North Greenwood Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting - June 3, 2026

The North Greenwood Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) met on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the City of Clearwater Main Library - Council Chambers and the North Greenwood Recreation Center. The meeting covered approvals, public comments, new and old business items, CRA program updates, and a presentation on a proposed zoning overlay. Key topics included revisions to the Commercial Grant Program, a communication and outreach strategy, updates on The Grove @ 1105 development, the Art Oasis Mural Festival, the redevelopment of the former Armory, the North Ward School, and the introduction of a Planned Redevelopment District overlay for North Greenwood.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the regular March 4, 2026, meeting and the special April 15, 2026, meeting. Both motions passed with no opposition.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barbara Sorey, president of the Blue Water African American Foundation, spoke regarding items not on the agenda. She requested that the North Greenwood Library be renamed after Christine Rick Fall Morris, Clearwater's first African American librarian, and asked for a Florida Historic Marker for Breeding Community Pride Nursery and historic designation for the building. She also requested follow-up on the Pinellas High School Florida Historic Marker, which was approved in 2023 but not yet completed. Additionally, she questioned why there was no Juneteenth celebration in Clearwater this year. The chair noted the committee would discuss with city staff and provide feedback.

Discussion Items

• North Greenwood CRA Commercial Grant Program – Staff Recommended Revisions and Clarifications: Vicky Shire, CRA Division Manager, presented proposed revisions to the grant guidelines to clarify when funds could be disbursed directly to licensed contractors, reimbursement processes, and applicant responsibilities. The revisions were developed with the city attorney's office to improve consistency and transparency. The committee voted to recommend the revisions to the CRA Board of Trustees. The motion passed unanimously.
• North Greenwood CRA Communication and Outreach Strategy: Sasha Hadley, CRA Specialist in Communications and Media, presented a framework for improving communication and engagement with the community. The strategy includes quarterly CAC meetings, digital newsletters, direct mailers, open office hours, boots-on-the-ground outreach, and community highlights. Feedback from the committee included requests for earlier distribution of materials, larger font sizes, and consideration of a monthly (or bi-monthly) digital newsletter. The strategy was accepted as a living document with ongoing feedback.
• Updates on The Grove @ 1105 Development: Jay Henson, President of the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition, provided an update. The project is a container-based small business village with 15 units and 10+ businesses, targeting a July 2027 grand opening. Tenant applications are being reviewed, and a "Taste of the Village" event is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at the North Greenwood Rec Center. A crowdfunding campaign is underway to raise $100,000 for landscaping, gathering spaces, technology, and other needs. The project has $500,000 in CRA capital funds, with additional fundraising ongoing.
• Art Oasis Mural Festival Overview: Eric Santiago, CRA Division Manager, reported that four murals have been completed: "Play Learn Grow" at Cherry Hearst Park, "Rapture of Community Love" at Safe House of North Greenwood, "Past Pages, Future Dreams" at ICM Ola Head Start Center, and "Open Book Policy" at North Greenwood Library. Four more murals are planned for summer 2026, including one at the North Greenwood Rec Center with a theme of "Community and Neighborhood Pride" selected by community survey.
• Updates on the Armory: Alan Battle, Assistant City Manager, provided an update on the redevelopment agreement for the former Armory. The CRA is negotiating with a developer (affiliated with Umami's Foods LLC) for a fee simple purchase price of $2 million. The draft agreement includes property use restrictions, preservation requirements, annual compliance reporting, a first right of refusal for the CRA, and a commitment to hire 25-30 employees from the community. The committee discussed the need for accountability and job creation, and the agreement is expected to be brought to the CRA board for final approval.
• Update on North Ward School: Alan Battle also presented an update on the former school property. The city has invested about $80,000 in a roof shrink-wrap to prevent further deterioration. Two appraisals came in at $1.6 million and $2.7 million, reflecting uncertainty. The preferred redevelopment concept is mixed-use, preserving historical buildings on the south portion and allowing new construction on the north portion. An open house is planned for July 30, 2026, to attract developers, with a request for proposals expected by the end of 2026. Committee members asked about marketing efforts, asking price, and the potential use of CRA funds from both the North Greenwood and Downtown CRAs (noted that the property is solely in the North Greenwood CRA).
• CRA Grant Program Updates: Vicky Shire provided statistics on the Commercial and Residential Exterior Improvement Grant Programs as of June 3, 2026. For the Commercial Grant Program, total funds of $833,472, with $474,516.91 approved and $344,645.28 paid; available balance $358,955.09. For the Residential Program, $458,639.10 approved, $397,225.21 paid; available balance $296,497.79.
• Business Spotlight – Clearwater Brewing Company: A video testimonial and live comments from owner Hannah Menard highlighted the success of the Commercial Grant Program. The grant helped fund outdoor improvements, landscaping, and a storage building, and the business has become a community hub. Hannah also thanked the community and noted her volunteer work with Arts for Life Academy.
• Code Overlay Update: Laura Naski, Director of Planning and Development, presented an update on the proposed Planned Redevelopment District overlay for the North Greenwood CRA (excluding areas already covered by the Downtown District). The overlay would be opt-in and is designed to implement the CRA plan, expand housing choices, and revitalize the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor. Community concerns were raised via a petition, leading to a request to continue the item before the Forward Pinellas board. A community meeting will be scheduled to address questions. The committee emphasized the need for clear communication about the opt-in process.
• Budget Review: Ann (AMOPES Assistant Director) presented the current year’s budget for North Greenwood. Anticipated tax increment revenue for the year was just shy of $1 million, with $1.066 million received through April 2026, plus interest earnings. The operating budget covers professional services, contractual items, staff salaries (allocated by percentage), and program funds for residential and commercial grants, as well as public infrastructure projects. A special meeting is scheduled for July 7, 2026, at 5:30 PM to discuss the budget amendment and the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Consent Calendar: Minutes from March 4, 2026, and April 15, 2026, approved unanimously.
• Approved Commercial Grant Program Revisions: Motion to recommend revisions to the CRA Board of Trustees passed unanimously.
• Continued Communication Strategy: The strategy was accepted as a living document; staff will consider feedback on timeliness, font size, and newsletter frequency.
• Next Steps on The Grove @ 1105: Taste of the Village event on June 15, 2026; fundraising campaign ongoing; grand opening targeted for July 2027.
• Art Oasis Mural Festival: Four additional murals to be completed in summer 2026.
• Armory Redevelopment: Staff will finalize the development agreement with the developer, including community benefits and job commitments; to be presented to the CRA board.
• North Ward School: Open house scheduled for July 30, 2026; request for proposals expected by end of 2026.
• Code Overlay: Item continued; a community meeting will be held to address concerns, and the Forward Pinellas hearing will be moved to early July/August.
• Budget Review: Budget numbers were shared; a special meeting on July 7, 2026, will cover a budget amendment and the FY 2026-2027 proposed budget.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:46 PM.