YBOR CITY, Fla. — Wednesday, a room full of people from Ybor City and the Gary neighborhood made it clear that they want no parts of a city-backed CRA plan to create a local "Special Services District."
"Is this all or nothing? Because I could probably guarantee you that we could mobilize enough to squash this whole thing," said one man.
For starters, many say they didn't know about the plan or local meetings to discuss it.
"Who had a seat at the table here? Because obviously, we didn't," said another man.
The plan would loop those two areas into a state-approved "Special Services District," similar to the former "Reedy Creek Improvement District" in Central Florida.
"It operates in the same thought process; however, we will not have all of the authorization that Reedy Creek had. We don't have fire stations, we don't have schools, I mean there are a lot of things we don't have in our special district as part of our bill," said Liz Welch, the Vice Chair of the Ybor Community Development Corporation (YCDC).
Welch said the "Ybor City Special Services District" (YCSSD) would charge landowners an annual fee based on what type of property they own, such as:
- Vacant land: about $357
- Residential: about $357
- Retail: $0.24 per square foot
- Industrial: $0.07 per square foot
- Churches/non-profits: about $357
That money gathered would largely be used to fund administrative costs for the district's projected $1.5 million "Operating and Management budget."
Homeowners would then be charged additional fees to pay for special projects throughout the district, based on how much that project impacts their part of town.
While the district would answer to the state in certain capacities, Welch said it would be most directly governed by a five-member board that community members would elect. The proposed representation will be as follows:
- (1) Residential sector
- (1) Industrial sector
- (1) Mixed Use sector
- (1) Business sector
- (1) Social Clubs/Non-profits
Terms would be staggered. Landowners would be allotted one vote per acre that they own within the proposed Ybor City SSD.
The proposal is being pushed forward to replace the Ybor City CRA, which the state will shut down in 2034.
Despite that date being a decade away, Welch told ABC Action News the CRA is hoping to have the SSD plan approved by 2024 so they can get a head start on the transition.
"So this allows us time to position ourselves and to get strategically ready for the transition," she said.
But those who showed up Wednesday were not buying that explanation.
"Why are they so worried about the CRA sunsetting? That was the initial plan. It's done what it was meant to do. It's done a great job," said Jose Cayon.
"What I think is that this is a measure in part to push out the residents that have been here for decades," said Lourdes Vinas
According to Welch, the plan now has to go to the Tampa City Council for a "statement of no objection." Then, it would be kicked up to state lawmakers for approval.
But, several residents said they'd be emailing city council members and asking them to object to the proposal.
