annual report 2010 - immokalee today · these and many other accomplishments are listed in this...

COLLIER COUNTY COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

ANNUAL REPORT 2010 IMMOKALEE

Letter from the Community Redevelopment Agency Chair

These are truly historic days for Immokalee as it transforms itself into a keystone of Florida in the 21st

Century. The past year, 2010, was yet another precedent setting year of achievements for the Immokalee

Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and a year of significant advancement for the community of

Immokalee. Under the leadership of Executive Director Penny Phillippi and the CRA Advisory Committee

Chairman Michael Facundo, Immokalee saw its Master Plan approved by our Collier County process and

tentatively approved by the Florida Department of Community Affairs. Final approval at the county and state

levels is only months away.

The Board of County Commissioners and the Immokalee CRA partnered with Florida’s Heartland Rural

Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI) and Opportunity Florida to bring broadband internet

infrastructure to Immokalee as part of a regional $23.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Involvement of the Texas Roadhouse Corporation, through the CRA and the Immokalee Foundation, has

accelerated the pace of urban redesign and reconstruction. With their assistance, we will see the construction of

one of our linchpins of urban redesign, the 9th Street Plaza at the corner of 9th Street and Main Street become a

reality.

With a grant of over $3.5 million obtained through the federal Disaster Recovery Initiative, the CRA will begin

construction of Phase I of the Immokalee Stormwater Master Plan, a new storm water retention and filtration

system which will address stormwater issues on the Downtown Commercial District and alleviate flooding in

South Immokalee.

The CRA continues its broad effort to place the community on the national and international stage where

business and industry will be attracted to Immokalee with an aggressive marketing plan. Outreach efforts using

tools available on the Internet, our website and social media strategies, are reaping huge reward. Details of

these and many other accomplishments are listed in this Annual Report.

Respectfully,

Donna Fiala, Chair

Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency

ANNUAL REPORT 2010

1 Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency - Immokalee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

GOAL - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4

ATTRACT NEW AND RETAIN EXISTING BUSINESS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4

MARKETING AND BRANDING ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

TOURISM AND ECOTOURISM ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8

DEVELOP CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

GOAL - HOUSING ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

IMPROVE IMMOKALEE CAMPAIGN ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

DIVERSIFY HOUSING STOCK ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9

GOAL - INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

MAJOR ROADWAY PROJECTS ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10

STORMWATER AND DRAINAGE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10

IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN LOCAL STREETS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

GOAL - NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

PROTECTION OF SIGNIFICANT NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................................................... 12

GOAL - LAND USE/URBAN FORM AND DESIGN .................................................................................................................................................. 12

TRANSPORTATION PLAN ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

GOAL - IMMOKALEE DESIGN STANDARDS ........................................................................................................................................................... 13

LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS............................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

PUBLIC REALM/TOWN DESIGN ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

GOAL - INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION .............................................................................................................................................. 14

IMPROVE RANGE OF HUMAN SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

COORDINATION WITH COUNTY AND REGULATORY AGENCIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 14

FINANCIALS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16

SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

ANNUAL REPORT 2010

Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency – Immokalee 2

Community Redevelopment Agency Board

Donna Fiala, Chair

Jim Coletta

Georgia Hiller

Fred W. Coyle

Tom Henning

Community Redevelopment Agency

Advisory Committee

Michael Facundo, Chair

Carrie Williams, Vice Chair

Robert Halman (ex-officio)

Edward (Ski) Olesky

Melissa Martinez

Julio Estremera

Jeffrey Randall

Daniel Rosario

Kitchell Snow

Ana Salazar

Floyd Crews

Lt. Drew Lee

James Wall

Eva Deyo

CRA Staff

Penny S. Phillippi

Bradley Muckel

Christie Betancourt

IBDC Staff

Marie Capita

Rosemary Dillon

Marketing

Steve Hart

Birgit Pauli-Haack

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Background

The Collier County Community

Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was

established in March of 2000 to

alleviate slum and blight in two

separate Redevelopment Areas within

Collier County: The Bayshore Gateway

Triangle Redevelopment area and the

Immokalee Redevelopment Area.

Community Redevelopment Agency

(CRA) refers to a public entity created

by Collier County to implement the

community redevelopment activities

outlined under Chapter 163, Florida

Statutes.

The CRA adopted the Immokalee

Master Plan, which includes all of the

Immokalee Urban Designated Area.

Local leadership is provided by the

CRA Advisory Committee to promote

the sound development and

redevelopment of the CRA by focusing

financial resources to improve

infrastructure, appearance,

architecture, landscaping and design,

and provide economic stability and

safety.

Over the past seven years, the CRA, the

Immokalee CRA Advisory Committee

and the Immokalee Master Plan and

Visioning Committee (IMPVC) have

worked to redevelop a master plan for

Immokalee that would build on the

strengths of Immokalee to create

economic diversity and a prosperous

community.

Early in 2008, the Immokalee CRA

office was created and staffed and the

CRA contracted with RWA, Inc. to

finalize the Immokalee Area Master

Plan (IAMP). The plan was submitted

in December of 2008 to the Collier

County Community Development and

Environmental Services Department

(CDES) for review as a Comprehensive

Plan Amendment.

In December of that same year, the

IAMP was submitted to the Collier

County Community Development and

Environmental Services Department

(CDES) for review as an amendment to

the Collier County Comprehensive

Plan.

On June 23, 2009, the Collier County

Board of County Commissioners (BCC)

memorialized a schedule of hearings

for the IAMP toward submittal to the

Florida Department of Community

Affairs (DCA). One year later on June

22, 2010, the IAMP was approved by

the BCC and conveyed to DCA on June

29, 2010.

Collier County received the DCA

Objections, Recommendations and

Comments (ORC) Report on

September 7, 2010. The CRA response

to the ORC has been reviewed by both

the Environmental Advisory

Committee and the Collier County

Planning Commission. The IAMP is

scheduled to be approved by the BCC

on April 12, 2011.

The formal action of making the new

Immokalee Area Master Plan an

amendment to the Collier County

Comprehensive plan will represent a

great accomplishment for the

Immokalee Community and pave the

way for all governance and

redevelopment activities. The goals

and objectives cited in this report are

identical to the goals of the IAMP.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Goal - Economic Development

Attract New and Retain Existing

Business

Economic development remained the

top priority for the Immokalee CRA

staff during 2010. To this end, series of

activities to further this priority have

been implemented to enhance

Immokalee’s opportunity to develop

new businesses and maintain existing

business.

Meeting with entrepreneurs who wish

to open a business in Immokalee is an

on-going activity at the CRA. CRA staff

met with 24 separate entities who

wanted to open a new business in

Immokalee during 2010. A total of 61

new and existing business received

CRA technical assistance. Many were

small businesses, some wishing to

expand and others were entrepreneurs

attempting to open a business.

One of the economic development

policies in the Master Plan calls upon

the Immokalee CRA to provide

technical assistance to new or

expanding businesses in the Urban

Area. The CRA established a learning

laboratory for entrepreneurial

enterprises in Immokalee with the

assistance of grant funding from

Housing, Human and Veteran Services’

Community Development Grant

Program (CDBG). These funds, added

to CRA funds will allow the pilot

Immokalee Business Development

Center (IBDC) programs to have

operating capital for three years.

Another IAMP objective under

Economic Development is to provide

financial incentives to businesses in

Immokalee. To this end, CRA

implemented the Commercial Façade

Grant Program. To date, fifteen façade

grants have been awarded to local

businesses for a total of just over

$200,000. The program has picked up

momentum as businesses begin to see

increased business by making their

store fronts more attractive.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


The CRA facilitated direct procedural

and technical State Enterprise Zone

(EZone) Program assistance to 61 new

and existing businesses in our EZone,

some of which include:

Ag-Tronix

Roma in Havana Restaurant

AutoZone Stores

Little Caesars Pizza

Dunkin Donuts

Stevie Tomatoes Sports Pub

Milagro Community Properties

Goddard Composite Roofing

Gonzalez Flea Market

Empowerment Alliance of SWFL

Florida Non-Profit Services

DLR Consulting Group

American Discount Pharmacy

Family Dollar Stores

CVS Pharmacy

Walgreens

Florida Specialties

Habitat for Humanity

Cheney Landscaping Services

Lennar Homes

One hundred eighty one (181) new jobs

were created and $92,515 in Tax

Incentives was awarded to businesses

within the EZone.

Hurricane Wilma destroyed four large

structures at the Immokalee State

Farmer’s Market and essentially froze

that source of agribusiness in

Immokalee and the surrounding area

for the past six years. The total loss in

local revenue was estimated at a half

million dollars per year.

At long last, the Florida Department of

Agriculture has been awarded Federal

Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) funds to replace the

structures. During December 2010,

the state awarded the contract for the

construction to begin.

Florida Rural Broadband Alliance

The Florida Heartland Rural Economic

Development Initiative (FHREDI) and

Opportunity Florida received a grant

under the new company Florida Rural

Broadband Alliance (FRBA) which

encompassed 23.7 million dollars and

over 10 million in in-kind received

from the counties and cities. Florida

Rural Broadband Alliance, LLC

(FABRA) has been formed to

implement the grant. The Immokalee

CRA Director was appointed to the

Board of Directors of FRBA by the

Collier County Board of County

Commissioners. Birgit Pauli-Haack

was appointed as the Executive

Director’s designee.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


The purpose of the grant is to provide

cost-effective broadband infrastructure

and high capacity to 15 counties located

in northwest and heartland Florida

who are currently without service or

underserved, to advance economic

opportunity, and serve anchor

institutions and Last Mile providers.

The grant was awarded August 2010

and should be completed in 2013.

The communities to be served are

within; Calhoun, Collier (Immokalee),

DeSoto, Franklin, Gadsden, Glades,

Gulf, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and

Holmes County.

Marketing and Branding

The Marketing Department, made up

of private sector vendors, has been

actively and aggressively promoting

Immokalee as a regional commercial

and trade hub for businesses seeking to

locate or expand into Southwest

Florida. Via a short and long range

concerted plan, a fresh new marketing

array was launched. While it

incorporated traditional media

vehicles, it placed heavy emphasis on

the new social media tools.

The trademark used as part of

Immokalee’s “branding” process was

very successful and very well received

by the community. It has appeared on

the social media sites, banners, kiosks,

labeling, and on

vegetable packaging

leaving Immokalee.

Public Service Announcements and

articles about the new and existing

businesses in Immokalee were blitzed

in local and state newspapers. Ads

were placed in the Florida Trend

Magazine in September and in

November. The CRA received many

inquiry calls due to these marketing

efforts.

The collateral brochure was developed

to inform potential businesses about

Federal, State, County and CRA

incentives available to a business

opening in Immokalee; commercial

land for lease or for sale in and around

the Urban Area; and provide an image

of the flavor and potential of the

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


community was highly utilized by the

CRA, the Chamber of Commerce and

the Airport Authority. This piece

served to market Immokalee and

helped to increase the number of

businesses taking advantage of the

various incentives.

An Immokalee Today ENewsletter was

launched during the current marketing

year as well. This News Letter is issued

on a weekly basis and keeps the public

informed on the activities of the

Immokalee CRA and local businesses.

The ENewsletter proved to be widely

viewed and proved to be helpful in

documenting the utilization of the CRA

Web site, www.immokaleetoday.com.

As shown on the chart, trips to the Web

site increased by roughly 22% each

time an ENewsletter was released.

Although the web site was viewed in 25

countries, it was predominately view by

folks in Florida (66%) and in Georgia

(14%).

Further, it

was viewed

most by web

users on the

east and west

coasts of

south Florida.

The CRA team remains active on the

CRA Facebook and Twitter accounts

(www.facebook.com/ImmokaleeToday

and http://twitter.com/IMMtoday);

continues to display banners and

kiosks at public functions; provide

presentations to civic organizations,

business; and continues to seek

opportunities to market Immokalee’s

valuable assets.

The Immokalee CRA visited

Tallahassee during the Legislative

Session of 2010. Legislators were

informed about the plans for

Immokalee as well as efforts to attract

enterprise to the area. The collateral

brochure and the Annual Report were

provided to Legislators.

The Immokalee CRA Executive

Director joined the Board of Directors

of the Florida Export Finance

Corporation.

A major hurdle for many businesses

seeking to take advantage of the

opportunities offered by expanding

foreign markets is access to affordable

working capital. The State of Florida,

working in partnership with the federal

government and the State's banking

community has lowered this hurdle for

small and medium-sized

businesses.

Access to direct loans up

to $50,000 or loan

guarantees of up to

$500,000 is available to

Florida's small and

medium-sized businesses

through the Florida

http://www.immokaleetoday.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ImmokaleeToday

http://twitter.com/IMMtoday

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Export Finance Corporation (FEFC).

The FEFC was created by the State in

1993 as a not for profit corporation

with a mandate to expand employment

and income opportunities to Florida

residents by increased exports of goods

and services resulting from assistance

given by the FEFC to Florida

companies. Information, technical,

and consulting assistance is offered.

However, financial assistance is the

primary service offered by the FEFC.

Guarantees are transaction specific but

normally issued as a revolving line of

credit. This

program,

operating in

partnership

with Florida's

banking

community, is designed to assist the

State's smaller exporters by giving

them improved access to affordable

working capital.

Tourism and Ecotourism

During 2010, the CRA completed the

inventory of all available natural

resources to include in the marketing

of the area.

The Pepper Ranch is the newest

addition to recreational opportunities

In Immokalee and is now available to

visitors most Saturdays. Other than

marketing resources as a part of the

economic development package, the

CRA has not fully developed an

ecotourism program.

The CRA purchased a parcel of land at

the corner of 9th Street and Main Street

for the purposes of constructing the 9th

Street Plaza. Via a public/private

partnership, plans to raise funds for

the soft costs for the plaza have been

developed.

An interesting note on tourism; a

publication of Naples Gulfshore Life

Magazine stated the number one

tourist attraction in Southwest Florida

is the Seminole Casino in Immokalee,

hosting 1.7 million visitors last year.

Develop Cultural Celebrations

Partnering with the Eastern Collier

Chamber of Commerce, the CRA

granted funds toward the revival of the

Immokalee Harvest Festival in March

of 2010. The Harvest Festival will take

place in mid-April during 2011.

The CRA served as the catalyst for the

creation of the Celebration of Cultures

not-for-profit corporation after a group

of local citizens requested assistance.

These are citizens who historically did

not believe they had a voice in the

development of Immokalee and who

seek training as to how to be active

participants in the community. The

fledgling group is not a 501(c)(3) but

relies on partnerships with the RCMA

and the CRA for technical assistance

with governing documents, leadership

development, assistance and

participation from local businesses in

the effort to encourage the use of

cultural diversity as an asset.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Goal - Housing

Improve Immokalee Campaign

Although stringent efforts were made,

the CRA was not successful in the

objective of developing a program to

enhance clean-up efforts already in

place by the Community Task Force,

i.e., the Health, Sheriff, and Code

Enforcement Departments. Programs

already in place such as Neighborhood

Watch and Community Clean ups were

supported by the CRA.

Diversify Housing Stock

Housing takes several forms in the

current market. Although staff is

seeking to provide a diversity of safe

and sanitary housing for all residents

of the Immokalee Urban area by

seeking partnerships toward the

development of market rate housing,

staff is concerned with substandard

and dilapidated housing as well as the

glut of foreclosed housing.

The CRA’s definitive effort to begin to

address the concerns in the housing

area was accomplished via a

partnership with the Housing

Collaborative in Immokalee. A grant

from the CRA and the Community

Foundation will provide funding to

conduct a condition inventory of the

housing stock, to include mobile

homes. The first since 2004, the study

will provide the basis to define both the

housing needs and the need for a

housing rehabilitation program.

The Immokalee CRA partnership with

affordable housing developers,

Empowerment Alliance of Southwest

Florida and Florida Non-Profit Services

has continued toward the development

of Esperanza Place. Construction has

begun and the majority of the

infrastructure is in place. The

construction of 196 farmworker rental

units has been completed and

applications from tenants are being

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Funding Source Area Approx. Cost

Installation Year

MPO/FDOT 1st St. N. from Roberts to Imm Dr. $767,000 2012/13

2nd Ave, 2nd St and Escambia St. $356,000 2013/14

New Market Road (all) $1,200,000 2014/15

MPO/PAC/MSTU Carson Rd from Westclox to Lake Trafford Rd (west side)

$434,000 TBD

Carson Rd from Lake Trafford to Immokalee Dr (east side)

$434,000 TBD

Imm Dr from Carson Rd to N. 9th St. (both sides)

$707,000 TBD

CC/FDOT Boston Ave from S. 1st St. to S. 9th St.

TBD July, 2011

Colorado Ave from S. 1st St. to S. 9th St.

TBD 2012

IMM CRA/CCHHVS

Various streets in “Downtown” stormwater project limits

DRI Grant $ July, 2011

accepted by the Florida Non-Profit

Services. Construction of the 60

homeownership units has not begun

due to the poor housing market.

The CRA awarded an additional

$200,000 toward the infrastructure

during 2010 for a total of just under

$400,000 to date.

Goal - Infrastructure

Improvements

Major Roadway Projects

A long term goal in Immokalee has

been to provide adequate and efficient

public infrastructure and facilities for

the Immokalee Urban Area. Several

significant steps have been made

toward achieving this goal.

The CRA Advisory Committee has

created a Transportation Sub-

Committee to continue to work with

Commissioner Coletta and community

members to support the loop road and

to guide the process as well. The CRA

continues to request funds for

crosswalks, sidewalks, curbs and

gutters such as MPO “Box Funds”

Grants. The CRA is seeking County

sponsorship for a FDOT CMS Box

Fund Grant for illuminated crosswalks.

The Collier County Community Traffic

Safety Team (CTST) has agreed to

conduct an updated traffic study.

Current and future Sidewalk projects in

Immokalee are depicted on the chart

below.

Stormwater and Drainage

The Immokalee CRA revisited the

Immokalee Stormwater Master Plan

that had been commissioned by

SFWMD, Big Cypress Basin on behalf

of Collier County.

The Collier County Board of County

Commissioners accepted the

Stormwater Master Plan when it was

presented as a partnership between the

CRA and the Collier County

Stormwater Department during 2009.

Each of the partnership entities

committed $200,000 of their 2010

budget toward getting the projects

listed in the Master Plan “shovel

ready”.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


The Immokalee CRA was awarded $3.5

million in Disaster Recovery Incentive

(DRI) funds from the Housing, Human

and Veteran Services Department for

Phase I of the project.

The land at the corner of 9th and Eustis

Streets (11.25 acres) has been

purchased for Phase 1 of the Master

Plan implementation. By the end of

December 2010, the consultants CDM

will deliver 100% Drawings (for Boston

Ave) to FDOT and CC Transportation;

60% Drawings for the entire project

and will submit ERP and ACOE Permit

Applications. Construction is

scheduled to begin July 2011.

Phase I of the Immokalee Stormwater

Master Plan will address the storm

water issues for the downtown

commercial area as well as the majority

of the south side of Immokalee. The

graphics on the following page depict

the stormwater improvements to be

constructed and the stormwater pond

to be constructed.

The CRA continues to seek grants from

the South Florida Water Management

District, USDA and CDBG to complete

the project.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


During 2010, the Immokalee

Beautification Municipal Service

Taxing Unit (MSTU) and the CRA

finalized the partnership and the

Ordinance that expands the MSTU

boundaries to include the entire CRA

boundary, and to include streets,

sidewalks, drainage, light and

beautification in order to use the funds

of both the CRA and the MSTU to meet

those needs.

The two entities have collaborated to

provide new street banners with the

Immokalee Trademark and to place

Christmas decorations on the light

poles.

Improve and Maintain Local Streets

Toward this end, the CRA has

concentrated on the storm water

aspect. Once storm water is addressed,

flooding will not be an issue and the

CRA can concentrate efforts toward

bringing streets up to current

development standards. Public

workshops continue to be held toward

gaining community input on local

streets, storm water and other

infrastructure issues. CRA staff

continues to represent Immokalee

needs to transportation committees.

Goal - Natural Resources

Protection of Significant Natural

Resources

The CRA partnered with the County

Environmental Department to place

the Wetlands Overlay into the Future

Land Use Map to ensure those areas

will be protected. Further, the CRA has

taken steps to begin addressing water

quality by incorporating a storm water

mitigation bank into the Storm Water

Master Plan.

Goal - Land Use/Urban Form and

Design

Many times the Master Plan

documents the goal of a consistent

cohesive land design for Immokalee.

CRA staff has worked diligently to

deliver that design.

The history and status of the

Immokalee Area Master Plan (IAMP) is

described in the Background Section at

the beginning of this report.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Transportation Plan

December 2010, the CRA Advisory

Committee anticipates the receipt of

the transportation plan from Tindell

Oliver which will include modeling of

the major arteries, street needs within

the community and a proposal for a

transportation exception area study.

Capital Improvements Plan

The name of this document will be

changed to “CRA Project Priority List”

and will be the final piece to be

delivered when the IAMP receives final

approval early in 2011. The projects

will be taken as requests for funding to

the BCC during annual budget

development cycles

Goal - Immokalee Design

Standards

Land Development Regulations

Working with the Collier County

Planning Commission, consultants,

RWA, Inc., and Robert Mulhere, the

Immokalee developed an interim land

development code (LDC) process that

will help to promote and support

development and redevelopment

initiatives in the Immokalee area. On

May 20, 2010, the BCC adopted the

Interim LDC to facilitate development

until new land development codes are

in place.

The newly drafted Immokalee specific

LDCs were reviewed by the CRA

Advisory Committee during the

December 2010 regular monthly

meeting. It is anticipated that the final

LDCs will be approved by the third

quarter of 2011.

Public Realm/Town Design

On June 11, 2010, the Immokalee CRA

won the 2010 Award of Merit for a

Public Study for the Public Realm and

Town Design with Form Based

Guidelines from the Florida Planning

and Zoning Association at the 58th

Annual Conference in Sarasota, Fl.

These documents define the vision of

Immokalee in the 21st Century.

The Public Realm/Town Design

includes two plazas, an intermediate

and long-range conceptual design plan

for the landscaping on Main Street, a

design for the downtown commercial

district and form based guidelines to

aid in the development of Land

Development Codes. The CRA

acquired the land for the plaza with

TIF funds at the corner of 9th and Main

Streets and is proceeding with the

creation of the first plaza.

The parcels at 1st and Main Streets have

been submitted to the Trust for Public

Lands for purchase until the CRA can

garner funds to acquire the properties.

These plazas will create the gateways

into the downtown district.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Goal - Intergovernmental

Coordination

Improve Range of Human Services

This particular goal asks for

governmental services to be provided

in Immokalee. During 2010,

although not through the efforts of

the CRA Director but rather an

Advisory Committee member,

Building Permits are accepted in

Immokalee every Tuesday.

Coordination with County and

Regulatory Agencies

Many intergovernmental

coordination partnerships were

forged during 2010. These

partnerships include the Airport

Authority, the County Manager’s

Office (and Departments under his

supervision), the Clerk of Courts

(Finance Department), MSTU,

Celebration of Cultures, nonprofit

organizations, private citizens and

civic organizations, Florida

Department of Agriculture, FHREDI,

and local businesses.

CRA Annual Operational Plan

Annually the Immokalee CRA

conducts a workshop to develop an

operational plan to establish

community priorities and to set

actions in order to achieve CRA goals.

This plan will guide staff for the

coming year and ensure that the CRA

continues its efforts toward achieving

the vision for Immokalee.

The annual operational plan

workshop was conducted on

November 18, 2010. The participants

included the Immokalee CRA

Advisory Committee, CRA staff and

RWA, Inc. consultants.

The first portion of the workshop

included a discussion of the prior

year’s achievements. The CRA has

made significant progress in

achieving many of the identified tasks

outlined in the 2010 Operational Plan

which is a testament to the CRA

Advisory Committee and the hard

work from staff and competent

management by the CRA Director. A

summary list of 2010

accomplishments is included below to

highlight major milestones.

2010 Achievements

Marketing

IAMP Transmittal

Planning/Branding Awards

Façade Grants

Partnerships

$24M High Speed Internet Grant

Stormwater Master Plan

Implementation

Cultural Celebrations

Street Banners

Ninth Street Plaza

The second portion of the workshop

included a review of a preliminary list

of objectives for the coming year; and

an opportunity for committee

members to prioritize the list of

objectives. The master list of the top

priorities was created from this

activity and is listed below.

2011 Priorities

Crosswalks

Pedestrian and bicycle facility

improvements

Outreach to local businesses

w/public presentations

Business Development Center

Stormwater Mitigation Bank

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


MISSION STATEMENT

“Those of us who live and work in

Immokalee envision a future for our

town. We see new business and job

opportunities in international trade

and distribution, agri-business,

ecotourism, recreation and

entertainment, and the construction

industry. We see Immokalee as an

attractive, sustainable community

with affordable workforce housing,

parks and outstanding schools – a

place where people walk and bicycle

to do their errands, and where

parents are returning to school to

finish their education and master

new job skills. Main Street will have

a Latin flavor – colorful plazas,

outdoor cafes, shops and

entertainment – attracting both the

local community and the tourists

who come to explore our unique

ecology or gamble at the Casino.”

Stormwater Master Plan

Implementation

Adoption of IAMP and LDR’s

Implementation of Public Realm

Plan

9th Street Park/Plaza

1st Street Plaza

Main Street “Market Place”

Establishment of marketing

targets

Continued lobbying with County

DOT, and the MPO.

The over arching goal is firmly

established as Economic Development

to be accomplished:

• Via Marketing

• Via Infrastructure Development

• Via Business Incubation

• Via Land Use Initiatives

• Via Intergovernmental

Coordination

For the final portion of the meeting,

the committee members broke into

smaller groups to discuss the top

priorities and develop “action items”

for each priority.

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


Grant Funds, $3,395,000

Tax Increment Revenue, $460,600

Carry Forward,

$2,185,400

Trans/001 Gen. Fund,

465,700

2010 Revenues

Personnel, $264,600

Operating Expenses, $894,000

Capital Outlay,

$200,000

Expenses

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

491,400

803,800 879,238 823,750

560,600

Tax Increment Revenue

Financials

ANNUAL REPORT 2010


“Never doubt that a small group of people

can change the world: indeed it is the only

thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Summary

Once again, the CRA office in

Immokalee enjoyed a very productive

year. The Draft Immokalee Area

Master Plan with the Immokalee

specific Land Development

Regulations are working their way

through the review process and should

be 100% complete during 2011.

The beautiful Immokalee Public Realm

and Town Design, along with Form

Based Guidelines received a state-wide

award and implementation of the

Public Realm/Town Design Plan has

begun with the purchase of land and

public/private partnerships.

With all emphasis on economic

development, the CRA assisted 61 new

and existing businesses; documented

the creation of 181 new jobs; created

and implemented an aggressive

marketing plan; and began the

implementation of the Immokalee

Business Development Center by

garnering grants and retaining staff.

The State Enterprise Zone awarded tax

incentives of $92,515 to local

commercial business owners.

Commercial Façade Program grants

were awarded to five additional

businesses in 2010 for a total of 15

businesses (both new and existing) to

dress up the downtown area at a cost of

just over $200,000.

Infrastructure projects came to life

with the implementation of Esperanza

Place, Phase I of the Immokalee

Stormwater Master Plan (with the

acquisition of a $3.5 million grant and

the purchase of 11.25 acres of land), the

Aviation Viewing Area, the rural

broadband project, and the funding of

a housing condition inventory and

study.

The MSTU partnership was activated

with new street banners and Christmas

decorations. Applications were

submitted by the CRA and MSTU for

sidewalk and crosswalk improvements

in Immokalee. Further, a new traffic

safety study is to be conducted by

FDOT.

The CRA provided funding for the

resurrection of the Immokalee Harvest

Festival and provided technical

assistance to the fledgling Celebration

of Cultures, Inc. toward the Celebration

of Cultures event.

The Immokalee CRA staff is prepared

to begin implementation of the

Operational Plan for 2011.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Collier County Community Redevelopment Agency – Immokalee

310 Alachua Street

Immokalee, FL 34142

Phone: (239) 252-2313

Fax: (239) 252-3970

www.immokaleetoday.com

http://www.immokaleetoday.com/

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