Panama City hosts first CRA virtual workshop to discuss projects in Millville and Glenwood

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The CRA board discussed two programs in their workshop on Wednesday. They believe it will help incentivize local businesses while protecting the community.
The first one was introduced by the newly appointed mayor, Allan Branch. It's called SPARK stands for small business property activation, redevelopment kick-start.
The idea would involve the CRA offering to sell city-owned properties in Glenwood through a 'structured, fair and results-driven process'.
People or businesses with ties to Glenwood, who are minority or women-owned, or are creating jobs and using public-facing space, would receive preference through a scoring system.
'If our pipe dream or our success story is people of the neighborhood building back their neighborhoods, we need to have some sort of scaling or point system that you're most sophisticated by. Or someone out of Atlanta who has a $50 million portfolio is going to have the best presentation for property. And so we have to score people's packets differently if we want to incentivize local growth, particularly local growth that potentially might be there first. Building brick and mortar businesses, those are folks like myself,' Panama City mayor Allan Branch said.
Panama City announce traffic impacts for 'This We'll Defend' celebration
The second topic discussed is an outdoor seating incentive program in Millville. It would make it easier for restaurants to create outdoor seating.
Under this proposal, businesses would be reimbursed up to $10,000 to cover the expenses for outdoor tables and chairs, patios, fencing, and outdoor lighting.
None of these plans have been finalized, but the branch says they want to continue the conversation with some rough sketches and letters of support from businesses.
The next virtual workshop has been scheduled for two weeks from today, which will be June 25.
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