Community Improvement District Overview

Jacksonville, FL (February 8, 2022) – After eighteen years in the making, Council Member Becton’s introduction of Ordinance 2021-838 establishing the Baymeadows Community Improvement District (BCID) was finally adopted by City Council. 

The bill, which only establishes the BCID, outlines the boundaries, defines its mission and responsibilities, and appoints the initial Board of Directors who will in the future be elected by the district membership of property owners. This legislation did not levy any immediate assessment against property owners within the district as that decision will be the responsibility of the BCID Board of Directors in its requirement to review the needs, prioritize its work, and craft a budget that must be approved by City Council on an annual basis.

The BCID is an entity described by Florida Statues 189.02 as a “Dependent Special District” (DSD). Dependent Special Districts have the ability to manage, own, operate, construct, and finance basic capital infrastructure, facilities, and services which provide assurance to property owners and the applicable community that infrastructure maintenance and improvements along with other services will continue. The DSD will ensure accountability of public resources since its governing boards are held to the same high standards as municipalities and counties.

Four previous DSD’s have been approved within Duval County similar to the BCID. These districts include: Harbor Waterways (Ord. 2010-725), Isle of Palms (Ord. 2011-724), Miller’s Creek (Ord. 2014-700), and Tarpon Cover (Ord. 2017-154) which all manage public private-waterway infrastructure for their neighborhoods and communities. These districts have been tremendously successful in delivering their intended services, keeping costs low through competitive bidding and economies of scale.