plan 1.6 Public Involvement projects and the “around the mound” transportation concept. Summary Lighting should be added underneath the BrooksBridge As noted above, a stakeholder workshop was held on May to make a more inviting pedestrian environment. 8, 2018, and consisted of a brief project overview followed Vertical growth through rezoning and incentivizing by an open discussion with question and answers. Topics density should be encouraged. that were discussed included infrastructure, roadways, and the built environment. Perhaps the most prominent idea The CRA could potentially fund additional strategies to that came out of the meeting was ensuring a cohesive and identify and improve blighted properties through additional concurrent plan that melds with other ongoing projects code enforcement and renovation/ demolition. such as the Downtown Master Plan, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, the Okaloosa Walton TPO’s LRTP, and 1.7 Purpose of the 2025 the Brooks Street Bridge Replacement Plan. Policy and existing blight were also discussed in regards to potential strategies for removing blight from the CRA. Incentivizing Community Redevelopment Plan density and providing assistance in the form of grants were discussed as important tools for the community to achieve Update the goals set forth in the CRA Plan. Additional items that The purpose of the 2025 CRA Plan update is to make minor were of importance to the community include creating an but meaningful revisions to the existing plan to ensure it identity for the CRA as a whole, focusing on more than just continues to reflect the priorities of the City and its the Downtown and increasing the walkability within the residents. A key focus of this update is the incorporation of entire CRA. Following is a summarized list of both issues and language supporting community policing initiatives, which opportunities raised throughout the public involvement are consistent with the authorized uses of CRA funds under process. Florida Statutes and align with current public safety and quality-of-life goals. These updates reinforce the CRA’s Issues commitment to eliminating blight and promoting Fort Walton Beach lacks an identity and clear reinvestment through strategic initiatives that foster a safe, boundaries that set it apart from adjacent cities and the vibrant, and walkable community. unincorporated county. There is a lack of walkable and bicycle friendly streets The following vision statement, originally developed during that connect activity centers and residential areas. the 2018 Plan update, remains relevant and continues to There are numerous vacated or boarded up buildings guide redevelopment efforts by instilling civic pride, 24 Fort Walton Beach CRA enhancing a sense of place, promoting environmentally sensitive design, and respecting the context of the surrounding neighborhoods and Downtown Core: The City of Fort Walton Beach CRA will continue to be a waterfront-oriented community that provides a mixed-use urban environment with a diversity of housing, variety of employment opportunities; thriving downtown core; vibrant and distinctive neighborhoods; attractive parks, open spaces, and cultural amenities; and well-designed public streets, transit facilities, greenways, trails, and blueways. 25INTRODUC The 2025 update does not involve a boundary expansion or a reset of the CRA’s duration, but it does reflect a continued effort to refine the CRA Work Program and implementation strategies to better address emerging community priorities and enhance the impact of existing redevelopment initiatives. Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan Page intentionally left blank PLANNING CONTEXT & FRAM  CHAPTER 2: PLANNING CONTEXT & FRAMEWORK This chapter describes the holistic planning approach to address the different scales of redevelopment within the various distinctive character areas in the CRA. Potential goals, objectives, and strategies are identified to lay the foundation for the programs and projects to be considered by the Redevelopment Agency and private enterprise in implementing the CRA vision. Planning Holistically Through the existing conditions assessment, the FON, and the public involvement process, a number of issues and potential opportunities were identified within the CRA. To continue to address documented conditions of blight, encourage economic development, improve aesthetics, and offer a diversity of housing, a holistic approach is required. As described in the remainder of this plan document, this process included the identification goals, objectives, and policies that include recommendations and strategies for the overall CRA and distinct character districts. These Character Districts were created to focus the redevelopment efforts and the capital work plan to address the unique geographic areas of the CRA. The Character Districts include the following (Map 2 1): Neighborho dCONTEXT& Description of Character Districts The following contains physical descriptions and characteristics for the seven (7) character districts within the CRA Character Districts West Waterfront South Beal Parkway Corridor Downtown Core Eglin Commercial Corridor Uptown Industrial Health and Wellness 28 Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan  29CONTEX& Page intentionally left blank Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan  PlanCONTEX& 30 Fort Walton Beach CRA Map 2 1 will go here Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan 31CONTEX&  2.2.1 Downtown Core Key Features Defining The Downtown Core is defined by the Downtown Master Plan study area and consists primarily of concentrated mixed use, commercial, and residential the Downtown Core areas and the historical core of Fort Walton Beach. With focal points being Landing Park Miracle Strip Parkway/ US 98 and Brooks Street to the south, the Downtown contains a traditional main street character that transitions to single family Heritage Park residential to the east, a commercial highway corridor to the north and west, Brooks Street and a waterfront that contains residential uses but also recreation in Landing Miracle Strip/ US 98 ParkCONTEXT & Park. The area is the focal point of the Downtown Master Plan, which aims to Shoppes at Paradise Pointe redirect development paterns and right of way alignments, creating a more Brooks Bridge and Park cohesive destination for tourists, residents, and development transforming Fort Walton Beach Fort Walton Beach. Although not the largest employment center in Fort Walton Beach, the Downtown does contain a sizeable portion of retail and other commercial uses that generate employment and foot traffic (Map 2 2). Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity Providing Public Parking Redevelopment Focus Areas Highway 98 Realignment Brooks Bridge Replacement Figure 2 1: Miracle Strip Parkway / US 98 32 Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan Map 2 2: Downtown Core Figure 2 2: Venture Hive in Landing Park 2 3: Venture Hive in Landing Park BeachFigure Figure 2 4: Downtown Fort Walton Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan 33  2.2.2 Eglin Commercial Corridor Key Features Defining the Eglin Parkway NE traverses the CRA from north to south, creating a Eglin Commercial Corridor commercial spine. This area is made up almost entirely of highway commercial oriented uses and buildings, with smaller, less highway intense Uptown Station Shopping uses along Chestnut Avenue and Ferry Road. The typical streetscape is that Center of large building setbacks with an overabundance of parking, ingresses and Eglin Parkway SE egresses, and automotive oriented rights of way. Along the eastern edge of Chestnut Ave SE the corridor is a primarily residential neighborhood, which lacks a transition between the two uses, as neighborhood homes abut against commercial uses. Although not concentrated in one specific location, the sub area generates many commercial job opportunities along the corridor and connects to the Downtown Core at the south end, creating a larger swath of commercial uses (Map 2 3). Improved Pedestrian Crossings Enhancing Streetscapes Redevelopment Focus Areas Undergrounding Powerlines Establishing a Gateway into Downtown Figure 2 5: Uptown Station 34 Fort Walton Beach CRA Plan Map 2 3: Eglin Commercial Corridor Figure 2 6: Existing commercial land use Figure 2 7: Mural along Eglin Parkway Figure 2 8: Uptown Station