Palm Bay City Council Meeting: Community Voices Defy Proposed Tax Hike 🏙️

A Packed Agenda Features Development Projects, Youth Programs, and a Pivotal Decision on Taxes

Palm Bay, FL - The Palm Bay City Council convened on August 1st, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers, located at 120 Malabar Road SE, for a meeting that touched on a variety of issues, from public safety funding to development projects and youth programs. The meeting was marked by a significant level of public engagement, particularly surrounding the controversial proposal for a dedicated public safety millage.

Consent Agenda: A Quick Look and a Major Spending Decision

The Council voted on a Consent Agenda, which includes a series of routine items typically approved without discussion. This agenda included several expenditure approvals totaling over $16,809,883.

Here's a look at the top five largest expenditures on the consent agenda:

• Construction of Fire Station 7: Funding for the construction of Fire Station 7 is the largest expenditure on the consent agenda, with a total of $8,072,640. This project addresses the need for new fire stations in Palm Bay's growing population areas.

• Engineering Design Services for St. John’s Heritage Parkway Widening Project: This item includes $3,236,000 for engineering design services for the widening of St. John’s Heritage Parkway, a crucial project for traffic flow and safety in the area.

• Pipe Replacement for Unit 45: The consent agenda also includes $1,493,250 for pipe replacement in Unit 45, a vital infrastructure project for the city.

• Reimbursement to the Road Maintenance Fund and Brevard County: The council reimbursed the Bayfront Community Redevelopment Agency's unexpended funds for Fiscal Year 2023 to the Road Maintenance Fund ($1,863,783) and Brevard County ($799,983) for a total of $2,663,766. This item represents the fourth largest expenditure on the consent agenda.

• Donation for affordable housing development: The council donated six (6) City-owned surplus lots and allocated HOME Investment Partnership Program funds to Macedonia Community Development Corporation of South Brevard for affordable housing development ($370,000). This item represents the fifth largest expenditure.

The Consent Agenda allows for a more efficient use of meeting time, but residents should be aware of the significant dollar amount of items potentially approved with a single vote.

Community Voices Prevail: The 2-Mill Tax Proposal Defeated 🚨

The council discussed a proposal for a dedicated public safety millage, which had the potential to significantly impact Palm Bay residents. This proposed charter amendment aimed to create a separate millage rate for funding police, fire, and emergency medical services, specifically for capital, operating, and personnel expenses.

A key concern was that the 2-mill increase would equate to a 30% (29.7% rounded up) tax hike, significantly impacting property owners, homeowners, and renters alike.

During the public comment period, resident John McGee emphasized the need for public safety but cautioned against the out-of-control growth that would continually strain those resources:

"We cannot continue however to have this out of control growth because we will constantly be playing catchup with our Public Safety agencies... I would like to see the city develop a public safety comprehensive plan for the next five years... but if we continue to build the way we're building we're never going to catch up."

The council ultimately decided to remove the language for a dedicated public safety millage from the proposed charter amendments. This decision highlights the importance of resident voices in shaping city policies.

Mayor Medina and Councilman Johnson supported removing the language for the 2-mill cap, while Deputy Mayor Felix was in the minority in wanting to move forward with the proposed tax.

Affordable Housing Development 🏠

The council considered donating six city-owned surplus lots and allocating $370,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program funds to Macedonia Community Development Corporation of South Brevard for affordable housing development. The proposed project includes rehabilitating existing structures and building new duplexes on the Northview Street properties, providing much-needed affordable rental housing for elderly and veteran residents.

The council ultimately tabled this item as well, citing the need for additional information and a review of the application process.

Development Projects Move Forward 🚧

• Chaparral P.U.D. Phase Four A-B and Five A-B: This project continues to move forward with a request for preliminary subdivision plan approval. The proposal includes a significant 521-lot residential subdivision south of Malabar Road and west of Searle Avenue. This development has attracted attention due to its scale and potential impact on traffic, infrastructure, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

• Chaparral P.U.D. Phase Four A: This final plat request focuses on a 167-lot residential subdivision within the Chaparral P.U.D., located south of Malabar Road SW. This phase will proceed as planned under the previously approved preliminary plat. Residents in the area should attend the meeting if they have concerns or questions about the specific details of this phase.

• Vacating Easements: The council considered three separate ordinances related to vacating portions of rear public utility and drainage easements within specific lots. These requests, VE-3-2024, VE-5-2024, and VE-6-2024, impact property owners seeking to utilize the vacated easements for development purposes.

The council approved all three ordinances related to vacating easements.

Youth Programs and the Evans Center 🧒

• Evans Center Utilization: The council considered authorizing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input on the use of facilities at the Evans Center to provide services that benefit Palm Bay youth. The RFI is intended to gather ideas and suggestions from various organizations interested in using the center for programs addressing youth needs.

The council approved the request for information related to the Evans Center, signaling a commitment to exploring new opportunities to serve the city's youth.

• Youth Advisory Board Vacancies: The City Council is seeking to fill four 'student member' positions, one 'adult member' position, and two positions representing 'banking industry' or 'not-for-profit provider' interests on the Youth Advisory Board. This board plays a valuable role in advising the City Council on matters affecting Palm Bay's youth.

The council opened the application process for these positions, encouraging residents to submit their interest.

Other Key Items:

• Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Millage Rate Discussion: The council initiated the process for reviewing the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget, which includes the 2024 Certi cation of Taxable Value, proposed Operating Millage Rate, and Debt Millage Rate. Public hearings are scheduled for September 12 and 26, 2024, to discuss the proposed rates and gather community input.

• Council Vacancy: The council discussed the process for filling the vacant Seat 3 position following Randy Foster's resignation. Applications for the position will be available from July 19th, with a deadline of August 7th. The council aims to appoint a new member at the August 13th meeting.

The council continued to move forward with the process of filling the council vacancy, with applications already submitted and a decision expected soon.

• Public Works Update: The City Council received an update on the status of public works projects, including canal maintenance and storm water management, in preparation for hurricane season.

• Odyssey Preparatory Academy Variance Requests: The council approved two variance requests from Odyssey Preparatory Academy to reduce the rear parking setback and allow for a higher building height. These variances were granted after careful consideration of the unique characteristics of the property and the project's design requirements.

• Resolution 2024-25: The council approved a revocable license to allow for the installation and maintenance of a drainage pipe with a clean-out tee within a public drainage right-of-way. This request was approved after a lengthy discussion and consideration of potential impacts on surrounding properties.

• Fire Impact Fees: The council discussed the potential use of fire impact fees for the purchase of fire emergency vehicles. The council decided to consider this item further at a future meeting.

• Change Order for Badcock Street and St. John's Heritage Parkway intersection improvements: The council considered a change order for the Badcock Street and St. John’s Heritage Parkway intersection improvements, including an appropriation of transportation impact fees. The council approved the change order, moving the project forward.

For more detailed information on these proposals, please refer to the meeting agenda at https://palmbayflorida.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=1466.

For more Palm Bay news and information, be sure to visit The Palm Bayer.