Agenda Item Name:
Title
Hearing to establish Springhills South Community Development District
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Presenter:
Jeffrey Hays, AICP
Description:
This action would authorize and establish a Community Development District (CDD) for the Springhills South area. A CDD is a local, special purpose government unit authorized by Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes as an alternative means of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining community-wide infrastructure and services for large planned developments without burdening general taxpayers.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the County Commission adopt:
An ordinance establishing the Springhills South Community Development District pursuant to Chapter 190, Florida Statutes (2021), naming the district, describing the external boundaries of the district, describing the functions and powers of the district, and designating five persons to serve as the initial members of the expanded district’s board of supervisors.
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Prior Board Motions:
NA
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The establishment of a CDD will allow the area to generate necessary funds for the construction of necessary public infrastructure to support development within the District.
The County will not be responsible for any issued bonds.
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Strategic Guide:
Infrastructure
Background:
A Community Development District (CDD) is a local, special purpose government unit authorized by Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes as an alternative means of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining community-wide infrastructure and services for large planned developments without burdening general taxpayers. The Uniform Community Development District Act of 1980 established authority for CDDs in Florida.
At the initial set up of the CDD, five Board members are appointed to the Board of Supervisors (BoS). The board then elects one supervisor as chair, names a secretary and a treasurer who need not be board members, and hires a district manager, who will be responsible for daily operations of the CDD. After six years of operation, the property owners of the community encompassed by the CDD elect five individuals that live within the CDD boundaries to the governing Board. The CDD Board is subject to state ethics and financial disclosure laws the same as local government officials. All meetings of the CDD Board must also comply with the Florida Sunshine Law and CDDs are annually audited.
Once established, the CDD is able to obtain funds by borrowing, issuing bonds and imposing assessments and levying taxes on properties within the district. These funds pay for the construction, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure. The CDD Board sets the taxes and assessments imposed on the property owners. These are included in the property tax statement issued by the local jurisdiction. The CDD is able to borrow money to finance its facilities at lower, tax-exempt, interest rates the same as cities and counties. Many contracts for goods and services, such as annually negotiated maintenance contracts, are subject to publicly advertised competitive bidding.
The Springhills South CDD encompasses the area of the approved Springhills Southwest Quadrant Mixed Use Development. This development has an existing approved Preliminary Development Plan that allows for construction of for up to 149 residential units and up to 455,000 square feet of light industrial, office, and warehousing.