Palm Bay City Council Meeting: Streetlights, Impact Fees, and Affordable Housing 💡 💰 🏘️

A Critical Look at Cost Savings, Growth Impacts, and Community Needs

Palm Bay, FL — The Palm Bay City Council is set to convene for a regular meeting on August 13, 2024, with an agenda focusing on streetlight improvements, the proposed increase in impact fees, and ongoing discussions about affordable housing development.

Millions in Spending Approved Without Discussion

The Consent Agenda, a block of routine items often approved with a single vote and no debate, includes expenditures totaling over $1,811,186. Residents should note that this significant spending decision is typically made with minimal public input.

Here are some of the key consent agenda items:

• Road Bond Paving: A change order for road bond paving on Country Club 1-10 and Cimarron Circle will add $423,377 to an existing contract with Timothy Rose Contracting, Inc.

• Fire Rescue Equipment: The council will consider a “cooperative purchase” agreement for a 2024 Sutphen Heavy Duty Monarch Pumper HS 8090 for the Fire Rescue Department at a cost of $1,362,000.

• Property Acquisition for Minton Road Widening: The council will vote on the acquisition of property for the future widening of Minton Road between Malabar Road and Jupiter Boulevard, costing $64,659.

• CPEP Grants: Two Commercial Property Enhancement Program (CPEP) grants, totaling $20,000, are proposed for improvements to commercial properties on Palm Bay Road NE.

Shining a Light on Street Lights: Exploring Ownership and Cost Savings

Jason Tanko, CEO of Tanko Lighting, will present a streetlighting feasibility study to the council, exploring options for the city to take ownership of its streetlights from Florida Power & Light (FPL).

The study highlights the potential for significant cost savings and improved maintenance if the city were to take ownership and convert existing high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights to energy-efficient LEDs.

Key takeaways from the study:

• Palm Bay could save an estimated $626,051 annually, totaling over $12.5 million over 20 years, by switching to city ownership and LED conversion.

• The study recommends an audit and data reconciliation to determine the fair market value of the streetlight system for a potential purchase.

• Tanko Lighting also proposes an exploratory negotiation meeting with FPL to discuss ownership transfer.

Impact Fees on the Rise: Balancing Growth and Infrastructure Needs

The council will hold a discussion about the proposed increases in police, fire, and transportation impact fees. Impact fees, charged on new development projects, are intended to help fund infrastructure needed to accommodate growth.

This discussion follows presentations from Stantec and Benesch, consultants hired by the city to conduct impact fee studies. The proposed increases reflect:

• Rising construction costs: Construction costs have risen dramatically in recent years, impacting the cost of new infrastructure.

• Continued population growth: Palm Bay is experiencing significant population growth, which puts additional pressure on existing infrastructure and necessitates new investments in roads, public safety facilities, and other services.

The council will need to balance the need for increased impact fees to keep pace with growth against the potential impact these fees will have on housing affordability and economic development.

Affordable Housing: A Continued Conversation

The council will revisit the tabled discussion from the August 1st meeting regarding the donation of six city-owned surplus lots and $370,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program funds to Macedonia Community Development Corporation of South Brevard for affordable housing development.

This project aims to create affordable rental housing for elderly and veteran residents. Councilman Johnson raised concerns at the previous meeting about the proposed 15-year affordability restriction on the properties, prompting further discussion and potential modifications to the agreement.

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.