Fort Walton Beach Resolution — 81-03-Application for 701 funds — reading text

redevelopment of the City' s blighted areas. c. List any accomplishments stemming from the program( s) identified above. A 95- unit elderly housing project is currently planned for a site redeveloped with CDBG funds. A number of residential and commercial projects are in the planning stage for downtown. 4.. Please check the item( s) below which describe citizen participation in your government' s planning process during the past calendar year. a. No formal citizen participation process. b. A citizen planning committee which meets on a regular basis, in a solely advisory capacity. X A c. planning board or planning commission which meets on a regular basis and has responsibilities and voting capabilities delegated by city or county law. d. Describe other citizen any participation efforts. The City has a Citizens Advisory Council and a CDBG Advisory Committee which work closely with the City in planning and implementing our COBG program. 5. If applicable, describe how your present planning program meets each of the three Nationai POlicy Objective: a) To conservate and improve existing communities, particularly the improvemel1t of those communities which aY." e characterized by fiscal, economic or social distress; IIiIiiiie b) To i~crease housing and employment opportunities and choices, part~cula: ly for lower income, minority persons, women, and persons . w~ th. spe~ ial needs such as the and a reduct~on ~ n the. cost elderly and handicapped, of housing; and c) To pro~o~ e order~y and efficient growth and development of commun~ t~es, and reg~ons States, taking into consideration the necessity of conserving energy. RE: ( a) Most of the City' s present planning is aimed at redevelopment of the downtown area and rehabilitation and redevelopment of designated slum and blighted areas". Our incorporated boundaries are limited by adjacent cities~ water bodies and Federal property, thus limiting our ability to grow. Therefore, if we are to obtain economic growth and prosperity we must focus our attention on these areas that once were the nucleus of our community. Changes in land use regulations~ rehabilitation of deteriorating structures~ and redevelopment of blighted areas are but a few of the tools intended to be used for improving our community. Hopefully~ through a continuing planning process~ we can change areas that are presently fiscal, economic and social drains on our community into productive and socially acceptable areas. RE: ( b) Planning and community development efforts for the City of Fort Walton Beach strongly emphasize the expansion of employment opportunities and the construction of housing within the central city area. The City' s Comprehensive Plan, Downtown Redevelopment Plan and Butler Terrace Plan all emphasize the redevelopment of our central city with the intent of utilizing existing resources to handle new popu- lation growth and economic development. Most planning is currently general in nature and needs to be refined and detailed in order to be implementable. Housing is proposed for the downtown~ and the City is working to have a 95- unit elderly housing project constructed in the central city. RE: ( c) Long range planning for the city emphasizes redevelopment of existing blighted~ undeveloped and underdeveloped properties. This direction of growth and development is being pursued so that the city will be able to utilize existing infrastructure and facilities that are already in place and conserve valuable resources. This trend in planning thought also promotes energy conservation through creation of new job opportunities in already developed areas that are predominently occupied by minorities and low and moderate income persons. Redev- elopment of the central city will provide new jobs within walking distance of many low and moderate income neighborhoods, will reuse existing infrastructure and generate new tax dollars without placing a high demand on the city for new or expanded services.