Palm Bay council approves annexation, zoning and multiple easement vacations; moves forward on water projects
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Summary
The council approved several routine land-use and procurement items — including annexation and a comprehensive-plan amendment for a 33-acre Four Star development — and passed multiple easement-vacation ordinances for private pools. The council also authorized water-utility expansions and preconstruction work for a North RO plant.
The Palm Bay City Council unanimously approved a bundle of land-use and ministerial items Tuesday, including four easement-vacation ordinances for private swimming pools, a voluntary annexation of roughly 33 acres and a small-scale comprehensive-plan amendment to allow the property to receive the city’s lowest-density residential land-use designation.
The council also approved the rezoning of the annexed property (first reading) and accepted procurement items to expand the South Regional Water Treatment Plant and to enter a preconstruction agreement with Wharton Smith for the North reverse-osmosis plant.
Most land-use votes were unanimous, and staff said the annexing developer — Four Star — will extend utilities and commit to right-of-way dedications tied to future construction of St. John’s Heritage Parkway.
Votes at a glance:
- Ordinance 2025-39 (vacation of a rear 20-foot public utility/drainage easement, Port Malabar Unit 46, Lot 18): approved unanimously (motion by Councilman Johnson, second Deputy Mayor Jaffe).
- Ordinance 2025-40 (vacation of public utility/drainage easement, Port Malabar Unit 12, Lot 38): approved unanimously (motion by Deputy Mayor Jaffe, second Councilman Hammer).
- Ordinance 2025-45 (vacation of easement, Port Malabar Unit 11, Lot 8): approved unanimously (motion by Deputy Mayor Jaffe, second Councilman Hammer).
- Ordinance 2025-46 (vacation of side 6-foot utility/drainage easement, Port Malabar Unit 50, Lot 14): approved unanimously (motion by Councilman Johnson, second Deputy Mayor Jaffe).
- Ordinance 2025-28 (voluntary annexation of ~33 acres north of Willowbrook Street near St. John’s Heritage Parkway and Mira Loma Boulevard): approved 5–0 (motion by Councilman Johnson, second Deputy Mayor Jaffe). Staff said the developer will extend utilities at its expense and dedicate right-of-way for future parkway improvements; final transportation and impact-fee agreements will return to council at second reading.
- Ordinance 2025-47 (small-scale future land-use map amendment from Brevard County RES 1 (1 unit/2.5 acres) to the city’s Low Density Residential (up to 5 units/acre)): approved 5–0 (single-reading ordinance under 50 acres).
- Ordinance 2025-48 (rezoning from GU/AU to RS3, single-family residential): approved on first reading 5–0; second reading to be scheduled after staff finalizes transportation-impact-fee and right-of-way documents.
- Consent agenda: approved unanimously.
Procurement and capital projects:
- South Regional Water Treatment Plant expansion (increase from 6 million to 8 million gallons per day through a fifth RO well): approved unanimously. Staff said the project is funded by utility connection fees and will not affect current ratepayers.
- Preconstruction agreement with Wharton Smith (construction-manager-at-risk) for the North RO plant: approved 5–0. Wharton Smith representatives outlined the advantages of CMAR delivery, including earlier cost estimates, accelerated schedule and greater risk mitigation compared with traditional design-bid-build.
Other council business included proclamations recognizing a local manufacturer (GEI Works) and Hispanic Heritage Month, and an amendment to the city’s foreclosure registration ordinance that the council approved and asked staff to return with a possible user-fee update.
Speakers at the public hearings were limited mostly to applicants and nearby residents; multiple speakers supported the Four Star annexation while asking for assurances about right-of-way and the final road cross-section. Staff said negotiations were ongoing and that right-of-way dedication and impact-fee credit details will be completed before second readings.
What’s next: rezoning will return for a required second reading after staff and the applicant finalize the transportation impact-fee agreement, appraisals and right-of-way dedications. The water projects will proceed to design and construction steps per the approved procurement actions.