[{"_1":2,"_109":-5,"_110":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,97],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5979983,"mediaKeyId","5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47","parentId",5774617,"title","Loxahatchee Groves council raises millage, directs review of sheriff contract and plans one-time resident rebate","audioSeconds",7231,"startMs",99000,"endMs",7330000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47&start=99&end=7330","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47/thumbnail_99000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5979983/Florida/Loxahatchee-Groves-council-raises-millage-directs-review-of-sheriff-contract-and-plans-one-time-resident-rebate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979983-f14ffd6086769698d0d556f788e6caea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513390&Signature=gva4tLgdCeuDrihVsxwUOjXSCByy3tRnKkBy8mU6L9ifjKCD4gLVsAHXeDB2b8SLcy0IjuhldLuQ~eCjUENuTjeTORS9ecxuhpVvkMuJ5WRUrf7qSMEu3rKeop-fFx-CHNxzRRqhbH0EcoZwCULmUSC~~T57iKzhqo2xP~OSlcgLtgZMNOgDCPzynnFiHLm8tD0EBzBVS0fLSx8mSIKVjlUeL~5zJwZA4cXv8qMs1N1iswuVIWsgo5i2ofZZZQAbxWIXd6Z2gCaxgX6Xma5TPIE8Wps2HYNxW66jqqOrybKaEgJO~jvz0yZwGWCSHXm-KjTIa~hjnNkca~OqPYZ4hA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Loxahatchee Groves, FL","date","2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council voted 4-1 on Sept. 17 to adopt a 3.2564 millage rate and to approve the town's fiscal 2025-26 budget after lengthy public comment and internal debate over the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office contract and a proposal to return money to residents.

The council's action front-loaded revenue to preserve town services while also directing staff to pursue options on the PBSO contract and to set aside funds to ensure coverage while those options are evaluated. Council voted to move $120,000 from contingency back to the public safety line to cover roughly two months of the PBSO payment while the attorney investigates renegotiation or other remedies.

Why it matters: The vote followed public appeals from residents who urged the council to reduce spending or return excess funds to homeowners. Supporters of the higher millage and revised budget argued the extra revenue preserves municipal services and allows the town to maintain staffing and short-term capital needs. Opponents said the town should not double-pay for county law enforcement and asked that council pursue ending or cutting the PBSO contract.

What the council decided and why
- Millage and budget: The council adopted resolution 2025-71 setting the millage at 3.2564 (4-1). The town then approved the overall fiscal-year budget (resolution 2025-72) with amendments directing $120,000 from contingency be placed in the public safety account to cover PBSO for approximately two months (vote 4-1). The council also directed staff to identify a 5% reduction across town spending and return to council with specific suggestions.
- PBSO contract: The council did not terminate the PBSO contract on Sept. 17. Instead, it instructed the town attorney to explore options to renegotiate or otherwise address the multiyear contract and directed staff to report back while the $120,000 bridge payment is used to keep coverage in place.

Resident concerns and council responses
Residents at the meeting urged fiscal restraint and questioned large personnel and contract costs. An emailed public commenter, Fran Holden, urged the council: “Please do not cut the sheriff. Cut spending as recommended by FACT. Let the manager's contract expire. Wait for the outcome of the investigations.” Other residents pressed the council for clarity about how any rebate would be calculated and how public safety service levels might change if the town reduced PBSO spending.

Council members said they were balancing competing priorities: preserve core public safety and town services while responding to resident calls for lower taxes and tighter spending. Several council members insisted on further study and legal review before making changes to a multiyear contract.

Next steps and implementation
- Staff was directed to: (1) analyze 5% cost-reduction options and return recommended line-item cuts; (2) have the town attorney begin a legal analysis and negotiations regarding the PBSO contract; and (3) if feasible, return to council with a plan for a one-time resident rebate tied to the millage decision. The council set aside the contingency funds to preserve flexibility while staff and counsel do the work.

Context and background
The discussion occurred during the town's second public hearing on the budget. Several residents and council members reiterated that town staffing, contract obligations and recent capital work (notably earlier road projects) have stretched reserves. The council emphasized that any future changes to public safety provision would be informed by legal analysis and consultation with PBSO and would be brought back for a formal council vote.

Ending
Council members said they expect more detailed cost-savings recommendations from staff and a legal memo from the town attorney before any final decision to alter the PBSO contract is made. The council recessed the meeting to reconvene the next evening for remaining agenda items.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","09/17/2025 Town Council Regular Meeting/Final Budget Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council voted 4-1 on Sept. 17 to adopt a 3.2564 millage rate and approve the town's fiscal 2025-26 budget while directing staff and the town attorney to explore options on its $675,000-a-year contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and placing $120,000 from contingency into public safety to cover two months of that bill.","taxTitle","Town of Loxahatchee Groves, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",75779,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5979969,"Council OKs first-reading change to tree-mitigation trust language; staff told to pursue local options on fireworks",5951,3060000,9011000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47&start=3060&end=9011","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47/thumbnail_3060000.jpg","/articles/5979969/Florida/Council-OKs-first-reading-change-to-tree-mitigation-trust-language-staff-told-to-pursue-local-options-on-fireworks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979969-e91a9f06c6c88aae97a4de725f44f78a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513390&Signature=NtBd2dMyzp9x6ahznJ~zBSbO2-0RndOvJzT5eXjw-uwxdT3WgyEhYfQCr48FmaXYiR2VV9X6-4Ftm0Z~lK6Yj8anejMtFf788gkY8~pdN80etmO9hap87cwnrfk-2jLVc1zHj~8JGmRRDBiI80OWugcCEwmrcu7iPWCjvQpPFoFLlCuqvIW9Fq73dC8N0FztVrrEi8S4S80FD-SXtSTX--FCZjHDoD2ou69kuXpJxnX2v377Z5gAMifMpZE7aupPPgr3TACm4nJEqNY4tJqULDsoBXM9lLfk7njT24Y1Ly4C~9jIq6OddCMY25PJFRZ3dxAxJ3Vexv7G47nsi-8Qmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On Sept. 17 the council adopted on first reading ordinance 2025-10 amending the town's native-tree preservation rules to add a tree mitigation trust fund and broaden allowable uses for mitigation funds. The first-reading vote was unanimous; council asked staff to bring final language back to ensure the ordinance aligns with the Unified Land Development Code.

Ordinance details
- Purpose: The new section would create a tree mitigation trust fund to receive mitigation payments when development cannot fully preserve on-site trees. Funds are intended to support public tree plantings, tree replacement on public land and related landscape work.
- Council edits: Members requested two clarifications before final adoption: the language should refer to \"publicly owned land\" rather than only \"town-owned\" property, and the staff will tighten the wording for permitted uses (for example, landscaping on publicly owned parcels and project-specific restoration rather than open-ended development uses).

Fireworks/local bill discussion
Separately, council discussed methods to reduce private consumer fireworks in town after resident complaints and a prior attempt to restrict fireworks that stalled over enforceability concerns. Staff and the town's lobbyists outlined several approaches:
- Local bill: pursue a local (special) bill in the state legislature to allow the town to set restrictions enforceable at the municipal level; staff said pursuing a local bill requires coordination with a state legislator and careful legal drafting. (Town lobbyists said they could assist in coordinating steps if the council directs them.)
- Noise/forestry approach: consider strengthening noise ordinances and leveraging the town's forestry/vegetation rules as a public-safety justification for limits on fireworks in or near tree canopy and other vulnerable areas.
- Off-duty officer coverage: in the past the town used off-duty officers to focus enforcement during high-fireworks periods; council discussed that option as a partial, short-term measure while pursuing structural legal changes.

Council direction
- Tree ordinance: staff to return with final ordinance language tightening permitted fund uses and replacing the phrase \"town-owned\" with \"publicly owned.\" Council agreed on first reading approval and will consider final reading after the clean-up.
- Fireworks: staff and the town's lobbyist team were asked to prepare a plan for a local bill and related options (noise, forestry-based limits, off-duty enforcement) and to return with recommended next steps and draft language.

Ending
Council scheduled follow-up to finalize the tree-mitigation language and asked staff to accelerate research and draft materials for a fireworks approach that could include a local bill, ordinance changes and temporary enforcement measures during holidays.","Council approved first-reading edits to the town's native-tree mitigation code to create a tree mitigation trust fund and broaden eligible uses; council also discussed pursuing a local bill or other regulatory options to limit private fireworks, and asked staff and its lobbyists to explore legal avenues and draft supporting materials.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":92,"_49":83,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5979975,"Council adopts higher building-permit fees to cover inspection costs and speed service",0,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47&start=3060&end=3060","/articles/5979975/Florida/Council-adopts-higher-building-permit-fees-to-cover-inspection-costs-and-speed-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979975-21dd8efdbff7d7c16514e3c8dedd29d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513390&Signature=fHAMRak6aI45ri2zIP7XRdHVWxaLx2t3blnomdiruEytOOfroM1Ctzoy978YEJAzElH5ke5XHqKloOxd5m-rUJCXGepWYOamavRXZAhoLYaaqkud9emz37P4OOJ4fniRVHFaASRnkygHFWJP1DHKGCQxX-bnbG97XLBdLHtPhtD~rXRrR8ixUOgLnRxpM94mtwXdykBCPscaCCW7-5627qMRVnEMfXmO~OCACoY1XHlhRCSmGfNbb12BMm72jhKMwuPbhWfGPN3TKdnQiC7aavqYqo42Sf7-v-6UEWbG2rAHhUB8gDCyphA7pTXVo2VW4tWUaU2pQX9k-8f5SOay-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town Council approved a revised building and permitting fee schedule on Sept. 17 to better align permit fees with the town's cost to process, review and inspect work. The resolution (2025-75) passed unanimously.

Key points
- Staff said current fees (many established under prior contracts in 2021) under-recover the town's actual permit-processing costs. Sample calculations presented at the meeting showed commonly issued permits (porches, impact windows, roof replacements and small remodels) were producing little or no net revenue after plan review, records and inspection costs.
- Inspections: The town relies on contracted inspectors. Staff reported that rising contractor inspection costs and limited inspector days contributed to inspection delays. The town currently schedules inspections three days a week and pays roughly $100 per inspection; several proposals for inspection services were higher.
- Fee structure change: Staff proposed and council approved a value-based fee structure for larger permits (fee as a percentage of project valuation, with graduated rates by size) and newly consistent administrative/filing charges to capture processing costs. The ordinance also implements the state-required private-provider (third-party inspector) discount in the town's fee schedule.

Why it matters: Staff said higher fees will let the town support more frequent onsite inspections (goal: expand inspections beyond three days per week), reduce scheduling delays and improve enforcement/compliance. The council adopted the fees after reviewing peer municipalities and concluding the town had been well below typical regional fees.

Outcome: The fee schedule resolution passed 5-0 (resolution 2025-75). Staff will implement the new schedule, update permit processing workflows to shorten wait times, and return with performance metrics on inspection turnaround times.

Quote from staff: Community standards director said the town is \"not collecting enough money to provide the service\" and presented examples where permits produced net negative revenue under the current fee schedule.

Next steps: Staff will implement the updated fee ordinance, solicit competitive inspection proposals where appropriate, and report back to council with inspection turnaround metrics and a budgetary update on revenue from the new fees.
","Council approved a revised fee schedule to increase permit revenues so the town can support more frequent inspections and reduce existing delays; the ordinance passed 5-0. Staff said current permit fees (last set in 2021) do not cover the real cost of plan review, recordkeeping and contracted inspections.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_47":103,"_49":104,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5979980,"Town hears flood-insurance discount (CRS) pitch and reviews water control plan; council asks staff for cost estimates",1851,3084000,4935000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47&start=3084&end=4935","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5774617-19d1f3a9ff80e0571694e8867e7c2c47/thumbnail_3084000.jpg","/articles/5979980/Florida/Town-hears-flood-insurance-discount-CRS-pitch-and-reviews-water-control-plan-council-asks-staff-for-cost-estimates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5979980-d093a11edefc19afff4174911744ed67/orig.mp4?Expires=1770513390&Signature=NVwO0oXQ~7SHZn95ORU4SuOQvQuRZ~tWHlorEF6MOJyeGGelRSkrATb-zcltlQWcONm7jf~2nryGzqZ749hKARyVstKcZdOPJRktdRI~sCXCtSb15BFudXG-StvEPv1pCwb2XpgpQXQZNYIY8bIoZg~QFUf91S71rxhIhGMIbtDQAf6LWI8XrEevVHQ0sAP85QGtI9b-liYTFYK1wBa7BFFrDS1TGjKjSjsqHomvOfMVXVy3i-n5Hl8qSEWw7YLdCEZFsbKriRl09Dl5PsluePzTDXrDeLMsgeF539rBPTflfzAL7w3tpyGZwXcrOMUhXLb~kTvWL6LgRCafLf9x8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Sept. 17 special budget meeting, town consultants and residents reviewed two drainage-related items: whether Loxahatchee Groves should join FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS) to win discounts on flood insurance, and a five-year update of the town's water control plan outlining canal, weir and drainage policy.

The CRS presentation noted that communities that adopt certain floodplain management practices can earn insurance premium discounts for policyholders in Special Flood Hazard Areas. The village of Royal Palm Beach was offered as a nearby example; consultants said Royal Palm began receiving a 20% reduction after joining and now reports about 25% savings for properties in the special flood hazard area.

Why it matters: Many town properties intersect flood zones; residents raised concerns about rising flood-related costs and the potential for FEMA/NFIP policy changes. CRS participation can reduce insurance premiums but requires time, initial consultant work and annual maintenance. The council asked staff to gather: (1) the number of NFIP policies in town, (2) a ballpark cost estimate to enter and maintain CRS membership (including consultant fees), and (3) whether benefits would justify the expense.

Water control plan and canal/weir issues
- Update: Staff explained the statutory basis for a water control plan and described options: small-scale (insubstantial) amendments adopted by resolution vs. major changes requiring external review by South Florida Water Management District. The plan sets 20-year goals for water quality, flood protection, water supply and related infrastructure.
- Units of development: Staff proposed creating targeted \"units of development\" so that funding and improvements can focus on smaller subareas rather than being spread town-wide, limiting cross-subsidy of projects that benefit few properties.
- Canal/weir priorities: Council and staff emphasized Okeechobee Boulevard-area weirs and failing culverts as high priorities. Staff said some culverts/culvert failures appear to be Palm Beach County responsibilities; staff were pursuing follow-up with county engineers and will prioritize sites for grant applications already underway.

Directives and next steps
- Council asked staff to produce: (1) the number of town residents/properties holding NFIP flood insurance; (2) cost estimates from at least two CRS consultants, including both start-up and ongoing annual costs; and (3) a prioritized list of water-control projects and grant strategy (including county coordination and potential state grants) for the town's next meeting.

Representative comments from the meeting
- Consultant Randy Wapartney said: \"Once you join the community rating system, maintaining it is not as significant\" and that a consultant typically helps get the community to start points that later require about \"four hours a week\" of staff time to maintain.
- Resident concerns included the expense of compensating storage for floodplain requirements, the cost to homeowners of elevating houses out of a flood zone, and requests that the town check the number of NFIP policies in town before committing to CRS enrollment.

Ending
Council agreed to return to the CRS question with a more specific cost-benefit estimate and to continue the water control plan update, starting with prioritized canal and culvert projects and more detailed grant-seeking options.
","Consultants and residents discussed enrolling Loxahatchee Groves in FEMA's Community Rating System, potential flood-insurance savings for residents, and updates to the town's water control plan, including units of development and weir/canal issues. Council asked staff to gather cost and participation data and return with consultants' estimates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Loxahatchee Groves council raises millage, directs review of sheriff contract and plans one-time resident rebate

Council OKs first-reading change to tree-mitigation trust language; staff told to pursue local options on fireworks

Council adopts higher building-permit fees to cover inspection costs and speed service

Town hears flood-insurance discount (CRS) pitch and reviews water control plan; council asks staff for cost estimates