Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting – May 21, 2026

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) of Dunedin, Florida, held a regular meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall. Chair Maureen "Moe" Freaney presided, with Vice Chair Robert Walker and Members Tom Dugard, Jeff Gow, and Steven Sandbergen present. Also present were City Manager Jennifer Bramley, City Attorney Jennifer Cowan, City Clerk Michelle Wells, CRA/Economic Development Director Robert Ironsmith, Economic Development Manager Matt Jackson, Special Projects Coordinator Trevor Davis, Economic Development Specialist Carolyn Homer, and Engineer III Martin Wade, P.E.

Consent Calendar

• Draft Minutes (March 19, 2026): Approved unanimously. Motion by Member Gow, seconded by Member Sandbergen.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Short (946 Highland Avenue) expressed concern about weed overgrowth on Skinner Boulevard landscaping, questioning current responsibility. Staff responded that the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible during the two-year establishment period, after which the City will assume maintenance. Staff agreed to walk the site with Mr. Short to address the issue.

Discussion Items

• CRA Advisory Committee (CRAAC) Chair Report: Chair Alan McHale was absent. Director Ironsmith noted the CRAAC meeting reviewed capital projects and the annual report, which has since been approved by the CRA.
• CRA Director's Report – Robert Ironsmith and Martin Wade:
  • Skinner Boulevard: Duke Energy undergrounding to finish in 2–3 months; DOT landscaping anticipated in late fall or winter 2026. One property owner has not signed an easement; staff is using an adjacent owner to gain influence.
  • Main Street Streetscape Project (Pinellas Trail to Broadway): Plans finalized; project deferred to late spring 2027 to avoid impacting winter merchants.
  • Grand Oak Park (extended timeline): Engineer Martin Wade detailed multiple issues:
    • Building permit delays and minor design changes (ADA items, step details).
    • Foundation subgrade compaction failure requiring rework.
    • Underground condition: discovery of an old air return duct void under the slab (2 ft x 1 ft perimeter void with metal pan).
    • Electrical conduit routing delays due to existing slab.
    • Restroom foundation design change: The restroom company’s structural engineer revised the foundation size, resulting in a $6,600 change order to redo formwork.
    • Slab voids: Two repair options – $5,500 for flowable fill or $12,600 to cut slab and fill with compacted soil. Both are within the $75,000 contingency.
    • Grant Street two-way conversion: Proposed to improve circulation, would add approximately 3 months to the project timeline, require moving the sidewalk ~4 ft and converting to diagonal parking, encroaching 3–4 ft into the park. The change order cost is still being estimated and will come before the City Commission in June.
  • CRA Member Concerns and Questions:
    • Chair Freaney questioned the restroom foundation change, expressing concern that the City may be paying for a designer error.
    • Vice Chair Walker noted that ground penetrating radar was used prior; he questioned why voids were not detected and who is responsible for the survey. City Manager Bramley agreed to investigate and report back.
    • Member Dugard highlighted that tying Grant Street to the park project creates a “time trap” and risks cost overruns.
    • Member Gow expressed disappointment with the contractor’s pace; City Manager Bramley stated she is unhappy with the contractor’s performance and will work with them to produce a revised schedule and completion date.
    • The park (excluding restroom) may be finished sooner, but the restroom (late November/early December 2026) is needed to complete the site electrical and pavers.
• Other Updates:
  • Downtown Parking Garage: RFP to be issued in the next few weeks to three shortlisted firms.
  • Private Parking Garage: Expected to start construction in several weeks.
  • Master Plan Update: Staff plans to partner with Forward Pinellas to update the 2012/2013 Downtown Master Plan, focusing on economic development; expected to be part of next fiscal year’s budget.
  • Upcoming CRA Items: Updated bylaws (prepared by City Attorney Cowan) and renewal of the Bushnell lot at 15 Edgewater Park.
• Chair Freaney requested a downtown sidewalk inspection report, noting some areas need attention before the streetscape project.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved unanimously.
• CRA Director’s Report received.
• Skinner Boulevard: Staff to walk site with Mr. Short to address weed issues.
• Grand Oak Park:
  • Staff to investigate root cause of slab voids (ground penetrating radar survey responsibility) and report back.
  • Staff to prepare a revised project schedule and completion date, to be presented publicly at a future meeting.
  • City Manager Bramley to address contractor performance issues.
• Grant Street Two-Way Conversion: Will be presented to the City Commission in June for approval as a separate change order; cost estimate pending.
• CRA members expressed dissatisfaction with contractor performance and directed staff to enforce contract terms if needed.
• Miscellaneous: Downtown sidewalk inspection to be addressed; Master Plan update to proceed; parking garage RFPs to be issued.