After reviewing 40 projects eligible for funding through Charlotte County’s 1% local option sales tax, county commissioners are awaiting recommendations from a citizen-led Sales Tax Focus Group before deciding which initiatives will be prioritized.
The focus group, made up of industry representatives and appointees, is scheduled to begin ranking the projects Feb. 19, with its recommendations expected to be presented to commissioners in March. Commissioners will then determine final project selections and priorities in April, with the final list slated for ordinance approval in May.
The 1% sales tax was first approved by voters in 1994 and has since been extended five times, generating more than $686 million in capital funding. The next referendum, seeking a six-year extension, will appear on the November ballot.
Projects under consideration fall into four categories: infrastructure, public safety, quality of life and schools.
Quality of life projects total $217.5 million and include a replacement Charlotte County Cultural Center on Aaron Street, estimated at $60.5 million, and a two-level parking garage at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center, projected to cost $7.4 million. Also included are renovations and improvements to numerous parks and recreation facilities throughout the county.
Commission Chair Joe Tiseo said the estimate for the parking garage appeared low and suggested the city of Punta Gorda contribute 50% of the cost since the facility is located within city limits.
Commissioners also debated whether a proposed lazy river at Centennial Park, part of the park’s Phase 3 renovation, should be included in the plan, along with retractable bleachers. However, they supported adding lap lanes at the pool, which is used for competitive events, along with other improvements at the park.
Other parks identified for potential funding include Bissett Park, G.C. Herring Park, Charlotte Sports Park, Maracaibo Kidspace Park, Myakka River Park, Placida Passive Park, South County Regional Park Recreation Center, South Murdock Community Park, the Tringali Community Center replacement, William R. Gaines Jr. Veterans Memorial Park and the Grace Street complex. The Grace Street project was later removed from the list because sales tax funding applies only to projects under construction, not those still in the planning phase.
Emily Lewis, deputy county administrator, speaks during a Jan. 29 workshop as commissioners reviewed proposed projects eligible for funding under the county’s 1% local option sales tax.
Charlotte County government
Infrastructure projects are subdivided into roadway improvements, water quality initiatives and facilities. Roadway projects total approximately $158.5 million and include widening Harborview Road and Edgewater Drive, the Burnt Store Road East/West Corridor Connector, Taylor Road improvements, and pedestrian trails and sidewalks.
As with the Grace Street complex, Taylor Road improvements remain in the planning phase and are therefore not currently eligible for sales tax funding.
Water quality projects total $26.3 million and include improvements on Flamingo Boulevard between Samantha and State Road 776, and on Date Street from Interstate 75. These projects are tied to roadway improvements and involve utility relocations.
Commissioner Chris Constance said he would not support spending $10 million on the Date Street to I-75 project, noting that the Florida Department of Transportation has indicated it would provide some funding and that additional funding sources may also be available. He said he favored supporting Taylor Road improvements, estimated at $11.3 million, because they would include sidewalks.
Tiseo said he would prioritize the widening of Harborview Road and Edgewater Drive, which he said would “get us to the finish line,” and suggested the East/West Corridor Connector be considered a Tier 2 project.
Additional infrastructure projects include construction of a Clerk of Court records warehouse estimated at $9.1 million, a Fleet Management building at $22.7 million, a Mid-County Annex building at $42 million, a Mid-County Public Works Operations facility at $27 million and a Babcock Ranch Community Library and Annex estimated at $27.2 million. The total projected cost for these facilities projects is $128 million.
Public safety projects include replacing Fire Station 4 for $9.3 million and building four new fire stations — stations 18, 19, 20 and 21 — each estimated at $9.6 million. Expansion of the Emergency Vehicle Maintenance facility would cost $2.75 million, bringing total Fire/EMS projects to $50.475 million.
Other public safety improvements include renovations to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Jail Administration building, estimated at $6.2 million and construction of a warehouse at CCSO headquarters for $6.5 million, for a combined total of $12.758 million.
Projects proposed for Charlotte County Public Schools include $10 million for security and modernization upgrades and $5 million for Career and Technical Education facilities.
Commissioners emphasized that public input and the focus group’s rankings will play a key role in shaping the final list of projects. With the sales tax extension requiring voter approval in November, officials said prioritizing projects that address infrastructure needs, public safety and quality of life will be critical to gaining public support.
For a breakdown of all projects, click here.