On September 15, 2016, an EF-3 tornado touched down in the Town of Century with winds estimated as high as 152 miles per hour according to a National Weather Service report. The tornado followed a path 16.5 miles long and up to 300 yards wide through the North Escambia area. In total, three people were injured in the tornado. The tornado first touched down southwest of Lambert Bridge Road, 3.4 miles west of McDavid at 3:30 p.m. and gradually increased in strength and width as it continued northeast toward Century. The tornado reached peak intensity as it moved into Century demolishing approximately 40 single-family housing units on Jefferson Avenue, Pond Street, Hecker Road, Dogwood Street, Mayo Street and other residential areas. In addition, public, commercial and industrial buildings were severely damaged as the tornado moved in a northeasterly direction towards Pollard, Alabama, where the tornado weakened and lifted.
As a result of the damage in the above referenced areas of the Town, on August 19, 2017, the Town Council found that a combination of rehabilitation, conservation and redevelopment of the area identified as the Century Community Redevelopment Area was necessary in the interest of the public health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the Town in order to eliminate, remedy and prevent conditions of blight. Memorandum Regarding the Proposed Creation of a Community Redevelopment Area/Agency in the Town of Century, Florida.
On September 4, 2017, the Town Council approved the Findings of Necessity, a document which supports the legislative finding that conditions in the proposed redevelopment area meet the criteria of blight as described in Florida Statute 163.340(8). Resolution 18-17 was passed and adopted on September 11, 2017, designating the Century Community Redevelopment Area. In addition, Resolution 19-17 was passed and adopted providing for the creation of the Century Community Redevelopment Agency. Ordinance 11-18, establishing a Redevelopment Trust Fund was passed and adopted on October 15, 2018.
The Community Redevelopment Agency is funded by tax increment financing. When the Trust Fund was established, a ‘snapshot’ of the base year (2018) was taken of the area’s taxable property values. As capital improvements and other development takes place within the CRA district, these taxable values rise. The difference (“increment”) between the original values and current values is collected by the taxation authority and deposited in the Redevelopment Trust Fund. Funds allocated to the Redevelopment Trust Fund can only be used by the CRA to finance community redevelopment activity undertaken pursuant to an approved redevelopment plan.