Murdock Village Redevelopment Initiative

5. Why was a specific area in West Murdock selected for the redevelopment initiative?

The Murdock Village Community Redevelopment Area has been selected for a number of reasons, including excessive platting [Click here to learn more about the problem of excessive platting] and the resulting conditions of blight [Click here to learn more about the blight conditions which redevelopment can address] , its relative lack of development and proximity to the central transportation and economic core of the unincorporated Murdock area in the northern portion of Charlotte County.

In 2002 the County asked for the advice of the Urban Land Institute [Click here to learn more about the Urban Land Institute] , a research and education organization that assists communities with difficult land issues with preliminary advice and assistance. The Urban Land Institute's recommendation was to "un-plat" the area and re-assemble it into larger parcels in order to make it more appropriate for development. The Murdock Village Community Redevelopment Area encompasses 1,200 acres near the economic and social core of the Murdock area that were platted, but relatively undeveloped. The land values were perceived as stagnant and not keeping pace with other areas. The County was faced with enormous infrastructure and service costs to catch up in terms of supplying infrastructure and services to a substantially platted, but vacant area. The area was not developing as originally planned and within the 1,200 acres only eighty (80) quarter acre lots had been improved with residences. The fact that vacant lots were being used as locations to dump trash, the streets and subdivision infrastructure were deteriorating, and the ad valorem tax revenues generated by the area did not come close to addressing the enormous costs for needed maintenance and capital improvements made the area a candidate for redevelopment.

After listening to suggestions from the Urban Land Institute, the County commissioned WilsonMiller to prepare a concept plan for redeveloping the entire area. [Click here to view the February 25, 2003 concept plan presented by WilsonMiller.] The concept plan articulated an initial vision and the County's request for proposals process is designed to focus and narrow that vision into proposals and development plans which can be implemented. [Click here to learn more about the County's request for proposals process.]

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Web Site of the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners
Administrative Complex * 18500 Murdock Circle * Port Charlotte, Florida 33948 * 941.743.1200