A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PLAN
As the public engagement process continues, this page will be updated with summaries from the Community Open House as well as the Community Briefing & Listening Sessions 

05/29/2020 - Virtual Public Workshop Summary

Thank you to all who attended the City of Kissimmee Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA’s) virtual public workshop yesterday presenting the update of the Downtown Community Redevelopment Plan. Originally scheduled as an in-person workshop, the workshop was held in a virtual setting in accordance with COVID-19 public safety and health requirements. During the virtual workshop, a presentation was given that discussed the Community Redevelopment Plan update process to date, presented the Community Redevelopment Plan’s strategic Four Point Action Plan addressing the redevelopment opportunities and challenges within the Redevelopment Area, presented the proposed capital projects and programming schedule, and reviewed the remaining steps in the Community Redevelopment Plan update process. An interactive public comment session followed the presentation. Participants were asked to offer their comments and input regarding the items presented and proposed in the Community Redevelopment Plan. 

Participants reviewed three (3) maps to provide a shared reference to foster conversations about the redevelopment activities and projects proposed within the updated Community Redevelopment Plan.  The maps presented included:  
  1. A Base Map of the Redevelopment Area,
  2. A Transportation System Map that depicts existing conditions and proposed transportation improvements within Downtown Kissimmee, and
  3. An Opportunity Sites Map which identifies sites that have the highest potential to be redeveloped in the near future.
The discussion comments provided by the workshop participants are summarized below and are organized by subject matter:

TRANSPORTATION
  • Traffic is too congested along the Emmett Street/Broadway Avenue/Main Street corridor
  • Crossing thoroughfares in the Downtown area continues to be difficult for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike
  • More or slower traffic on Emmett Street/Broadway Avenue/Main Street would discourage me from using it as a cut-through
  • Neptune Road feels unsafe for all modes of transportation, but particularly for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Fostering connectivity (especially between the Medical Arts District and Downtown) will be a critical component to revitalizing Downtown Kissimmee
  • The pedestrian crossing signals located in front of the Courthouse along Emmett Street should be replicated throughout Downtown
  • A recent study conducted by the Kissimmee Police Department has shown that the vast majority of traffic moving within the Redevelopment Area flows well below the posted speed limit and the vast majority of drivers, upwards of 97%-98%, yielded to pedestrians in crosswalks

REDEVELOPMENT
  • The key to activating the Redevelopment Area is to provide for more housing opportunities Downtown
  • Some people avoid moving Downtown because they don’t want to be subject to the historic district restrictions.
  • The creation and implementation of a business improvement district (BID) should be explored as a mechanism for providing regular maintenance in the public realm
  • The CRA should make an effort to attract new entertainment opportunities to locate within the Redevelopment Area
  • School impact fees are a huge deterrent to the future development of apartment housing within the Redevelopment Area

SAFETY
  • Homelessness continues to be a pervasive issue within the Redevelopment Area, particularly surrounding the bus station. Yet, as vacant properties begin to redevelop, the needs of homeless individuals who frequent these properties must be considered by all levels of government
  • The perception of crime within the Redevelopment Area most likely stems from the general lack of streetlights and the presence of a few dilapidated structures found Downtown 
  • There are currently low incidents of crime within the Redevelopment Area, particularly when compared to nearby jurisdictions

The workshop concluded with a recap of the remaining steps in Community Redevelopment Plan update process. They involve:  
  • June 17 - Planning Advisory Board (Review)
  • July 7 - Downtown CRA Governing Board/City Commission (Plan Adoption Resolution/1st Reading Adoption Ordinance)
  • July 21 - City Commission (2nd Reading Adoption Ordinance)

If you were unable to attend the virtual public workshop last night and would to provide your input on redevelopment within Downtown Kissimmee, we strongly encourage you to contact the Downtown Community Redevelopment Plan Update Team at ssingleton@kissimmee.org. Thank you again to everyone who provided their perspective thus far on how to improve the Downtown Kissimmee Redevelopment Area.

03/03/2020 - Community Open House Summary

We would like to thank everyone who attended the Community Open House yesterday (03/02/2020) regarding the Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Plan update to discuss the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Redevelopment Area. At the Open House, a presentation was given throughout the day that discussed the purpose and functions of Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), the anticipated Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Plan update process and timeline, existing community conditions, and a summary of recent stakeholder interviews. Open House attendees also provided their responses to five (5) essential questions about the Downtown Redevelopment Area – the results of which are provided below:

What areas of Downtown Redevelopment Area do you visit most often and why?
  • Broadway Avenue to patronize area businesses
  • Lakefront Park to enjoy a great public amenity
  • Hart Memorial Central Library to enjoy their extensive services
  • Monument of States to take iconic photos
  • Kissimmee Main Street Offices to work, collaborate, and plan
  • Big Toho Marina to fish along Lake Tohopekaliga
  • SunRail to travel to any number of central Florida’s wonderful communities

What areas of Downtown Redevelopment Area do you visit least often and why?
  • The Osceola County Courthouse and Osceola Regional Medical Center because I have no business at these facilities
  • Downtown single-family neighborhoods because of their lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure and limited dining and retail options
  • The Big Toho Marina and the Civic Center because of their lack of programming catered towards my interests

What are the perceived challenges for businesses and residents within the Downtown Redevelopment Area?
  • No fresh grocery stores
  • Limited resources for the area’s growing homeless population
  • Lack of designated skateboard areas
  • Limited SunRail service hours
  • Poor diversity of local retail and dining options
  • Limited nightlife options
  • Regressive local thought-leaders
  • Limited stops and service hours for public transit
  • Poor event programming for local families
  • Lack of area residents and homeowners
  • Congestion of area roadways
  • Limited upscale dining options
  • Poor maintenance of parking facilities and garages
  • Too loud of noises generated from Broadway Avenue and Main Street
  • Lack of coordination between event programmers for local fishing tournaments and the Downtown restaurant community

What are the perceived challenges for neighborhoods within the Downtown Redevelopment Area?
  • Poor maintenance of City infrastructure
  • Gentrification of historic communities
  • Limited market-rate, multi-family housing options
  • Lack of “affordable housing”
  • High frequency and volume of vacant land
  • Lack of communication between City Staff and business owners
  • Severe congestion of area roadways
  • Existing infrastructure (e.g. schools, roadways, emergency services) unable to effectively serve continued growth
  • Lack of delineated parking spaces in residential neighborhoods

What are some of the amenities you would like to see within the Downtown Redevelopment Area?
  • Micro-transit services (rentable bikes & scooters)
  • Physical connections between Lakefront Park and regional/state recreational trails
  • A local skateboard park
  • More active and passive recreation spaces
  • Underground utility lines
  • Contiguous and expanded sidewalks
  • Improved wayfinding program
  • Public restrooms for local patrons and SunRail riders
  • More frequent and noticeable crosswalk infrastructure (e.g. High-Intensity Activated crossWalK beacons, raised speed tables) and lighting systems
  • Bicycle infrastructure (e.g. bike lanes, ‘sharrows’, repair facilities, paved trails, bike racks)
 
After Open House attendees provided their input on each of the five (5) questions, we also encouraged them to write down any other ideas they had for improving the Downtown Redevelopment Area—the results of which are provided below:

  • Improve marketing and branding efforts from the City
  • Encourage more foot traffic along Broadway Avenue
  • Decrease the speed limit of local roads
  • Consider the use of golf carts within the Downtown
  • Increase local investment dollars into education at every level
  • Ensure consistent direction, policy-making, and enforcement of local plans and ordinances between City governing bodies and their staff
  • Provide financial assistance programs for new and existing homeowners
  • Make more of an effort to ensure all Downtown property values are increasing (and not just those near the Lakefront)
  • Improve the relationship between area businesses and local government
  • Provide duck boat tours (like Boston and Baltimore) and paddle boat rentals along Lake Tohopekaliga
  • Encourage a microbrewery to locate Downtown
  • Develop a Downtown homeless shelter which provides rehabilitation and employment services
  • Draft a comprehensive stormwater management program and plan for the Downtown
  • Lobby for weekend and weeknight services for SunRail
  • Increase preservation efforts to protect the town’s rich history
  • Construct a local movie theatre and play-house
  • Encourage the development of an appropriately-sized boutique hotels
  • Preserve Broadway Avenue’s current four-lane roadway
  • Reduce Broadway Avenue’s current four-lane roadway
  • Improve the frequency of local garbage disposal service
  • Increase the funding for maintaining public spaces
  • Provide more concession stands in Lakefront Park
  • Increase the frequency and diversity of local community events
  • Improve the responsiveness of City Staff, particularly those responsible for booking local event spaces
  • Provide more kid-friendly programming at the Civic Center
  • Expand the Downtown Kissimmee Redevelopment Area boundary
  • Update the City’s current Land Development Code to permit historic, non-conforming uses

If you were unable to attend the Community Open House, we strongly encourage you to fill out the online survey (English/Spanish) to make sure your voice is heard during the plan update process. Thank you again to everyone who provided their perspective thus far on how to improve Downtown Kissimmee Redevelopment Area.

02/28/2020 - Please Plan on Attending the Community Open House!

Everyone is invited to the Community Open House on March 02, 2020 at the Berlinsky Community House to provide their input on the Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Plan! For more information on the event, please see our flyer below.