Upcoming Palm Bay City Council Meeting: Key Decisions on Public Safety, Development, and Youth Programs 🏙️

A Packed Agenda Featuring a Potential Tax Hike, Development Projects, and Community Initiatives

Palm Bay, FL - The Palm Bay City Council will convene on August 1st, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers, located at 120 Malabar Road SE, for a meeting that touches on a variety of issues, from public safety funding to development projects and youth programs. Here's a breakdown of the key agenda items, following the order of the agenda:

Consent Agenda: A Quick Look

The Council will vote on a Consent Agenda, which includes a series of routine items typically approved without discussion. This agenda includes 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 will consider reimbursing 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.

• Donation for affordable housing development: The council will consider donating six (6) City-owned surplus lots and award HOME Investment Partnership Program funds to Macedonia Community Development Corporation of South Brevard for affordable housing development ($370,000).

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, with no public discussion.

Public Safety and Funding: A Major Tax Increase on the Horizon? 🚨

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

A 30% Tax Increase:

If approved, this proposal would represent a substantial 2-mill increase, adding to the already proposed millage rate for Fiscal Year 2025. This increase would equate to a 30% (29.7% rounded up) tax hike, impacting property owners, homeowners, and renters alike.

Economic Implications:

The economic impact of a 30% tax increase could be far-reaching. Homeowners would see a direct increase in property taxes, which could impact their budgets and potentially influence housing affordability in the area. Renters could experience higher rent costs as landlords pass on increased property taxes. Additionally, businesses and property owners might face increased operating costs, which could ripple throughout the Palm Bay economy.

A Reminder of the Past:

It's worth noting that the FY 2023 tax rate was 7.5995, for FY 2024 it is 7.0171, and for FY 2025, the 3% cap limit is 6.7339. The proposed 2-mill increase would essentially circumvent the 3% tax cap that was put in place by voters in 2016.

This proposal seems to disregard the clear message of "no" delivered by voters in 2022 when they rejected a similar attempt to remove the tax cap. It begs the question: Is the city attempting to undo and circumvent the will of its citizens?

The Need for Public Safety Funding:

The city acknowledges the need for increased funding to address the growing demands on public safety services. Palm Bay's rapid population growth has led to a pressing need for new fire stations, increased police staffing, and updated equipment to maintain adequate response times.

Community Concerns:

However, many residents express significant concerns about the potential impact of a 30% tax increase on their finances and the broader economic landscape of Palm Bay. This proposal has generated considerable debate, with residents raising concerns about the burden of increased taxes, particularly during a period of economic uncertainty.

The Debate Continues:

Despite the previous rejection, the City Council is once again pushing for a dedicated public safety millage. The council contends that the current 3% cap significantly limits their ability to address urgent public safety needs.

Residents are encouraged to reach out to their elected officials to express their views on this proposal:

• Mayor Rob Medina: MayorRobMedina@pbfl.org

• Deputy Mayor Donny Felix: seat2@pbfl.org

• Councilmember Kenny Johnson: seat4@pbfl.org

Affordable Housing Development 🏠

The council will consider 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.

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 will consider 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.

Youth Programs and the Evans Center 🧒

• Evans Center Utilization: The council will consider 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.

Other Key Items:

• Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Millage Rate Discussion: The council will initiate the process for reviewing the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget, which includes the 2024 Certification 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 will discuss 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.

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.