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After county dissolves zone, Titusville council seeks new economic development structure and asks county to release funds
Summary
Following Brevard County’s dissolution of the North Brevard Economic Development Zone, Titusville staff presented three replacement options (expand a city EDO, create a public EDO, or form a private EDO/CDC). Council directed staff to pursue additional analysis, consider a public–private model, schedule a workshop, and authorized a mayoral letter
Brevard County dissolved the North Brevard Economic Development Zone earlier in 2025; at the Aug. 12 council meeting city staff outlined three options for replacing the functions of the zone so Titusville can continue recruiting, retaining and supporting businesses.
Options presented
Staff summarized three paths:
- Maintain and grow the city’s in‑house economic development office (staff funded by general funds) to manage grants/loans, administer targeted incentives and handle infrastructure projects. - Create a public economic development organization (EDO) — a governmental or quasi‑governmental entity with a governing board, potentially funded with a city/county seed and able to use TIF for public projects. - Form or partner with a private EDO/Community Development Corporation (CDC) — privately funded (dues, private investors) and able to access programs such as New Markets Tax Credits and own and upgrade property for redevelopment.
Staff noted that funds previously held in the dissolved zone included city TIF dollars; roughly $3.2 million in city TIF was available after obligations, but the county was holding approximately $1.6 million in funds the city expects to receive for a TIF‑backed project, which the mayor characterized as “being held in an interest‑bearing account” by the county.
Council direction and next steps
Council discussed governance, funding and private‑sector buy‑in. Several council members favored a public–private hybrid model that would limit taxpayer exposure while securing private funding and board participation for long‑term economic development. Member Stoeckle said she wanted to see historic SEDC materials and a presentation from the county EDC on what services they provide to North Brevard before deciding on a structure.
Council authorized the mayor to send a letter to the Brevard County Commission requesting release of county‑held funds and interest and to ask for a prompt accounting. Council also directed staff to prepare materials and schedule a workshop (special presentations meeting) to review options, governance structures and funding approaches; staff said they will include the SEDC history and examples from other jurisdictions and will invite private partners and former zone members to participate.
Ending
No final organizational choice was made at the meeting. Council instructed staff to return with a workshop, comparative models (public EDO, private CDC, hybrid), funding scenarios and a recommendation; the mayor will send the county letter seeking release/accounting of TIF funds held after the zone dissolution.
