Charlita Whitehead and staff presented proposed changes to the Magnolia CRA commercial building improvement grant program, including a request to allow reimbursement for public-art murals and to raise the program’s maximum commercial grant from $10,000 to $20,000.

Whitehead, the district’s economic development and cultural arts projects coordinator, told the committee that the Florida Legislature’s 2024 reporting changes for special districts mean the CRA will expand and formalize some program reporting. She said staff propose increasing the maximum commercial grant to $20,000 to better reflect rising construction costs and to allow property owners to complete multiple façade or systems improvements at once.

Staff said the mural change would be coordinated with the Ocala Municipal Arts Commission (OMAC). That commission will review artist qualifications, placement appropriateness and durability concerns; staff said applicants would still need CRA approval before reimbursement. The committee discussed permitting constraints and city code distinctions that treat murals differently from signage; staff said murals that function as business advertising would not qualify under the city’s sign rules.

The committee voted to add murals to the North Magnolia commercial grant framework. The increase of the commercial grant maximum to $20,000 will be taken to the CRA board for a final vote; staff said applications and program materials would be updated if the board approves the change.

Ending: Staff said they will return to the CRA board with revised application materials and will notify the public if the board approves any changes.