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Agenda 03-30-04The City of Boynton Beach City Clerk's Office 100 E BOYNTON BEACH BLVD BOYNTON BEACH FL 33435 (561) 742-6060 FAX: (561) 742-6090 e-mail: prainitoj@ci.boynton-beach.fl.us www.boynton-beach.org NOTICE OF CITY COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY WORKSHOP TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2004 AT 6:30 P.M. LIBRARY PROGRAM ROOM 208 So. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach, FL In accordance with Section 22 of the City Charter of the City of Boynton Beach, you are hereby notified of a City Commission/Community Redevelopment Agency Workshop on Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at 6:30 p.m. in the Library Program Room. 1. Update on Application for Traffic Concurrency Exception Area (TCEA) for Core Area 2. Boynton Beach Boulevard Extension Project 3. Update and Review of CRA Financial Incentive Program 4. Town Square Plan Update 5. Wayfinding Sign Program Update 6. Other Business 7. Schedule for Next Meeting Jerry Taylor, Mayor Mike Ferguson, Vice Mayor Bob Ensler, Commissioner Mack McCray, Commissioner Carl McKoy, Commissioner NOT~CE IF A PERSON DECIDES TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE CITY COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATI'ER CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING, HE/SHE WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND, FOR SUCH PURPOSE, HE/SHE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDING IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. (F.S. 286.0105) The city shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal ~l~_~ Kimley-Hom and Associates, Inc. INTRODUCTION Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. has prepared this report to support establishing a Wauspottation concurrency exception area (TCEA) for the City of Boynton Beach and the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). A location map of the proposed TCEA is presented in Figure 1. The City of Boynton Beach and the Boynton Beach CRA are initiating several progressive redevelopment plans within the designated Community Redevelopment Area consistent with the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Boy-aWn BeacK The intent of the redevelopment initiatives is to build a livable, sustainable commlHlity and to provide a catalyst for redevelopment and growth within the CRA and more specifically within the proposed TCEA boundaries. To achieve the redevelopment goals of the City and the CRA, the proposed TCEA will promote allowable residential and commercial densities and an integrated mix of .... land uses while enhancing non-automobile medes of travel. Although the core of the CRA redevelopment plans and the transportation strategies for the proposed TCEA will support a more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environment and increase multi- modal tran~on options, the redevelopment plans will ulthnstoly generate additional vehicular traffic impacts upon the transportation network of Boynton Beach and the surrounding area. The Justification Report presents the potential impacts of the City's redevelopment plans and the TCEA and identifies feas~le 'transportation and planning strategies to mitigate the impacts. To the fullest extent poss~le, the City will depart from conventional transportation planning and engineering philosophy to achieve its goals. In fact, State legislation and the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Plan aelmowledge that redevelopment goals cannot be fully attained with a conventional automobile-based approach like traffic concurrency. The TCEA will give the City and the CRA an essential tool to meet the goals of infill development and redevelopment while minimizing the 044349005 Page I Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. negative consequences of concurrency. Several mixed-use urban redevelopment projects have already been identified within the downtown area of Boynton Beach. The projects include the Marina Village and the Arches. Both projects are approved as mixed-use developments located near the intersection of Federal Highway (US 1) and Ocean Avenue. Marina Village and The Arches are the first projects serving as a foundation for Boynton Beach's redevelopment efforts. Designation of the TCEA will further promote the City's envisioned redevelopment along the Intracoastal waterfront, Boynton Beach Boulevard, Se. ac-mst Boulevard, and Federal Highway (US 1) corridors. Such mixed- use redevelopment initiatives will support the internalizati°n of project trips as well as non-vehicular medes of travel Such a desired mix of residential and non- residential land uses will maximize origins and destinations within the downtown core and further reduce trips requiring travel west of 1-95. This report provides the d_o!a and analysis to support., the vision of the CRA by amending the City's Comprehensive Plan to create the TCEA. This report was prepared in accordance with Section 15(I)N of the Palm Beach County Land Development Regulations (Traffic Performance Standards), Rule 9J-5 of the Florida Admlni,,~ative Code, and the requirements of the Florida Statutes as _admini.~l~l by th~ Depmiment of Community Affairs. The TCEA designation is being pursued under Rule 9J-5.0055(6)(a)2 of the Florida Admini.~ative Code as a specific geographic area delineated in the comprehensive plan for urban redevelopment area containing not more than forty percent developable vacant land. 044349005 Pnge 2 TCEA BACKGROUND In 1985, the Florida State Legislature enacted legislation to help ensure that adequate public facilities such as roads, sewers, and water were funded and constructed concurrent with the development that each facility services. Specifically, the intent of the transportation concurrency legislation was to slow and ultimately reduce urban sprawl and maintain the adopted level of service for automobiles. After 1985, the State and several counties realized that this rather innovative, but blunt growth management instrument was contributing to sprawl and hindering other planning initiatives such as redevelopment. Experience with concurrency management has revealed that downtown revitalization and urban redevelopment projects are frequently denied approval because of the inability to meet the traffic concurrency requirements and maintain the associated level of service. Meanwhile, motor vehicle capacity is generally available in outlying areas. This has created a situation where traffic concurrency has become an obstacle to local, regional, and State promotion of compact growth in urban areas and the preservation of agricultural land and open space. This is especially problematic for older coastal communities in Florida where the potential for redevelopment is the greatest. To further support the need to redevelop these coastal communities, the South Florida Regional Planning Council, in conjunction with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council received support from Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties for the "Eastward Ho!" initiative to focus on revitalization of Southeast Florida's urban, coastal core. Consequently, it was realized that exceptions to traffic concurrency were necessary and developed transportation concurrency exception areas (TCEAs) to minimize the negative consequences of traffic concurrency. The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) under Rule 9J-5 administers execution of the TCEA designation process as established in the Florida Growth Management Act. In addition, Chapter 163.3180(5)(b), Florida Statutes, addresses exceptions from concurrency, as stated below: 044349005 Page 4 A local government may grant an exception from the concurrency requirement for transportation facilities if the proposed development is otherwise consistent with the adopted local government comprehensive plan and is a project that promotes public transportation or is located within an area designated in the comprehensive plan for: 1. Urban infill development, 2. Urban redevelopment, 3. Downtown revitalization, or 4. Urban infill and redevelopment under s. 163.2517. Purpose of the TCEA In accordance with the Palm Beach County Traffic Performance Standards Ordinance (TPSO), Rule 9J-5, and the Florida Statutes, the purpose of the Boynton Beach TCEA is to: Reduce the adverse impact transportation concurrency may have on urban infill development and redevelopment and the achievement of other goals and policies of the state comprehensive plan, such as promoting the development of public transportation. [Rule 9J-5.0055(6)] The Palm Beach County TPSO currently allows a transportation concurrency exception for all residential development east of 1-95, which includes the Boynton Beach CRA. The residential concurrency exception is meant to encourage residential development east of 1-95 in existing urban service areas to alleviate development pressure on the western areas of the County. The residential exception is laudable, as well as necessary. However, the CRA believes that without the additional provision of retail, commercial, office, recreational, and entertainment within the area, the CRA cannot achieve the City's full cultural, social, or economic development potential. The CRA needs to be strengthened by allowing a mix of land uses that sustain one another from an economic market standpoint. 044349005 Page 5 It is the CRA's vision that mixed-use development in the community redevelopment area will provide a larger market for transit. With the anticipated increase in the number of city residents within the CRA, there will be increased demand for bus, rail, and other public transit providers. This demand will reduce the reliance on automobiles for individual transportation needs, and in turn, increase the need for additional development of facilities for non-automotive modes of transportation such as walking and bicycling. In addition, the redevelopment of the CRA will increase the need for a cohesive intermodal transportation system to connect Tri- Rail, Palm Tran, and a community transit circulator. Once a TCEA is adopted, a proposed development located within a designated exception area shall not be subject to traffic concurrency requirements. According to Rule 9J-5 and the Florida Statutes, a TCEA may include a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), such as the CRA established in Boynton Beach, when it is located within an urban redevelopment area or existing urban service area designated in the local comprehensive plan. The City has purposely departed from conventional transportation planning and engineering philosophy to achieve its redevelopment goals and support the proposed TCEA. In fact, the City believes that the redevelopment goals cannot be attained with a conventional automobile-based approach. In other words, the City cannot simultaneously achieve its redevelopment goals in the CRA area and maintain adopted levels of service for automobiles. TCEA Designation and Boundaries The TCEA is proposed within the existing Boynton Beach CRA boundaries. Currently, the CRA is approximately 1,600 acres. The boundaries of the TCEA encompass approximately 669 acres of the CRA (or 41 percent of the CRA area). The areas of the CRA that are west of 1-95 or programmed only for residential 044349005 Page 6 redevelopment have not been included within the proposed TCEA. The TCEA boundary is illustrated in Figure 2. Consistent with the requirement for a TCEA designation for urban redevelopment [Rule 9J-5.0055(6)(a)2], the proposed TCEA is within an existing urban service area which does not contain more than 40 percent developable, vacant land. Based on 2003 land use information maintained by the City of Boynton Beach in a GIS database with information provided by the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, the current developable, vacant land (approximately 83 acres) is only approximately 12% of the total area within the proposed TCEA. The City is investing time and money to realize its vision for the CRA. The boundary of the TCEA is used to designate the geographic scope of the City's current redevelopment plans, and to encourage the application of a wide range of planning strategies that correspond with local circumstances within this specific area. From this standpoint, it is natural for the City and the CRA to pursue a TCEA. 044349005 Page 7 Figure 2 Proposed TCEA Boundary Boynton Beach Ca I I HITlll IP, IITI~~ ,~ Ir~ll,,U,~ It~, ]~,ll IIII1~ H-rlTll-rf~ I IIlIHI'dII~IP, I '01~ I DIII~,IIIJ l~llr~ll~,ll~,ll I~ll~ll~ll ~ I1~,1 IIIllll II~,~,IJI"AIII',~,[I']-3Tt?I ir I~IYB~I Jl~liJl City of Boynton Beach Comprehensive Plan The current Comprehensive Plan for the City of Boynton Beach demonstrates the City's strong desire to revitalize and redevelop the areas within the CRA and specifically within the proposed TCEA. Objective 1.9 of the Future Land Use Element states: The City shah eliminate blighted residential neighborhoods and business districts through the adoption and implementation of Community Redevelopment Plans including the Boynton Beach 20/20 Redevelopment Master Plan and the Coastal Management Element to guide development and redevelopment along the Boynton Beach Boulevard and Ocean Avenue corridors, within the commercial and residential Community Redevelopment Areas, and within the vicinity of US 1 and Martin Luther King Boulevard. [City of Boynton Beach Comprehensive Plan] Adopted Future Land Use Element policies under are as follows: o Objective 1.9 further establishes the importance of a revitalized urban area and improved quality of life that will result from implementation of the CRA's redevelopment plans. o Objective 1.13 supports the creation of a compact urban area within the City. o Objective 1.22 establishes policies that support the New Urban principles of the Visions 20/20 Redevelopment Plan prescribing a walkable community and a mixed-use development component. Subsequent redevelopment plans including the Federal Highway (US 1) Corridor Community Redevelopment Plan, and the Heart of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Plan continue to strive for the same goals. It is apparent that many of the currently adopted objectives and policies within the City's Comprehensive Plan already support the creation of a TCEA to assist in making the redevelopment goals a reality. Approval of the TCEA for formal inclusion into the Comprehensive Plan is the next step in this process. 044349005 Page 9 TCEA Goa~ It is the City's transportation vision to provide a transportation system that supports the economic, social, and sustainability goals of the CRA. The CRA goals include the following: · Encourage opportunities for economic development within the CRA. · Achieve a balanced mix of sustainable and functional land uses. · Build a balanced transportation system equally accommodating all modes. · Provide a wider choice of U-ansportation modes. · Improve the quality of life for existing and future residents by providing a pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environment. · Create safe and attractive streets by reducing the negative effects of motor vehicles and increasing the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. The goals of the proposed TCEA include the following: · Mitigate the impacts of the TCEA on the transportation system within the TCEA and the surrounding areas. · Allow a departure from conventional Ixansportation planning and engineering philosophy toward context-sensitive, community-oriented transportation planning and engineering. · Increase the viability of all non-automobile transportation modes. · Improve and enhance the pedestrian and bicycle facilities within the TCEA and provide connections to facilities adjacent to the TCEA. · Recommend modifications to the City's land development regulations to require developments within the TCEA to provide pedestrian connections to the City's sidewalk network and support public transit, either by providing infrastructure or contributing to the operations. · Encourage a hierarchy of transportation modes for street designs and transportation priorities in the following order: pedestrians, bicycles, public 044349005 Page 10 transit, high-occupancy vehicles and taxis, and lastly, single-occupancy automobiles. · Reduce dependency on automobiles. · Achieve slower and steadier motor vehicles speeds through design. · Utilize traffic calming to reduce motor vehicle collision frequency and severity and improve the safety and perception of safety of non-motorized users of the streets. · Reduce the need for police traffic enforcement through street design. 044349005 Page 11 Memo To: City Commission, CRA Board, and City Manager From: Douglas Hutchinson Subject: Boynton Beach Boulevard Extension Project Date: March 26, 2004 Dennis Haynes will be presenting to the City Commissioners and the CRA Board a project update' and details for the next phase of the Boynton Beach Boulevard/ Riverwalk / Promenade Project. Both the City and the CRA Board have received update packages, however, this presentation will be in large format to give a better understanding of current elements. The Boynton Beach Boulevard Extension Project calls for the extension of 'Boynton Beach Boulevard from US-1 to the Intracoastal Waterway. The extension of Boynton Beach Boulevard will be designed as a pedestrian and vehicular gateway to the Marina Area. To begin the Boynton Beach Boulevard Extension Project, the CRA purchased the Relax Inn property. The purchase and demolition of the existing structure was part of the plan to create a significant gateway for the waterfront public and private areas. To draw visitors to the Madna area and the Intracoastal aspect of the project on the waterfront from Boynton Beach Blvd., it is proposed that a Promenade pedestrian element be designed to lead pedestrians past "Pete's Pond" eastward along the marina boat slips. The existing park investment goes largely underutilized. Additionally, the Community is in need of an Events and Festival Area which can be used easily with little set up cost and that contains permanent public accommodations such as restrooms, water: fountains~ temporary stage areas, trash receptacles, shade and seating areas. The City Park area would be converted into a multiple use Park and Events Area. The Promenade Gateway entry could be used as ticketing location special events and festivals. It is proposed to have several sites for public "Kinetic Sculptures" along its length to add attractions along the walk. These elements would be phased and represent the first major commitment to Public Art in Boynton. The subject theme of the "Kinetic Sculptures" is proposed as depicting the heritage of Boynton; i.e., marine sport fishing, scuba diving, agriculture or historical sites/personalities, thereby celebrating and preserving history for generati°ns. The potential exists in that the underwriting for the individual "Kinetic Sculptures" can come from the CRA, citizen fundraisers, public funds, private individuals, corporate gifts, grants, and other capital campaigns. To enjoy the whimsical "Kinetic Sculptures," viewing areas with shade created fr°m imitation "sails" of fabric would provide colorful comfort and tie the Promenade look to the adjacent marina. At night, the movement of the sculpture and the gentle bellowing "sail" material would be lighted to extend the hours of visual enjoyment. The Promenade would become an inviting Arts Walk for all ages. From the Promenade, the journey of "Natural" Boynton is proposed to continue along the Intracoastal and Boynton's largest preserve of mature mangroves on the RiverWalk. The Complex design links it to the City's existing Mangrove Nature Walk. With Boynton's growth, the RiverWalk and Mangrove Park preserves our natural resources and open space for the next generations. The walk is both educational and a great vantage point for Boynton's South Florida beauty. Memo To: City Commission, CRA Board, and City Manager From: Douglas Hutchinson Subject: Update and Review of CRA Financial Incentive Program Date: March 26, 2004 The CRA has an interest in supporting benchmark projects within the Boynton Beach CRA area. Many other CRAs have programs of one kind or another to recruit sought after anchor projects for their areas. As directed by the Board, the CRA staff, legal council and the City Development Department have drafted the attached program for consideration. CRA Staff has requested and received incentive programs from other CRAs in the State. This has included an extensive list from the State Association Florida Redevelopment Agency. Further, staff contacted several prominent developers for their responses. The requests were made by both email and direct calls. The results have been compiled in a sizable notebook available in the CRA Office. What we found was that no "set" program existed for large scale projects. Most large project incentives were negotiated on a project by project basis. This left a lot to chance which was not appreciated by the development community and communities were left to debate how much the current project should receive in incentives and how it set a precedent for the next project. Therefore, many agreed that a flexible program would have benefits to both parties involved in redevelopment. The key concept of flexibility needs to be emphasized. Another area of research was performed regarding the qualifiers and scoring elements for the program. Many had used job creation as one of the benchmarks. In each case however, the funding source had ties to other programs or economic development based incentives that required tracking jobs. The program administrators that we spoke to agreed that this aspect was very difficult to track. Some examples of job creation issues were: temporary vs. permanent jobs, part-time vs. full-time jobs, direct vs. indirect jobs, types of jobs - skilled vs. unskilled, pay levels which should exceed average county pay levels, who is hired - local vs. regional vs. state vs. other areas, what happens when someone quits and the job is unfilled, etc. All these factors have major differences in job creation impacts... Then arises the issue of administration: tracking, gathering required employee information (which may have civil rights impacts, income levels, etc.). Staff's point of view is that the CRA is not required to track job creation and therefore, we should seek to use other elements to score the projects for incentives. The proposed program rewards projects in several areas of effort; i.e., size, architecture style, type of use, area, etc. This is what the CRA would like to influence in the district. They are verified by a third party (tax office) and are scaleable, performance based formulas. If the project falls short on generating expected tax base the incentive is proportionally reduced and if the applicant's project generates greater value, it would automatically receive additional incentives. The project must perform by paying applicable taxes before receiving incentive funds; therefore; administration issues are vastly reduced and are not subjective elements. The program may be gradually .phased out. As time goes on, scores would generally come down because the projects are not the true pioneers, therefore later projects may not score as well unless they demonstrate new vision or innovation. This scoring is controlled by the CRA Board so the program and future project incentives can be molded into the current CRA vision and projects sought after. The program asks .for:summaries of information from the applicant which are meant to provide the CRA Board suffibient information .for evaluation and yet attempts to not require the applicant to divulge proprietary materials. Remember that all materials given to the CRA become public knowledge and many developers will not or can not divulge these aspects. Certainly, if the summaries do not "add up," additional information would be required. Another scoring aspect uses third party economic impact studies that generate CRA and City wide impacts. This is important as it assess impacts on other governmental entities as well as the CRA; i.e., city, county, schools, etc. It also can look at utility revenues and franchise fees. This scoring element also uses third party analysis to evaluate projects. The program scoring is designed to recognize and reward benchmark projects. One element of the scoring system would allow the CRA Board to score outstanding projects so that they could overcome scodng deficiencies in other element categories. Conversely, the CRA Board must score the project with a minimum number of points or it will fail to reach the minimum score required for incentives. Incentive funding levels were set so that the CRA retains substantial TIF revenues to be used as the Board sees the public need. The direct incentive was limited in time to a maximum of ten (10) years. This is not meant to be a given, but is set strictly as a maximum period. The maximum amount of incentive is tied to the actual property taxes paid. The program works as a reimbursement formula which requires the total property taxes to be paid and receipt given prior to forwarding annual incentives to the project. The maximum annual amount of incentive is limited to fifty (50%) percent of the paid TIF tax on the increment generated from the project. Here again, this is not a given or guarantee of any funding. The project applicant may request that the incentive be "front loaded" in the following formula: 75% first year, 75% second year, 60% third and fourth year, 50% fifth year and sixth year, 40% seventh year and eighth year, 25% ninth year and tenth year..' :..The:~m.e~hed~--of-¢alcUlating "front loading" would be to project the ten year TIF based on the first` year's taxable value times the project'S incentive formUla (based on the project's score received from CRA Board) and then the annual incentive is adjusted to follow the "front loaded" percentage schedule above. The taxable value is monitored annually prior to incentive award to assure that any movement in value will be reflected in the calculation. Preliminary responses from developers have been very positive. Staff believes that the proposed program for Boynton Beach is sound economically, the qualifying, criteria is reasonable and the information required of the Applicant is necessary for evaluation, but does not jeopardize proprietary materials. Legal Staff will need to construct the final program agreement upon approval by the 'Board. In an effort to provide a more comprehensive program, The CRA has approved several adjustments to the existing incentive program to add an Affordable Access component. The dream of home ownership or affordable housing rental is on the brink of becoming an endangered species for many American families. The dream is becoming elusive because moderate income families cannot qualify or afford. Wages are insufficient which puts these families 30% over the required 32% average house payment to income ratio. A rapidly growing population, fiat growth of incomes and growing housing prices are few of the variables that have contributed to this new reality. In response to this emerging plight, many programs have surfaced under many names: Work Force Housing, Affordable Access, Low Income Housing, etc. Whatever the labels attached to such programs, the common underlying trend is the attempt to somehow make housing affordable to that segment of the population. Boynton BeaCh and its residents are not shielded from this plight. In light of the proposed redevelopment and Real Estate appreciation approaching 14% annually, the challenge of affordable access space is a reality in the immediate future. A common misconception is that this issue is residential and one dimensional. Traditionally, when faced with an aggressive redevelopment plan, Cities attempt to use Iow income housing as a measure of the aid which they provided to the displaced. Little or no thought is given to the local business. The local flavor of most cities disappears with the unique local business base taking with them the culture and charm. New space rent rates can cost many times more than pre-redevelopment rates. Survival of a downtown business or a redeveloped area is contingent upon gradual increase in overhead; not an immediate and drastic increase. It is a proven fact that it costs less to keep a quality customer than it costs to get a new one. The same premise could be applied to the concept of keeping the quality businesses that currently exist in a pre-redevelopment area. While new businesses are attractive, it will take them time to build a customer base and a loyal following. The opposite is true of the existing business: they already have brand loyalty. An Affordable Access Program that rewarded a developer to make available a percentage of the project at below market rate and creates an opportunity for a local business with its built-in customer base to remain is a win-win solution. DRAFT City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Revised 3/22/2004 The Boynton Beach CRA seeks to encourage large-scale projects, which define new markets, quality, innovation and character in the CRA area. It is recognized that many times these benchmark projects require new and untested market assumptions, which have no local comparable. This condition often requires market support to make the projects feasible in the eady years. Accordingly, this Program is focused on support for qualified, benchmark projects during their initial stages. As defined by the focus of this Program, projects which directly compete with existing projects, or that do not open new markets or that do not set new higher project quality standards in the view of the CRA, may not receive maximum consideration. The dream of home ownership or affordable housing rental is on the bdnk of becoming an endangered species for many American families. The dream is becoming elusive because many moderate income families cannot qualify for a mortgage or afford the monthly payments. Wages are insufficient which puts these families 30% over the City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direc~ Incentive Program Page I of 19 required 32% average house payment to income ratio. A rapidly growing population, fiat growth of incomes and growing housing prices are some of the variables that have contributed to this new reality. In response to this emerging plight, many programs have surfaced under many names: Work Force Housing, Affordable Housing, Low Income housing, etc. Whatever the labels attached to such programs, the common underlying trend is the attempt to make housing affordable to the moderate to median income level population. Boynton Beach and its residents are not shielded from this plight. In light of the recent redevelopment, and real estate appreciation approaching 14% annually, the challenge of Affordable Access Space is an immediate reality. A common misconception is that this issue of affordability is only residential and one dimensional. Traditionally, when faced with an aggressive redevelopment plan, cities use Iow income housing as the only measure of the total aid which they provide to the displaced. Little or no thought is given to the local business community. Many times the local flavor of most cities disappears when the unique local business base is displaced, New space rent rates can cost many times more than pre-redevelopment rates. Survival of a downtown business in a redeveloped area is contingent upon gradual increase in overhead not an immediate and drastic increase in their fixed costs. It is a proven fact that it costs less to keep a quality customer than it costs to secure a new one. The same premise could be applied to the concept of keeping the quality businesses that currently exist in a pre-redevelopment area. While new businesses are attractive, it will take them time to build a customer base and a loyal following. The opposite is true of the existing businesses that already have brand loyalty. An Affordable Access Program rewards a developer for making available a percentage of the project at below market rate to create an opportunity for a local business with its built-in customer base to remain is a win-win solution. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment ~.~ency Direct Incentive Program Page 2of 19 In an effort to provide a more comprehensive community benefit program, the CRA Direct Incentive Program requires an Affordable Access component be addressed by applicants. This Incentive Program seeks to better the public elements in pdvate development projects therefore; projects having a site in excess of 87,120 square feet (two acres) are required to have "Public Amenity" elements (sidewalks, alley and streets do not qualify.) These elements will be considered as part of "Project Quality" scodng. Projects will be scored by Program Criteria, which is defined in the Program Guidelines. The Project's score will determine how much, if any, of the eligible incentive the Project may receive. APPLICATION TO THIS PROGRAM IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUNDING. FUNDING IS AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE CRA BOARD. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incenlive Program 3/22/O4 Page 3 of 19 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PROGRAM GUIDELINES Page 5 II. PROGRAM SCORING CRITERIA Page 6 III. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION Page 8 IV. INCENTIVE PROGRAM APPLICATION Page 12 V. CRA NOTES & BOUNDS Page 14 VI. MAP AND BOUNDRIES Page 16 VII. CONTACT INFORMATION Page 19 City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incenlive Program Page 4 of 19 PROGRAM GUIDELINES SUMMARY · The Project must be in the City of Boynton Beach CRA Area as defined at the time of application and approval by the CRA Board. · The Applicant must be the majority owner (the owner having the greatest percentage of ownership) or authorized agent of the majority owner in the Project. · All property taxes, fees, city/county liens owed by the Applicant must be paid and current. · The Project is required to be over $2,000,000 in projected new assessed taxable value upon completion. However, projects in the Heart of Boynton area need only exceed a threshold of $500,000 for consideration. · The Project's projected total annual economic impact to the City (after completion) as projected by using RMS Economic modeling standards, shall be a minimum of 20 times the corresponding year's incentive dudng the incentive period. This impact analysis is waived in the Heart of Boynton area. · The Project shall contain Affordable Access elements sufficient to score a minimum of 2 points to qualify for any incentives. · Projects having a site in excess of 87,120 square feet (two acres) are required to have "Public Amenity" elements (required sidewalks, alley and streets do not qualify.) These elements will be considered as part of "Project Quality" scodng. · The duration of the incentive shall be no longer than 10 years. · The incentive will generally not exceed 50% of the CRA TIF revenue directly generated by the Project dudng the incentive pedod. · No incentive (in any one year) shall exceed 75% of the new annual TIF revenue directly generated from the Project for that year. · Projects may be phased; however each phase must meet program thresholds. · Projects must score at least 50 points on this application to qualify for incentives. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incenlive Program 3/22/O4 Page 5 of 19 PROGRAM SCORING CRITERIA · Project Size (total new assessed value) (up to 20 pts).. For the purpose of application scoring, the new assessed value projection shall equal the Project's projected appraised value (established by third party appraisal or feasibility study) minus any projected homestead exemptions, times 90%, minus current assessed value of the Project site. 1. $2,000,000 to $9,999,999 (5 pts) 2. $10,000,000 to $24,999,999 (10 pts) 3. $25,000,000 to $49,999,999 (15 pts) 4. $50,000,000 plus (20 pts) Heart of Boynton Area (only) 1. $500,000 to $999,000 (5 pts) 2. $1,000,000 to $1,999,999 (10 pts) 3. $2,000,000 to $2,999,999 (15 pts) 4. $3,000,000 plus (20 pts) · Type of Project (up to 20 pts)- Preferred use criteria. Evaluation of the Project is based on its consistency with redevelopment plans and its appropriateness within the overall economic context. Depending on location, additional consideration will be given to the following uses. 1. Mixed uses with residential component 2. Mixed uses with office component 3. Hotels/Conference Centers 4. Multi-story professional-retail buildings (business and financial services) 5. Multi-story office-retail only buildings with the following type of retail tenants: a. Restaurant/Specialty Foods b. Entertainment c. Art galleries d. Apparel e. Gift Shops/Decorative Arts/Specialty Stores/Boutiques City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 6 of 19 6. Retail only buildings with a minimum of four tenants (from the above list) 7. Multi-Family fee simple ownership units - (Heart of Boynton area only) 8. Stand alone Live/Work configurations (rental or fee simple), (Heart of Boynton area only) · Project Location {up to 20 pts)- Must be within the CRA area. 1. In the CBD District or on Federal Highway South of C16 Canal & North of Woolbdght, Boynton Beach Blvd. from the Intracoastal to 1-95 or on Ocean Ave., (Projects in these areas are high impact and have the highest visibility). (10 pts) 2. The Heart of Boynton area - (20 pts) · Economic Impact - (up to 20 pts) 1. Projected Economic Impact over the incentive period of 20 to 49 times the incentive - ( 5 pts) 2. Projected Economic Impact of 50 times the incentive or more - (10 pts) 3. Economic Impact Studies are waived in the Heart of Boynton area and assigned 20 pts. · Affordable Access Incentive (up to 20 pts) (Mandatory Minimum Score of 2 pts) 1. Scoring (See Scodng Graph) Single Use Type of use Score Two Uses Type of use Score Type of use Score Three Uses Type of use Score Type of use Score Type of use Score Total Score City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 7 of 19 · Project Quality - (up to 40 pts) 1. Point allocation based on project architecture, landscape features, public amenities, innovation, quality, overall contribution to the Community, etc. Project sites over 87,120 square feet (two acres) are required to have public amenity features. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION Upon approval by the CRA Board and completion of required documents and execution thereof, the program will be generally administered as herein outlined. Specific guidelines will be contained in final program contract documents. Establishing the Project's New TIF Revenue Eligible for Incentive: The Annual TIF Revenue eligible for the Direct Incentive Program shall be established by subtracting the tax revenues received in the year the agreement is approved and signed for the project site(s) from the actual new annual revenues received by the CRA. This new revenue increment is then multiplied times the Program's Incentive Percentage. The Incentive is calculated each year based on actual tax revenues received. Establishing the Projected Incentive Percentage: Each completed Application will be scored by the CRA Board in a public meeting. Point scores by the CRA Board members from each of the six cdteria elements will be individually averaged. The averaged element scores will be added together to determine the total application score. This score will be expressed as a percentage; the "Project Score Percentage". This Project Score Percentage is then multiplied by the Incentive Program Percentage of 50%. The Incentive Program establishes 50% as the maximum percentage of direct project TIF Revenues available to the Applicant. This resulting percentage is the Incentive Percentage. For example; a Project Score of 100 pts or more equals 100%. The Project's 100% is multiplied by the Program's maximum Incentive percentage of 50%. The resulting 50% is the Project's Incentive Percentage. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program 3/22/O4 Page 8 of 19 Example #2:70 pts scored by the Project equals 70% of the 50% for a 35% Incentive Percentage. Establishing Annual Incentive Amount: The Project's Incentive Percentage is multiplied times the new net TIF Funds received annually by the CRA which are generated by the Project to yield that year's Cash Incentive Amount. Note that incentives are defined as percentages of the new TIF revenue increment as it is collected by the CRA, therefore, any dollar figures calculated prior to project completion and its listing on the tax roll, are only estimates. Establishing Annual Incentive Disbursement Amounts for the Incentive Period: The incentive shall be normally disbursed in ten (10) annual installments after required actions have been completed by the Applicant, unless incentive funds are to be paid prior to Project Completion. The Project Applicant may request that the Incentive be "Front Loaded" to respond to early Project needs. Generally, if approved, Front Loading will begin in the first year that tax revenues are received by the CRA. A Front Loading request for this Incentive Program does not mean funds loaned to the Project prior to completion and tax enrollment. The method of calculating "Front Loading" will be to project the ten year TIF Revenue to the CRA based on the first year's assessed property tax revenue times the Project's Incentive Percentage (Generated by the Project's score received from the CRA Board). The Annual Incentive Amount is adjusted to follow the "Front Loading" percentage schedule. The Front Loading Formula is: 75% first year and second years, 60% third and fourth years, 50% fifth and sixth year, 40% seventh and eighth year, and 25% ninth and tenth years. The percentage shall not exceed 75% of the new increment tax revenue for any single year; however, the cumulative incentive shall not exceed 50% of the new assessed increment's tax revenues over the entire incentive period. The taxable value is monitored annually prior to the incentive award to assure that any movement in value will be reflected in the calculation. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 9 of 19 Incentive Disbursement Schedule: The Earned Incentives will be dispersed no later than Apdl 1s~ of the year following the corresponding tax year. Affordable Access Incentive: The following are definitions for the Affordable Access Incentive Elements: · Affordable Access Incentive rewards Projects for below market access by the public to a defined portion of the Project. The Affordable Access Incentive shall be scored by analyzing the amount of Project's set aside area eligible for discount pricing. The ratio of the Project's set-aside area and amount of discount will be plotted on the CRA Project Scoring Graph for Affordable Access to determine points scodng. · Uses shall be defined by three basic categories. Those uses shall be Residential, Commercial and Retail/Restaurant. Each use shall be scored separately for Affordable Access (amount of area and amount of discount) and analyzed using the appropriate matrix graph corresponding to the number of uses contained in the Project. Projects containing mixed uses shall have the Affordable Access scores for each use added together for the Total Category Scoring. · The Project must score at least 5 pts in this Affordable Access category to be eligible for Direct Incentives. The maximum number of points for this category of the Direct Incentive Program shall be 20 pts. · Project Set Aside Percentage shall be defined as the area (square footage) available for market discounts divided by the total area (square footage) in the Project for the same type of usage. · Market Pricing shall be the average actual or projected market or retail price per square feet for each of the uses within the Project. · The Discount Percentage is figured as the discounted pdcing per square foot offered by the Project divided by the average rental or sale rate per square foot of the like-kind area within the Project. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 10 of 19 Administration of Affordable Access Program by Project Owner. The Applicant shall be required to qualify beneficiaries for the Affordable Access Spaces and report annually. The Project Applicant must qualify beneficiaries for the term of the requested Direct Incentive Program (up to 10 years). 1. Residential Rental and Sales (must be one of the following to qualify) a. Residential Rental- Individuals or families with household income ranging from a "Low Income of 80% Median Income to 120% of Median Income" for Palm Beach County as defined by HUD for the year that the Incentive Program application is approved. b. Residential Sales - Individuals or families with household income ranging from a "Low Income of 80% Median Income to Income 120% Median Income' for Palm Beach County as defined by HUD for the year that the Incentive Program application is approved. Unit Pricing for Incentive Units shall be priced so that buyers are able to qualify for unit purchase. Qualifying Income Percentage for home ownership is defined as 32% of the gross monthly income. The purchaser must keep the unit for a minimum of 10 years or pay any profit above the original Purchase cost plus a 3% annual inflation factor back to the CRA Program. The unit must be the primary full-time residence of the qualified buyer. 2. Commercial Rental, Retail or Restaurant (must be one of the following to qualify) a. Majority of business ownership owned by people and/or a corporation within Palm Beach County (business and/or franchise ownership). b. Existing business located within in the Boynton Beach CRA District. c. New local business with business owner(s) living in Palm Beach County. d. Minodty Owned Business as defined by SBA 8a Standards. 8a Business Ownership can be located locally, regionally or nationally. e. Affordable Access Restrictions run for the duration of the Direct Incentive Program. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 11 of 19 Public Amenities: Public amenities are defined as areas that have unrestricted public access for the life of the Project. Physical improvements that may qualify are very broad to encourage project design innovation. Specific items which will not be considered as contributing public areas for scoring are sidewalks (10' wide or less), roads, utility R.O.W.s, alleyways, items solely required for safety/emergency access, etc. Public area designation shall be cleady identified by the Applicant on the Project's Plan. Their ultimate acceptance as qualified "Public Amenities" is solely at the discretion of the CRA Board. The public area information will include an element narrative description, a proposed structure for setting aside the area for the public use, area layout plan with square feet, cost estimates for construction, maintenance programs (at no public cost), etc. Public amenities must be set-aside by deed covenant and/or in Property Owners Association Declarations and/or other legal documents acceptable to the CRA. INCENTIVE PROGRAM APPLICATION The following information shall be compiled in a loose-leaf binder, tabbed and labeled to correspond with the following section headings. This information package is the Program Application. The Application shall be forwarded to the CRA Office with a formal "Letter of Request" containing a narrative of the Project, reason for request, justification and a summarizing the highlights of each of the following sections. The letter should be signed by the applicant or authorized agent and be accompanied by 12 sets of the completed Project information (Electronic documents on CD are encouraged). · Project Applications shall be screened and reviewed by staff for completeness and non-subjective categories scored. · Staff or a selected Review Committee shall provide pertinent comments on the Project. City ol= Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 12 of 19 · The review pedod shall not exceed forty-five (45) days from the date of the submittal of a completed Application. On or before the end of the 45-day pedod, staff shall either forward the Application, their findings and recommendations to the CRA Board for consideration at the next regularly scheduled meeting or request, in writing, that the Applicant provide additional information (A copy of the staff or Review Committee recommendation will be forwarded to the CRA Board and the City Commission/City Manager). · Upon consideration by the CRA Board, the Board shall take one of the following actions: Approve, table, modify or reject the Application. The Applicant shall be notified in writing as to the Board's decision within 5 days. If the Application is denied, the Applicant may resubmit a revised Application for reconsideration. Note that any direct or indirect lobbying of the CRA Board will result in disqualification of the Applicant from the program. Project Information: · Applicant Information 1. Applicant (Majority Owner) Name. 2. Listing of Owners by Ownership Percentage. 3. Applicant Address, Phone Number(s), Fax, Email Address. 4. Contract Person's Name, Title, and Contact Information. 5. Attach a Brief Resume on the Applicant and Principals (Exhibit "A"). · Project Information 1. Project Description (One Page Narrative) · Project Location · Size- area and appraised value · Zoning · Uses (commercial, residential, mixed use, etc.) · Square Footages of Uses · Amenities · Features - construction finishes & materials, colors, etc. 2. Plans (if not previously CRA approved) - site, floor, elevations, landscape, colored renderings, etc. (Exhibit "B") City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 13 of 19 3. Project Status (for example, has the project been submitted for Initial Site Review, Site Plan Approved, Permitted, etc.) 4. Project Timetable with Projected Dates. 5. Feasibility Study Summary - (A copy of the study's summary conclusions dated within the last six (6) months prior to the date the application is filed with the CRA office.) The study must be completed by an experienced third party firm. The Study shall be based on appraisal, market conditions, comparable projects, financing and all factors affecting the development of a stand-alone project, without the inclusion of incentives. Property value and inflation increases shall be no greater than 3% annually. 6. MA! Appraisal Summary - (A copy of the appraisal's summary conclusions dated within the last six (6) months prior to the date the Application is filed with the CRA office.) MAI Appraisal of the current land and any improvements as is and the Project's projected value upon completion. 7. Economic Impact Study - (A copy of the study's summary conclusions dated within the last six (6) months prior to the date the application is filed with the CRA office.) The study must be completed by an experienced third party firm. The analysis shall forecast CRA and City economic impacts, specifically including CRA TIF revenue forecasting using RMS standardized economic models. This study requirement is waived for projects in the Heart of Boynton area. 8. Affordable Access Commitment and Calculation. Define each usage Set Aside Area and define Market Discount Pdcing. 9. Public Amenity Feature - Projects of 87,120 square feet (two acres) are required to provide a "Public Amenity Feature" (sidewalks, alleys and streets do no qualify). Highlight the feature design, placement, cost, etc. The request for incentives and application, if approved by the CRA Board, becomes an integral component of the Incentive Agreement, including but not limited to other requested information from the CRA, therefore great care should be taken to seek the most accurate projections possible for the Project. City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direc~ IncenlJve Program Page 14 of 19 The approved Incentive Agreement may be assigned with the formal, prior written approval from the CRA Board of Directors. Cily of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopmenl~ Agency Direc~ Incentive Program Page 15 of 19 MAP AND BOUNDRIES City of Boynton Beach Communily Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program 3/22/O4 Page 16 of 19 City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direc~ Incentive Program Page 17 of 19 Heart of Boynton Area I in. = 664.5 feet City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 18 of 19 CRA CONTACT INFORMATION CRA Director: Douglas Hutchinson Address: 639 E Ocean Ave, Suite 107 Boynton Beach, FI 33435 Office: 561-737-3256 Fax: 561-737-3258 E-Mail hutchinsondL~.ci, boynton-beach.fl.us Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday City of Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Direct Incentive Program Page 19 of 19 Affordable Access Incentive Scoring Graph 4O 313 20 :: 10 5 0 LO 0 I.,,{') 0 I,..0 0 LO 0 Percentage of Discount PALM BEACH COUNTY INCOME GUIDELINES - 2003 MEDIAN = $60,800.00 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 person persons persons persons persons persons persons persons Very' Low- Income 50% $22,000 $25,100 $28,250 $31,400 $33,900 $36,400 $38,950 $41,450 Median Low- Income 80% $35,150 $40,200 $45,200 $50,250 $54,250 $58,300 $62,300 $66,300 Median Moderate Income 120% $52,800 $60,240 $67,800 $75,360 $8¶ ,350 $87,360 $93,480 $99,480 Median As RECEIVED FROM FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION MARCH 24, 2003. Memo.' To: City Commission, CRA Board and City Manager From: Douglas Hutchinson, CRA Executive Director Re: Town Square Plan Update Date: March 26, 2004 The 20/20 Vision Plan for Town Square identified a layout concept plan which has been attached as an exhibit. It is perhaps time to take a closer look at the present day and future needs for the Town Square area in light of today's realities. Staff will brief the City/CRA on items such as the City Hall aspects, Old High School and Library expansions. The discussion will give Staff direction for moving forward. Town Square Figure 28 1.City Hall Government Center 2. Police Department 3. Fire Rescue 4. Old High School Adaptive Reuse 5. Childrens Museum 6. Infill Civil Building 7. Special Intersection Treatment with City Logo 8. Entry Plaza with Historic Gateway Monumentation 9. Special Streetscape Treatment 10.Town Square Plaza 11. Existing Structures , Adaptive Reuse 12.Public Library 13.Art Center 14.Madson Recreation Center September, 1998 ~Tow71 ~qtlar¢ Boynton Beach I/~sion 20/20 Redevelopment Master Plan Page 83 Memo To: City Commission, CRA Board, and City Manager From: Douglas Hutchinson Subject: Wayfinding Sign Program Update Date: March 26, 2004. A system of signs was developed to assist in directing residents and visitors to activity and destination points of the CRA such as Town Square District, Ocean Ave., Marina District and Martin Luther King Blvd. The CRA Board selected Guidance Pathways Systems, Inc. to develop a "family" of signs that reflect the uniqueness of Boynton Beach. These directional signs were designed to feature the current City logo and colors, therefore further branding the look adopted by the City several years ago. The results were a series of signs for use throughout the City. This Way Finding Signage program will be implemented in phases; the first of which is a pilot program with initial signs in the Boynton Beach Blvd./Federal Core Area. This pilot program of 14 signs gives the CRA an opportunity to garner public feedback prior to total implementation. Phase II (manufacturing) and Phase Ill have been approved by the CRA Board to move forward. Final sign pictures, map location, and legends were sent out to the CRA Board Gateway Sign Unit: 60"x 95.375" Sign Sign#: 14 Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 30C Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 30A Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign//: 31D Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 3 lB Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 3 lA Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 24B Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 24A Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 24C Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 24D Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 23A Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 23B Single Sided Approved By: Date: Large Directional Sign Unit: 44.75" x 91.976" Sign Sign#: 39B Single Sided Approved By: Date: