Palm Bay Extends Land Development Code Deadline, Seeks More Citizen Input

Public input sessions scheduled to provide greater understanding of proposed changes

Palm Bay, FL -- The future of development in Palm Bay is in the hands of its residents. The City Council has extended the deadline for finalizing updates to the Land Development Code (LDC), a critical document that will guide how property is developed within city limits, to allow for more citizen feedback and engagement.

At a Special Council Meeting on August 8th, a detailed presentation outlining proposed changes to the LDC was met with a mix of support and concern from both council members and citizens. Recognizing the complexity of the proposed changes and the need for greater public understanding, the Council unanimously voted to table the issue until August 22nd. The meeting agenda and related documents can be found at https://palmbayflorida.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=3636, and a timestamped video of the meeting is available on the The Palm Bayer’s YouTube channel (expand the first comment).

“This is a huge undertaking,” Mayor Medina acknowledged during the meeting. “We want to see more of our stakeholders get involved, guide staff, and give their input. This is about the future of our city, and we want everyone to be a part of that process.”

To facilitate greater public participation, the City has scheduled three public input sessions:

• Open House: Thursday, August 15th, 3 PM to 6 PM at the Ted Whitlock Community Center, Fred Poppe Regional Park, 1951 Malabar Road NW

• Open House: Friday, August 16th, 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM at the Dawn Reid Community Room, Palm Bay City Hall, 120 Malabar Road SE

• Virtual Open House: Monday, August 19th, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM (Registration required at www.pbfl.org/LDCupdates)

The open house format will allow citizens to drop in for one-on-one discussions with members of the team working on the LDC updates. Citizens can also submit questions or feedback by emailing input@pbfl.org by August 19th.

The push to update the LDC stems from the City's recently adopted "Vision 2045" Comprehensive Plan, which outlines long-term goals for land use, transportation, housing, and other critical elements of city development. The LDC, designed to implement the Comprehensive Plan's policies, has not been significantly updated in many years.

During the August 8th meeting, citizens voiced a range of concerns about the proposed LDC changes, including:

• Overdevelopment: Worries about the pace of growth and its impact on infrastructure, traffic, and the environment.

• Cluster Homes: Debate over whether allowing smaller lot sizes in exchange for more open space would actually benefit the community or lead to more congestion.

• Impact Fees: Discussion about how fees levied on new development to fund infrastructure should be allocated, with some advocating for a greater focus on public safety over parks and recreation.

• Water Shortages: Concerns about the city's water supply and its ability to sustain continued population growth.

Councilman Johnson, known for his emphasis on attracting high-tech businesses to Palm Bay, emphasized the importance of engaging major stakeholders like Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Amazon to create a “Silicon Valley” type environment in the city.

“We need to have these conversations to see what these companies and their employees are looking for,” he stressed. “Do they want entertainment, restaurants, townhomes, mixed-use development? We have to find ways to make everyone happy.”

Councilman Weinberg, while acknowledging the importance of updating the LDC, expressed reservations about pushing forward with such significant changes before the November election, which will bring at least two new council members to the dais.

“I just think it would make sense, and be best in the long run, to let the new Council, after the November election, decide the Land Development Code changes,” he stated.

Deputy City Attorney Hernandez underscored the legal complexities involved, noting that approving new developments under the current, outdated LDC could potentially violate the newly adopted Comprehensive Plan and expose the city to legal challenges. He also highlighted the added burden of having to produce a detailed economic impact statement if the adoption of the LDC is pushed past October 1st due to a new state law.

With these concerns in mind, the Council ultimately opted to delay the vote and provide ample time for further public engagement. The first reading of the updated LDC will now take place at the August 22nd Special Council Meeting, followed by a second and final public hearing on September 19th.

The City encourages all residents to attend the upcoming public input sessions, review the proposed changes online at www.pbfl.org/LDCupdates, and make their voices heard. The future of Palm Bay's development depends on it.