BJ Calady of West City, a resident and former member of the dissolved West City CRA committee, used the board’s public-comment period on May 6 to urge changes to the West City Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) plan.

Calady asked the board to modify the plan in three specific ways: leave Oyster Creek in its natural condition and do no work that would alter the creek; prohibit parking on West King Street as part of any CRA-funded projects; and bar new outdoor dining on the narrow West King Street sidewalks on safety grounds. Calady said she was concerned that tax-increment financing (TIF) dollars earmarked for the West City CRA could be used to build a parking garage at U.S. 1 and King Street — a project she said would not address long-standing blight in West Augustine.

Why it matters: CRA/TIF decisions determine how incremental property-tax revenues are spent in designated redevelopment areas. Calady told the board she had voted against an earlier step in the plan process and asked that minutes and supporting memos be reviewed line by line, because the language in memos she saw referenced the West City CRA rather than a downtown-garage CRA item.

What Calady asked the board to do
- Keep Oyster Creek in its natural state and avoid any construction that would alter its vegetation or create recreational infrastructure she said would attract camping.
- Block any plan to use West City CRA TIF dollars for a parking garage at U.S. 1 and King Street.
- Disallow new sidewalk dining on West King Street and prohibit using the curb and sidewalk for new parking.

At the meeting: Board members asked follow-up questions for clarity, and staff noted the board’s public-comment period for the CRA plan occurred at the start of the meeting (the agenda’s other-business item would not have a second public-comment opportunity). Calady said she would follow up with staff and emphasized the importance of accurate meeting backup materials.

Speakers
- BJ Calady — West City resident and former member of the dissolved West City CRA committee (public commenter)

Authorities cited in comments
- Reference to West City CRA plan documents and to memos dated 04/03/2025 and 04/15/2025 (as cited by the speaker). The speaker also referred generally to Tax Increment Financing (TIF) use without citing specific ordinance numbers.

Ending
Board members did not take formal action on Calady’s requests at this meeting; her remarks were entered into the public record and staff noted they would be part of the packet for any future CRA-related agenda item.