The Lake Placid Community Redevelopment Agency meets Monday, and the agenda packet includes a project summary for the 2025–2026 fiscal year showing $597,005 in total CRA project funding. As of the report, $18,288 had been spent, $25,000 had been transferred, and $553,717 remained.
One project that is moving ahead is Waldo Aliff Road paving. The packet lists the project as active and states that Excavation Point Inc. has been issued a purchase order. The contractor is expected to contact the town with an estimated start date.
DeVane Park is also expected to remain part of the discussion. At the April CRA meeting, staff presented updates on planned improvements, including gazebo rehabilitation, replacement of deteriorating railings, updated lighting, benches and workout equipment. The CRA board authorized staff to obtain quotes or issue an RFP for the DeVane Park rehabilitation project.
The May project summary lists $75,000 for DeVane Park gazebo structural rehabilitation. Staff notes that the gazebo rail work alone could cost an estimated $40,000 to $50,000, and that a specific railing style needs to be chosen before the project can go out for bid. The preferred material listed is steel or thick-gauge aluminum, painted white or black.
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The packet also shows $40,000 allocated for downtown park benches. That project is active, but still needs a decision on style, material and size. Staff notes there are currently 82 benches throughout town — 46 in parks and 36 in other locations — and that prices range from about $500 to $1,500 per bench. Until a design is chosen, it is unclear how many benches can be purchased or whether the project scope will need to be limited.
Other downtown-related projects include signage, banners, streetscaping, lighting and flower pots. The downtown flower pot project is listed as completed, with invoices still being finalized. Downtown signage and banner projects appear to depend on town code changes, with the packet estimating two to three months for review, workshops, public notices and adoption.
John’s Park is another project with a question attached. The CRA list includes $30,000 for electrical and site lighting there, but staff notes that the property may have been given to the town by the Smoak family under the condition that it remain a park. The packet says no historical record of that transaction has been found yet, leaving some uncertainty about what alterations may be allowed.
The CRA project list also includes Taylor Park sidewalk, irrigation and tree projects; Stuart Park electrical work; Dal Hall playground, patio and landscaping projects; stormwater management improvements; and a septic-to-sewer grant program. Some of those items are active, while others are waiting on clarification, estimates, project sequencing or board direction.
The second major item on Monday’s agenda is a proposed change to the CRA meeting schedule.
CRA meetings are currently held monthly. Staff is asking the board to consider moving to every other month, noting that only quarterly meetings are statutorily required. The agenda item says the change would allow more time for project coordination, consultant follow-up, agenda preparation and meaningful progress between meetings. Staff also cites limited staff resources and competing operational priorities.
For more information about the Lake Placid CRA : https://www.lakeplacidfl.net/200/Community-Redevelopment-Agency
The CRA meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Placid Government Center, 1069 U.S. 27 North. The meeting is also streamed on the town’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lakeplacidflgov7268
