Apopka_CRA_Plan_2017.pdf

City of Apopka

Community

Redevelopment Agency

CRA Redevelopment Plan

2017 ~ update

June 2017 ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Community Redevelopment Plan ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Citizens of Apopka

City Council of Apopka

Joe Kilsheimer, Mayor

Billie Dean, Seat One Commissioner

Diane Velazquez, Seat Two Commissioner

Doug Bankson, Seat Three Commissioner

Kyle Becker, Seat Four Commissioner

City of Apopka, Administration Department

Glenn Irby, City Administrator

City of Apopka, Community Development Department

James K. Hitt, Director

David B. Moon, Planning Manger

City of Apopka, Public Services Department

R. Jay Davoll, P.E., Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Community Redevelopment Plan iii

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

Purpose

Chapter 2: Existing Conditions

A. Land Use

B. Infrastructure and Public Services

C. Urban Form

D. Streetscape

E. Demographics

F. Social Conditions

Chapter 3: Market Observations

A. Development Trends

B. Residential Development

C. Business Composition

D. Vacant Properties

Chapter 4: Tax Increment Finance Revenue Estimates

A. Property Valuation

Chapter 5: Public Participation

Chapter 6: General Recommendations

A. Administration

B. Projects

C. Economic Development Activities

D. Infrastructure

E. Business Support

Chapter 7: Conceptual Master Plan and Recommendations

Opportunity Sites

Chapter 8: Implementation Plan

Chapter 9: Consistency with Florida Statutes

Appendix A: CRA Boundary Legal Description ........................................................ A 1-2

Appendix B: Community Workshop ....................................................................... A 3-4

Appendix C: Establishing Documents ................................................................... A 5-15 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_Revised%20Draft%204_14_17.docx%23_Toc480552378 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_Revised%20Draft%204_14_17.docx%23_Toc480552379 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_Revised%20Draft%204_14_17.docx%23_Toc480552380

Community Redevelopment Plan iv

List of Figures

Figure 1: City of Apopka City Hall

Figure 2: West Orange Trail over Main Street

Figure 3: Parking Placement Behind Buildings

Figure 4: Parking Placement and Building Frontage

Figure 5: Building Frontage and Architecture

Figure 6: Signage along Main Street

Figure 7: Street Trees and Landscaping

Figure 8: Sidewalks and Street Lights

Figure 9: Sidewalks and Street Lights

Figure 10: Main Street, 5th Street, and Central Avenue Redevelopment Concept Alternative

Figure 11: 5th Street and Central Avenue Redevelopment Concept Alternative (Downtown Apopka Triangle)

Figure 12: Main Street and Hawthorne Avenue Streetscape

Figure 13: 5th Street and Park Avenue Streetscape

List of Maps

Map 1: CRA Boundaries

Map 2: Existing Land Uses

Map 3: Adopted Future Land Uses

Map 4: Adopted Zoning

Map 5: Transportation Network

Map 6: CRA Census Tracts

Map 7: Conceptual Master Plan

List of Tables

Table 1: Existing Land Uses

Table 2: Future Land Uses

Table 3: Zoning Districts

Table 4: Historic Traffic Volumes

Table 5: 2015 Traffic Count Program

Table 6: Housing Affordability

Table 7: Substandard Housing

Table 8: Travel Time to Work file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_v9.docx%23_Toc478552589 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_v9.docx%23_Toc478552594 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_v9.docx%23_Toc478552595 file://///orlfl5/Projects/Projects/2017/527117001/Working%20Documents/Reports/ApopkaCRP_v9.docx%23_Toc478552596

Community Redevelopment Plan v

Table 9: Crime Prevention Applications

Table 10: City of Apopka TIF Revenues and Projections

INTRODUCTION

Community Redevelopment Plan 1

Chapter 1: Introduction

PURPOSE

The purpose of a Redevelopment Plan is to address changes in building stock, market conditions, demographics, technological advances and many other challenges. The hopeful outcome is improvement and maintenance of the quality of life for enjoyment of all residents, as well as vitality in the downtown that will spawn additional economic growth and increase property values. The Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) contains 1,014 parcels, which comprise a total parcel area of 485.9 acres.

The CRA, including right-of-ways, covers an area of approximately 633 acres. This area encompasses the majority of downtown Apopka along U.S. 441 and extends from the S.R. 436/U.S. 441 intersection on the east to Hawthorne Avenue on the west, and from 11th Street on the south to Oak Street to the north. Map 1 provides a graphic representation of the CRA boundary.

A Redevelopment Plan was originally adopted for Apopka in 1993 to document a strategy for the Community Redevelopment Agency that would facilitate a comprehensive and coordinated revitalization of the CRA. Subsequent to 1993, the City of Apopka has taken steps to implement the strategies and recommendations contained in the 1993 Redevelopment Plan. This report is intended to replace the City of Apopka’s 1993 Community Redevelopment Plan based on the updated information and public participation received at the community workshop; and presents recommendations and strategies to build upon the City’s redevelopment accomplishment and achievements.

Figure 1: City of Apopka City Hall

Source: Ebyabe, Wikimedia Commons, 2017.

INTRODUCTION

Community Redevelopment Plan 2

Map 1: CRA Boundaries

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EXISTING CONDITIONS

Chapter 2: Existing Conditions

In order to prepare recommendations to improve the downtown, it is important to first analyze the current conditions and to evaluate the areas for opportunities and challenges. This section summarizes the existing conditions of the CRA area as of 2016, including land development patterns and regulations, vacancy opportunities, building ownership, infrastructure, demographics and urban form.

A. LAND USE

EXISTING USE

The predominant land uses, over 50% within the CRA consist of residential and commercial uses combined. Approximately one-third of the CRA acreage (33.7%) consists of residential uses. Of the residential acreage, single-family represents the vast majority, covering 28% of the CRA acreage and comprising the highest number of parcels at 456 parcels, or 45% of all CRA parcels. Commercial land uses cover 17.9% of the CRA acreage, comprising 18.1% of all CRA parcels, and are almost evenly distributed among retail, office, and other commercial services. Among the non-residential uses, excluding commercial land uses, government lands make up the majority, covering 13% of the CRA acreage and comprising 4.9% of all CRA parcels. Vacant lands account for the second highest number of parcels, at 18% of all CRA parcels, but only covering 13% of the CRA acreage. Map 2 shows the Existing Land Uses within the CRA and Table 1 describes its acreage and number of parcels.

Table 1: Existing Land Uses

Acreage % # of Parcels

Residential: Single family 136.2 28.0% 456

Residential: Multi-family 27.4 5.6% 57

Commercial: Retail 37.5 7.7% 88

Commercial: Office 24.5 5.0% 51

Commercial: Services 24.8 5.1% 45

Industrial: Light manufacturing, Lumber yard 3.8 0.8% 4

Industrial: Warehouse, Nursery 39.2 8.1% 29

Institutional 46.6 9.6% 33

Public: Government lands 61.5 12.7% 50

Recreation 11.8 2.4% 10

Stormwater 1.2 0.3% 2

Utilities 2.1 0.4% 4

Vacant 63.3 13.0% 183

Railroad, Central Assessed 6.2 1.3% 2

Total 485.9 100.0% 1,014

Sources: Orange County Property Appraiser; City of Apopka, FL; S&ME, 2017.

Notes: The total number of parcels are inconsistent with the corresponding figures from the Zoning and Existing Land Use tables due to unassigned parcels or overlapping parcels. The total number of parcels within the Apopka CRA is 1,014.

Community Redevelopment Plan 4

Map 2: Existing Land Uses

Community Redevelopment Plan 5

FUTURE LAND USE

The primary prescribed future land use designation for the parcels along Main Street (U.S. 441), South Central Avenue, and Michael Gladden Boulevard to Park Avenue is Commercial. The Commercial future land use designation extends one (1) to two (2) blocks on either side of U.S. 441 through downtown Apopka, transitioning outwards to Residential future land use designations. The Office designation is provided along northern Park Avenue near the Florida Hospital facility and around the City Hall complex. Areas allocated for Industrial use are located between Park Avenue and Highland Avenue from 7th Street to 11th Street. The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for the Commercial, Office, and Industrial future land use designations are 0.25, 0.30, and 0.60, respectively.

The Commercial designation and the three residential designations combined are the predominant future land uses within the CRA. The Commercial designation covers 37.4% of the CRA acreage and is assigned to 372 parcels, or 37.2% of all CRA parcels. The three residential designations combined cover 36.5% of the CRA acreage and are assigned to 47.8% of all CRA parcels. Of the residential designations, the Low Density Residential future land use represents the majority, covering 28.8% of the CRA acreage and assigned to 39% of all the parcels within the CRA. The Low Density Residential future land use designation – allowing up to five dwelling units per acre–is mostly concentrated in the northwest, southeast, and southwest quadrants of the CRA. The Medium Density Residential future land use designation – allowing up to 10 units per acre – is found in the northeast quadrant behind the commercial corridor and in the southwest and southeast quadrants. There is only one parcel assigned a High Density Residential future land use designation – allowing up to 15 units per acre – designation, located southwest of the intersection of East 7th Street and South Highland Avenue.

The Parks/Recreation future land use land use designation is assigned to parcels near the northwest quadrant of the CRA and at the western edge of the CRA between 5th Street and M A Board Street. The facilities assigned to the Parks/Recreation designation are Alonzo Williams Park, the Fran Carlton Recreation Center, and the Kit Land Nelson Park.

The City's Comprehensive Plan established two overlay zones that benefit the CRA. The Central Business District Overlay – generally from 1st Street to the CRA boundaries on the south and Highland Avenue to Lake Avenue – is intended to encourage businesses, commerce, and convenience shopping consistent with the historical context of the Central Business District (CBD). The maximum FAR allowed within this overlay is 2.0 in the CBD and twice the allowable FAR of the underlying land use in the CRA. The CBD is located entirely within the CRA Overlay District.

The other overlay is the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Overlay District, which is intended to “encourage the development of residential and business and commerce uses consistent with the City's Community Redevelopment Plan”1. The boundary of the CRA Overlay District is the same as the boundary for the CRA, as shown on Maps 1-4. The maximum FAR permitted for nonresidential uses is twice the permitted in the underlying land use designations. Residential densities are governed by the underlying land use category.

Map 3 shows the Future Land Uses within the CRA and Table 2 describes its acreage and number of parcels.

1 City of Apopka Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Element.

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Table 2: Future Land Uses

Acreage % # of Parcels

Residential Low 138.3 28.8% 390

Residential Medium 35.3 7.4% 87

Residential High 1.4 0.3% 1

Commercial 179.4 37.4% 372

Office 37.8 7.9% 90

Industrial 37.6 7.8% 39

Mixed Use 21.0 4.4% 9

Institutional / Public Use 7.3 1.5% 6

Parks/Recreation 21.9 4.6% 5

Total 480.0 100.0% 999

Sources: Orange County Property Appraiser; City of Apopka, FL; S&ME, 2017.

Notes: The total number of parcels are inconsistent with the corresponding figures from the Zoning and Existing Land Use tables due to unassigned parcels or overlapping parcels. The total number of parcels within the Apopka CRA is 1,014.

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Map 3: Adopted Future Land Uses

Community Redevelopment Plan 8

ZONING

Consistent with the Future Land Use Map of the City's Comprehensive Plan, the zoning map shows commercial zoning districts along Main Street, extending north and south along Central Avenue, and along Michael Gladden Boulevard to Park Avenue. The parcels along Main Street generally transition from a C-3 zoning district from the western edge of the CRA to a C-1 zoning district in the center and to a C-2 zoning district at the eastern edge. Parcels along Michael Gladden Boulevard to Park Avenue are zoned C-1. All three Commercial districts allow 0.25 Floor Area Ratio (FAR), or 2.0 FAR if located within the Central Business District Overlay district.

For these zoning districts, the front setback requirement is fifty (50) feet from centerline of the road or ten feet from the property line, the corner setback is fifteen (15) feet, and the minimum rear setback is ten (10) feet or thirty (30) feet if adjacent to residential. Uses allowed in the various commercial zoning designations vary from single family to fruit packaging/processing plants. The commercial or office districts do not currently allow residential uses.

The PO/I (Professional Office/Institutional) zoning district is interspersed with the other districts but is mainly concentrated around the Florida Hospital area and the City Hall complex. This zoning designation allows medical and professional offices, medical clinics, hospitals, and pharmaceutical and medical retail sales. This district allows 0.30 FAR or 2.0 FAR when in the Central Business District Overlay district. The setback requirements are twenty-five (25) feet from the front and corner and ten (10) feet from the rear and side.

There is a large area of the I-1, Restricted Industrial zoning district on both sides of the railroad between Park Avenue and Highland Avenue. The I-1 zoning designation allows manufacturing, warehouses, machine shops, bottling plants, building material sales, automobile service stations & garages, new and used cars, motorcycles and boat sales. This district allows 0.60 FAR or 2.0 FAR when in the Central Business District overlay district. The setback requirements are twenty-five (25) feet from the front and corner, ten (10) from the side, and ten (10) feet or thirty (30) feet from the rear.

The residential and commercial zoning districts combined are the predominant zoning districts within the CRA. The residential zoning districts combined cover 38.3% of the CRA acreage and are assigned to 481 parcels within the CRA, or 48.5% of all parcels in the CRA. The commercial zoning districts combined cover 39.5% of the CRA acreage and comprise 37.1% of all parcels within the CRA. The zoning district that is most commonly assigned to parcels in the CRA is the C-1 zoning district, at 25.4% of all parcels in the CRA.

The maximum building height allowed in the CRA is 75 feet. Map 4 shows the Zoning districts within the CRA and Table 3 describes its acreage and number of parcels.

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Table 3: Zoning Districts

Acreage % # of Parcels

Residential Single-Family R-1 40.8 8.6% 136

Residential Single-Family R-1AA 63.1 13.2% 155

Residential One and Two-Family R-2 14.0 2.9% 46

Residential Multiple-Family R-3 64.7 13.6% 143

Commercial Neighborhood CN 0.4 0.1% 1

Retail Commercial C-1 110.9 23.3% 252

General Commercial C-2 23.8 5.0% 37

Wholesale Commercial C-3 52.9 11.1% 78

Restricted Industrial I-1 35.2 7.4% 36

Planned Unit Development PUD 3.6 0.8% 9

Professional Office / Institutional PO/I 45.1 9.5% 94

Parks and Recreation PR 21.7 4.6% 5

Total 476.2 100.0% 992

Sources: Orange County Property Appraiser; City of Apopka, FL; S&ME, 2017.

Notes: The total number of parcels are inconsistent with the corresponding figures from the Zoning and Existing Land Use tables due to unassigned parcels or overlapping parcels. The total number of parcels within the Apopka CRA is 1,014.

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Map 4: Adopted Zoning

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HISTORIC PROPERTIES

The City of Apopka conducted a historical resources survey in 1990. The survey, originally intended to cover the entire City, focused on the area generally included within the original City limits (Oak Street on the north, Hawthorne Avenue on the west, 10th Street on the south, and Hackney Avenue/Christina Avenue on the east). A total of 196 master site files were prepared. Six structures were determined to qualify for individual National Register status (in addition to the Waite-Davis house, which had already been listed). The survey also recommended studying the northern part of the survey area (Magnolia, Central Avenue and Orange Avenue) and the southern part (South Central and South Lake) for possible National Register District nomination.

Currently, the City of Apopka has one district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the Ryan & Company Lumber Company located at 210 East 5th Street. Four individual buildings are also on the National Register of Historic Places:

Carroll Building – 407-409 South Park Avenue

Seaboard Airline Railway Depot – 36 East Station Street

Mitchill-Tibbetts House – 21 East Orange Street

Waite-Davis House – 5 South Central Avenue

Most of the historical resources in the City are concentrated in the CRA area. Properties that are fifty years and older meet the criteria for listing properties in the National Register of Historic Places. The majority of historic properties were built between 1940 and 1955. There are a number of structures built prior to 1920 within the CRA, including residential structures, institutional (churches), and a few commercial structures.

VACANT LOTS

Out of the 1,014 parcels in the CRA, approximately 183 parcels are vacant. This represents 18% of the total parcels in the CRA area and 13% of the total acreage. The vacant parcels are spread throughout the CRA with no particular concentration. The majority of the vacant parcels are assigned a future land use designation of Commercial, at 51.6% of all vacant parcels within CRA or 97 of all vacant parcels. The predominant zoning district assigned to vacant parcels is the C-1 zoning district, assigned to 36% of all vacant parcels within the CRA or 63 parcels.

AGE OF BUILDING STOCK

There are approximately 772 structures in the CRA. The 2016 Orange County Property Appraiser's parcel database includes information on when structures were built. Most of the buildings in the CRA were built during or prior to the 1960s and about 61% of all buildings are aged 50 years or more. The average age of all structures within the CRA is 56 years old. Average age of residential structures is 59 years old.

With most of the building stock exceeding an age of fifty years, it is important to address not only preservation issues but also physical conditions. Code enforcement standards need to be in place to prevent deterioration of historically significant structures and to take action when the structures reach a stage of deterioration.

The most current development and most modern buildings within the CRA are found along Main Street, and along 5th Street between Park and Highland Avenues. The newly constructed commercial properties, predominantly restaurants along Main Street and the newly built public facilities (City Hall expansion, fire station, and Fran Carlton Center) represent significant improvements to the overall building stock within the CRA.

LOT SIZES

Based on the information provided by the Orange County Property Appraiser's Office, most of the parcels, or approximately 42.7% are less than one-quarter acre. 47.9% are between one-quarter acre to 1 acre. The CRA

Community Redevelopment Plan 12 contains only one (1) parcel greater than 10 acres, at 11.4 acres. According to State Statutes 163.3187, the process for the adoption of small-scale comprehensive plan amendment applies to parcels with an area of 10 acres or less.

OWNERSHIP

The Orange County Property Appraiser's Office lists 1,014 parcels located within the CRA boundary; this accounts for approximately 485.9 acres. About 92.3% of the parcels with the CRA, or 936 parcels, are owned by persons whose tax address is located within the state of Florida. Out of all the parcels within the CRA, 70.2% have an Apopka tax address. Absentee property ownership is not seen as a primary contributor to a lack of economic vitality or activity within the CRA.

B. INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES

The City of Apopka owns and operates various public service systems within and around the Apopka CRA area. These systems include transportation, stormwater, potable water, sanitary sewer and reclaimed water.

Additionally, there are private utility systems within the CRA area, including electric power, communications, natural gas, and cable television. The following paragraphs provide a brief description of these systems.

TRAFFIC AND CIRCULATION

The traffic circulation within the CRA is most significantly affected by Main Street (U.S. 441/Orange Blossom Trail), which bisects the CRA. As of 2015, the segments of U.S. 441 passing through the CRA had an Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) volume of 40,393 trips on its eastern end and 42,627 trips on its western end.

U.S. 441 is classified as a major arterial roadway with five lanes (two lanes in each direction with a central turn lane) through the majority of the CRA. The adopted level of service (LOS) for U.S. 441 is “D.” Although the segments of U.S. 441 through the CRA currently operate below the adopted level of service volumes, the segments are operating near capacity. Over the last ten years, however, the traffic volumes have decreased. The projected LOS in 2030 – according to the City of Apopka 2030 Comprehensive Plan – is projected at “F” for the Central Avenue to Park Avenue segment and for the Park Avenue to Semoran Boulevard segment.

In addition to Main Street (U.S. 441/Orange Blossom Trail), the other primary east-west corridors through the CRA are: 1st Street, 2nd Street, Monroe Avenue, 6th Street, and 10th Street. Primary north-south connectors through the CRA include: Park Avenue, Central Avenue, Lake Avenue, South Highland Avenue and Alabama Avenue. Map 5 shows the street network of the CRA. Information regarding the historic traffic levels is detailed in the Table 4. Table 5 shows the number of lanes, traffic volumes, and the level of service of the major roads in the

CRA.

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Map 5: Transportation Network

Community Redevelopment Plan 14

Table 4: Historic Traffic Volumes

Roadway Segment

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

AADT

2005-

Change

Main St (US 441/Orange Blossom Trail)

Bradshaw Rd to Park Ave 44,948 42,783 42,997 42,329 36,711 - - - 40,293 40,247 40,393 -10%

Park Ave to Semoran Blvd 52,037 52,110 32,381 35,794 43,282 - - - 41,840 43,404 42,627 -18%

Park Avenue (CR 435)

Martin Rd to US 441 24,648 22,210 23,990 24,036 22,742 23,512 22,448 22,266 21,326 22,851 22,067 -10%

US 441 to Cleveland St 9,703 9,992 9,152 9,697 9,794 8,461 8,529 8,938 9,035 9,453 10,547 8.7%

Central Ave (CR 437A)

US 441 to M. Gladden Blvd 4,146 4,062 3,979 3,502 3,687 3,708 3,536 2,873 3,140 3,932 4,417 7%

Michael Gladden Blvd

Bradshaw Rd to Central Ave 4,635 4,077 4,492 4,143 3,574 3,049 3,427 3,461 3,912 4,353 4,680 1%

Sources: 2015 Orange County Traffic Counts, Traffic Engineering Division, Orange County.

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Table 5: 2015 Traffic Count Program

Roadway Segment Count

Location Number

No.

of

Lanes

AM Peak Hour Peak Direction

PM Peak Hour Peak Direction Daily

Volume Adopted

LOS

Capacity

@ LOS

Projected

LOS NB/EB SB/WB NB/EB SB/WB

Main St (US 441/Orange Blossom Trail)

Bradshaw Rd to Park Ave 5099 5 LD 1,252 1,607 1,607 1,455 40,801 D 43,400 D/F1

Park Ave to Semoran Blvd 5098 4 LD 1,722 1,538 1,303 1,521 42,205 D 43,400 F

Park Avenue (CR 435)

Martin Rd to US 441 426 5 LD 630 1,005 1,098 1,005 21,849 E 35,700 B

US 441 to Cleveland St 328.1 2 L 326 372 464 391 10,443 E 16,900 F/D2

Central Ave (CR 437A)

US 441 to M. Gladden Blvd 7084 2 L 163 130 224 155 4,373 E 27,000 A

Michael Gladden Blvd

Bradshaw Rd to Central Ave 7083 2 L 213 195 248 181 4,634 E 27,000 B

Sources: 2015 Orange County Traffic Counts, Traffic Engineering Division, Orange County. City of Apopka 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Element.

Notes:

1The segments from Bradshaw Rd and Hawthorne Ave are projected to operate at an LOS of D in 2030. The segment from Central Ave to Park Ave is projected to operate at an LOS of F in 2030.

2The segment from US 441 to M. Gladden Blvd is projected to operate at an LOS of F in 2030. The segment from M. Gladden Blvd to Cleveland St is projected to operate at an LOS of D in 2030.

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BIKE/TRAILS

The current bicycle facilities in the CRA consist of the West Orange Trail that runs north and south through the CRA along Forest Avenue, as shown on Map 5. The trail consists of two paved lanes – one in each direction – at a width of approximately 13 feet and includes a bridge over Main Street.

TRANSIT

The CRA area is served by LYNX transit routes 44, 106, 405, and 436N. The headways for these routes

– the time that it takes for the next bus to make a circuit of its route – are 60 minutes for routes 44, and 405, 30 minutes for routes 106 and 436N, and 15 minutes during peak times for route 436N. Map 5 details the existing bus routes, shelters, and stops that serve the CRA. The LYNX Super Stop, situated at the northeast corner of 7th Street and Central Avenue, provides reduced headways and increased transit opportunities to CRA residents and businesses.

POTABLE WATER

The City of Apopka owns and operates a potable water utility system within the CRA study area.

The existing potable water system consists of a well-developed network of water mains distributed across the entire area. The existing water mains range in size from two inches (2”) to sixteen inches (16”) in diameter and serve both domestic and fire flow demands. Potable water service is currently available within a reasonable connection distance to all portions of the CRA study area.

SANITARY SEWER

The existing sanitary sewer system operated by the City within the Apopka CRA study area consists of a network of gravity sanitary sewer trunk lines, pump stations and pressurized force mains. The gravity sewers consist of pipes ranging in size from eight inches (8”) to fifteen inches (15”). In addition, there are seven (7) existing wastewater pump stations within, or directly adjacent to, the CRA study area. Six (6) of these pump stations discharge into a common pressurized force main that eventually becomes an eighteen-inch (18”) force main and exits the study area along the south CRA boundary.

RECLAIMED WATER

The City of Apopka also owns and operates a reclaimed water system that provides public access to treated effluent for irrigation purposes. Although the City's existing reclaimed water system does not extend into the CRA study area at the present time, it is directly adjacent to the study area at the northwest corner of the CRA boundary. In addition, there is an existing twenty-inch (20") reclaimed water main located within several blocks of the CRA along the west and south CRA boundaries.

Figure 2: West Orange Trail over Main Street

Source: S&ME, 2017.

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ELECTRICITY/POWER LINES/NATURAL GAS

Like many urbanized areas, the CRA study area has highly visible utility poles and overhead transmission lines throughout the entire study area. The capacity and level of service for these facilities are established and accessed by the private utility companies. However, overhead utility lines are generally considered unsightly, and more recently communities have encouraged the placement of these utilities underground.

On Main Street (U.S. 441), the overhead utility and transmission lines are located on the north side of the road from Forest Avenue to Semoran Boulevard. Electric service to buildings, telephone and cable lines have been relocated underground along Main Street from Forest Avenue to Lake Avenue and throughout much of the CRA area.

The Lake Apopka Natural Gas District services to the Apopka CRA. The majority of the urban blocks within the CRA are served by natural gas mains.

STORMWATER SYSTEM

Stormwater conveyance and management throughout the study area on a regional basis is largely based on the overall topography of the area. Based on review of topographic maps, the overall ground elevation of the study area is generally highest along the west boundary of the study area and falls to the lowest elevations along the east boundary of the study area. Therefore, the general movement of surface water across the study area is from west to east. The high point for the study area is along Washington Avenue. From Washington Avenue, the ground generally falls to the west such that any properties west of Washington Avenue will drain toward the west.

All other areas within the study area will drain easterly. Overall, the soils are relatively dry, moderately drained soils, and land surface is uniformly graded in the CRA with few natural depressional areas that collect surface water.

Other features within the study area, which may affect stormwater drainage and surface water conveyance, include the railroad grade and several ditches. The existing railroad grade provides a surface drainage divide in the southwestern portion of the study area. Any surface water west of the railroad grade will generally flow to the west, or flow southeasterly and eventually find its way to the depressional areas just south of the CRA along the south side of 10th Street. The one exception is a set of culverts in the vicinity of Forest Avenue that will allow conveyance of stormwater from a limited area on the south side of the railroad grade to the north side.

From the culverts, water can drain into an existing historical drainage way that generally flows north and east and eventually discharges to the existing FDOT pond in the Townsend Plantation area along the south side of U.S. 441.

Except for several short remote segments of storm pipe and the Martin’s Pond Improvement Project, the City's existing stormwater system infrastructure within the CRA study area mainly consists of a set of inlets and pipes along U.S. 441 and along Park Avenue north of U.S. 441. The system along U.S. 441 is split into two subsystems that take advantage of the natural high point in the vicinity of Washington Avenue. One system flows west from Washington Avenue along U.S. 441 and discharges into the pond located just north of Old Dixie Highway and west of Hawthorne. The second system starts near Lake Avenue and goes east along U.S. 441 and eventually discharges to FDOT's pond at the old Townsend Plantation site. These two systems collect the stormwater runoff from U.S. 441 and the immediately adjacent areas, and discharge the stormwater to the mentioned ponds for treatment.

As mentioned above, the City also has a stormwater collection and conveyance system along Park Avenue north of U.S. 441. This system collects stormwater runoff from Park Avenue and any tributary areas, and conveys the runoff north to Votaw Road, and then easterly along Votaw Road by way of a series of pipes to a City stormwater pond located north of Votaw Road a short distance from Park Avenue. This pond serves as a regional pond and treats all the water collected and conveyed by the Park Avenue system.

Many of the remaining streets in the CRA study area take advantage of the natural grade change within the City, and utilize curb and gutters for directing and conveying runoff. For instance, in the areas north of U.S.

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441 and west of Park Avenue, the streets have curbs and gutters, and the gradients generally fall to the east.

Therefore, most of the stormwater runoff from this area is directed to Park Avenue where it is collected and discharged at the City's pond along Votaw Road. For the area east of Park Avenue and north of U.S. 441, the curbs and gutters carry the runoff to the east toward the lower elevations in the vicinity of the Edgewood and Greenwood Cemeteries. From here, any accumulated stormwater finds its way to a drainage way that leads to the Lake McCoy basins.

For areas south of U.S. 441 and east of the railroad grade, stormwater runoff will generally flow east to the ponds at the old Townsend Plantation site, or end up in a historical drainage way that also flows to ponds at the old Townsend Plantation site, or will flow easterly and eventually into some depressional areas east of Alabama Avenue.

C. URBAN FORM

Block layout and site design can have a major impact on the appearance of the built environment. The way blocks are laid out affects the traffic and pedestrian flow through the downtown, and the way sites are designed can impact the appearance of the urban form and shape the character of the district. This section provides a description of the elements that are currently shaping the urban form in downtown Apopka building placement, building height, block continuity, signs and architecture.

BUILDING/PARKING PLACEMENT

Buildings are the most important component of the urban streetscape form. They set the mass, scale and tone of the built environment. The Main Street corridor in Apopka is lined up with mostly one-story and a few two-story buildings placed close to the street, some of them following the traditional commercial form of retail with display windows on the ground floor and residences or offices on the second floor.

Figure 3: Parking Placement Behind Buildings

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Most of the more recent construction has been single-use, stand-alone businesses (e.g. drug stores, restaurants, banks, etc.). Some of these sites were developed prior to the adoption of the citywide development design guidelines and have placed the buildings farther from the street, and added parking and/or driveways in front of the building. The placement of parking in front of the buildings is not conducive to pedestrian interaction between the public sidewalk and the businesses along the corridor. Those businesses seem to be catering to the vehicular traffic rather than the pedestrians.

Since the development design guidelines were adopted in 2003, the buildings have been required to locate closer to the street with parking in the rear of the lot, and to be designed respecting the pedestrian scale.

With the few new developments, it is already evident that the urban form has improved and a corridor image/character is starting to develop.

Along the secondary transportation corridors, the type of development gets less intensive as it starts blending into the residential and office areas. The Park Avenue corridor displays a number of homes that have been converted into offices, allowing more intense development, but preserving the scale and intensity of the residential structures.

Figure 4: Parking Placement and Building Frontage

S&ME, 2017.

BUILDING HEIGHT

One-story buildings dominate the urban form in downtown. Based on the width of the travel corridor (Main Street), the height of the one-story buildings does not provide sufficient vertical dimension to frame the street. Considering the width and function of Main Street, two story buildings should be encouraged to not only frame the street but also to give the architecture more presence in a heavily traffic-oriented corridor. The maximum height within the CRA is 75 feet.

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BLOCK CONTINUITY

Some of the developments along Main Street provide vehicular access directly from Main Street and some even surround the buildings with parking and driveways. This configuration creates block/facade gaps along the street, which creates an unsafe and unfriendly environment for pedestrians.

BUILDING ARCHITECTURE

The various elements of a building's architectural makeup are important in putting together a complete composition. Elements such as materials, colors, surface details, texture, doors, windows and roof shape contribute to a well-designed architectural fabric. The City of Apopka Development Design Guidelines, adopted in 2003, provide standards and guidelines to ensure that new and redeveloped structures continue to add distinction to the architecture and form of the downtown and surrounding areas.

Figure 5: Building Frontage and Architecture

PUBLIC/CIVIC SITES

There are a number of civic uses interspersed with the commercial buildings (City Hall, museum, churches, etc.) in the downtown. There are also several pocket parks in the area. Both the institutional and recreational uses are an asset to the area, not only in terms of activity, but also in the creation of a comfortable, attractive downtown. The parks provide appropriate breaks in the urban form, inviting people in as opposed to parking lots that break the continuity. The civic uses should continue to be designed and maintained as icons that stand out and serve as landmarks and meeting places with public plazas and urban green space. They should not try to follow the main-street commercial urban form or architecture.

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Figure 6: Signage along Main Street

SIGNS

Signs are an important element in creating an attractive, inviting urban form. The signs on the newest development sites create a barrier between the public pedestrian area and the businesses. The buildings are close enough to the street to attract vehicular traffic. Freestanding or sandwich board signs are permitted in accordance with City code.

D. STREETSCAPE

The City of Apopka and the Apopka CRA have installed a range of streetscape features throughout downtown Apopka and into the neighborhoods that are adjacent to the north and south edges of the central business district. The most recent streetscape improvements include the planting of palm trees at the intersection of SR 436/Main/441 and some additional streetscape upgrades along Main Street. These features may include:

concrete sidewalls with decorative stamping or bricks; vintage styled street lamps and a limited number of street trees. These streetscape elements are detailed below.

STREET TREES

Several types of street trees have been planted along Central Avenue: Washington Palms between 6th and 10th Streets; Palatka Hollies near the intersection with Main Street; and several young Elms between Main Street and Fifth Street. Street trees along Park Avenue include Palatka Hollies near the Main Street intersection, and mature tree canopy on the east end of the street. Along Main Street, there are Crepe Myrtles, Palatka Hollies and Magnolia trees planted on the street medians. Elm trees along Central Avenue and near Main Street are protected by metal tree guards and grates.

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LANDSCAPING

With the exception of Main Street, the majority of the streets in the CRA have grassed landscape strips between the curb and the sidewalk.

The width of the grass strips is consistently eight feet (8') along most of Central Avenue. The width on 5th Street varies from five feet (5') on the west end to over ten feet (10') on the east end. The section of 5th Street between Lake and Central Avenues does not have landscaping strips.

Several parts of Main Street have landscaped medians with raised curbs. There are landscaped “bump-outs” on parts of Central and Park Avenue wherever on-street parking is provided. Low hedges and shrub masses fill most of the landscape islands and medians, with Loropetalum and Dwarf Yaupon being the dominant shrubs.

SIDEWALKS

A majority of the primary and secondary streets have five-foot (5) sidewalks on both sides of the street. The sidewalks have a rhythmic pattern of red, stamped concrete (brick pattern) and regular, broom finish sections. The brick areas are approximately five feet (5') square and about ten feet (1O') apart. A section of sidewalks, just north of the West Orange Trailhead on Forest Avenue, has a pattern of natural concrete and real bricks. Perhaps this was the genesis of the distinctive sidewalk pattern. Crosswalks are striped with white reflective paint.

The sidewalks on Central Avenue north of 3rd Street are regular broom-finished concrete and are present on both sides of the street. However, north of Orange Street, there is a sidewalk on the west side of the street only. Near the 5th Street intersection, the sidewalks widen to six feet (6'), seven feet (7') and fourteen feet (14') in different areas.

The area of 5th Street between Forest and Highland Avenues only has sidewalks on the south side of the street. They are regular broom-finished concrete sidewalks.

The existing width of sidewalks seems to serve pedestrians well. It is a good network of connections.

Figure 7: Street Trees and Landscaping

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LIGHTING

A majority of the streets have decorative street lights. Acorn-style luminaries have been used on Central Avenue. The lights on Central have metal posts, while the lights on Main Street have been replaced and spaced farther apart. Further spacing has been achieved in the residential areas, ranging between 130-160 feet.

The streetlights on Central Avenue end north of Orange Street. There are no decorative streetlights on 5th Street between Forest and Highland Avenues. A few conventional street lights illuminate these areas.

GATEWAYS

There is a small City of Apopka sign at the south end of Park Avenue. Two of the small circular gateway signs that were previously installed were removed by FDOT during the expansion and improvement of Main Street (U.S. 441) and have not been replaced. There have been no significant gateways constructed within the CRA.

WAYFINDING

Wayfinding signs are important to assist people with locating the CRA, parking, parks and civic open space, shopping, events, transit stops, and municipal buildings. A uniform, aesthetically pleasing series of wayfinding signs will enhance the enjoyment of those visiting the CRA.

E. DEMOGRAPHICS

In order to create a vibrant and diverse downtown, it is important to include, preserve and even expand the residential component of the CRA. This section describes the population and housing characteristics of the area as it was in 2016. The information described was obtained from the census bureau and ESRI Business Analyst Online.

POPULATION AND HOUSING

The population of the CRA was 2,259 as of 2016, approximately 4.7 percent of the total City population (47,826). The median age for population within the Apopka CRA in 2016 was similar to the City, at 33.4 versus 36.2, respectively. The CRA contained 878 dwelling units in 2016. The comparison of the average household size was also similar for 2016 between the CRA and the City, at 3.02 and 2.94, respectively.

Of the City’s 17,966 dwelling units in 2016, 4.9 percent of them are located in the CRA. In 2016, 742 dwelling units were occupied within the CRA and 16,452 were occupied in the City, including the CRA. This represents a sharp contrast in the vacancy rate of 15.5% within the Apopka CRA versus 8.4% for the City.

HOUSING TENURE

The breakdown between owners and renters in the CRA differs from the breakdown citywide. While 73.2 percent of the occupied units in the City as a whole are owner-occupied, only 48.8 percent of the occupied units

Figure 8: Sidewalks and Street Lights

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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

HUD estimates that households are paying too high a percentage of their income for housing if the cost to gross income ratio is greater than thirty (30) percent. These households are considered “cost burdened.”

According to estimates from the American Community Survey for 2015, 35.4% of households in Apopka were cost burdened. A greater percentage of households within the census tracts that cover the CRA – 177.03 and 176 – were cost burdened. Within Census Tract 177.03, 44% were cost burdened and within Census Tract 176, 35.9% were cost burdened. For households living in owner-occupied housing, the percentages for these census tracts and the City as a whole do not vary much. However, for renter-occupied housing, there’s a significant difference in the percentage of cost-burdened households. Table 6 shows the percentage of households in the City of Apopka and within census tracts 177.03 and 176 that were cost burdened. Map 5 shows the location of the census tracts covering the CRA.

Table 6: Housing Affordability

Households in 2015 spending 30% or more of their gross income on housing (%)

Occupied Housing Units Owner-occupied Housing Renter-occupied Housing

City of Apopka 35.4% 30.3% 51.3%

Census Tract 177.03 44.0% 32.3% 65.9%

Census Tract 176 35.9% 27.6% 43.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2015.

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Map 6: CRA Census Tracts

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SUBSTANDARD HOUSING

The census provides an indicator of housing condition by measuring certain "quality of housing" indicators, such as the lack of complete plumbing facilities, the lack of complete kitchen facilities, and overcrowding. Overcrowding is also an indicator of substandard housing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, overcrowding exists if there is more than one occupant per room living in one dwelling unit. In making these computations, a "room" is defined as a living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, finished recreation room, or enclosed porch suitable for year round use. Excluded are bathrooms, open porches, balconies, halls and utility rooms. The percentage of occupied housing units that lacked complete plumbing and kitchen facilities in 2015 was lower within the census tracts that cover the CRA – shown in Map 5 – than in the City of Apopka as a whole.

Only Census Tract 176 presents an issue with overcrowding, where 7.3% of occupied housing units in 2015 had between 1 to 1.5 occupants per room compared to 1.8% in Census Tract 177.03 and 2.3% in the City as a whole.

Table 7 shows the percentages of occupied housing units within the census tracts covering the CRA and the City of Apopka that indicate substandard housing conditions.

Table 7: Substandard Housing

Occupied Housing Units (%)

Census Tract 176 Census Tract 177.03 City of Apopka

Lacking complete plumbing facilities 0.5% 0.0% 0.6%

Lacking complete kitchen facilities 1.5% 0.0% 2.4%

Between 1 to 1.5 occupants per room 7.3% 1.8% 2.3%

More than 1.5 occupants per room 1.9% 0.6% 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2015.

INCOME

The median household income in 2016 was $30,576 within the CRA and $55,233 for the City. This represents a significant difference between the CRA and the City as a whole.

COMMUTE TO WORK

In 2015, about 43% of residents in the City of Apopka traveled up to 30 minutes of commute time to work.

Almost half, or 49.3%, of residents in the City took 30 to 59 minutes to travel to work and only 7.4% traveled 1 hour or more. Compared to the City as a whole, the travel times for the census tracts covering the CRA – shown in Map 5 – that show a significant difference are in the range of 1 hour or more of travel time. Table 8 below shows the percentage of travel times to work by residents within the census tracts covering the CRA and for the City as a whole.

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Table 8: Travel Time to Work

Travel Time to Work (%)

Census Tract 176 Census Tract 177.03 City of Apopka

Up to 30 minutes 52.3% 40.8% 43.3%

30-59 minutes 34.4% 44.3% 49.3%

1 hour or more 13.4% 14.9% 7.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2015.

F. SOCIAL CONDITIONS

The Apopka CRA's southwest quadrant contains many of the environmental deficiencies contributing to an environment for criminal behavior that may discourage self-policing by both the residents and the community at large.

Crime occurs for various reasons, and the U.S. Department of Justice offers a few theoretical explanations for differing neighborhood crime levels. Social disorganization suggests that the ability of people to control criminal deviancy is impaired in a geographic area with constant residential turnover since social networks, informal neighbor porch gatherings, etc. cannot form. Related to a weak social network is the idea that if social efficacy is absent, whether it is from social disorganization or other reasons, crime in a neighborhood will rise.

Social efficacy is the willingness of residents to intervene and self-patrol for the good of the area. Lastly, criminologists have established the broken windows theory for areas of crime concentration. This refers to the connection between well-maintained areas (tidy yards, operable windows, cars and clean-appearing buildings) and low crime rates. The connection is that the physical appearance of an area affects psychological behavior so that residents are more socially effective and engaged in crime prevention.

In general, the lack of utilities (central water and sewer) and public infrastructure (street lights, curbs and traffic-calming devices) in an area denotes a lack of public investment and may promote unsafe streets and neighborhoods.

Community Redevelopment Areas are frequently beset with crime, in addition to the physical aspects of blight and deterioration. For this reason, an increase in crime over a measured time period is an indicator of blight according to the Florida Statutes regulations for determining the extent of community redevelopment areas.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a community policing strategy that has established that there is a link between the care and transparency of geographic areas with crime rates.

Understanding some of the causes of crime and the principles of CPTED provide direction for the cures of the problem, environmental redesign and increased community policing.

Applying a CPTED…