Lynn Haven officials give updates on projects during ‘Table Talk’

BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Residents got to catch up on several city projects, ask questions, and voice concerns on Thursday night when Lynn Haven City Manager Vicky Gainer held one of her periodic Table Talks.

The Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency was there to talk about upcoming projects in the city. The Director of CRA Ben Janke gave a few updates on current projects and some insight on what they plan to work on next.

The CRA was created in 2004 to improve downtown Lynn Haven. The area runs from 3rd Street to 17th Street. Gainer said this meeting is a good way for the community to know what the agency does and what it’s planning to do.

“It’s just very important that people know. Yes, we have a CRA How that money is, is comes about, and what happens in the CRA. So really table talk also is part of just educating the public of some of the things that are happening within the city to be able to share with someone else,” Gainer said.

They gave updates on the plan to rebuild the library near the city hall. That plan is at a standstill while the city waits for more funding from Fema.

They also announced the agency will focus on developing a regional stormwater system, which would take the requirement off of a developer to have a stormwater system on the property.

While the CRA is working on multiple projects this year, they are focusing on improving sidewalks and streets to make the area more walkable.

“We’re doing pretty good at choosing those areas where there’s high traffic, high foot traffic from our youth that attend schools. And so we look at those areas. It very deeply and decide which ones that, you know, first, second, third. So walkability is one of those areas, too, that we forget that. We also have people who are handicapped and need to be able to get to and from a certain area. And it’s important that they have that ability to do that as well,” Gainer said.

The CRA is working alongside the city on its walkability plan. That plan includes adding sidewalks to 60 % of the city and is set to be completed in 2030.

Gainer said that the plan, which was developed in 2004 when the agency was created, has not
had any major changes and they plan to keep it that way for now.

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