At a special meeting after the millage discussion, the Palm Bay City Council approved a set of ordinances adjusting impact fees, utility fees and reclaimed water charges and took the first reading of the final budget ordinance.

Ordinances and votes: Council passed Ordinance 2025-34 (amending Title 10 impact fees, water and wastewater capital charges) on a 5-0 voice vote after brief comments from Deputy Mayor Jaffe about economic conditions and homebuilding. The council also approved Ordinance 2025-35 (amending Title 20 utilities fees and charges), Ordinance 2025-36 (adjusting sewer permit fees and related charges), and Ordinance 2025-37 (adjusting reclaimed-water rates, fees and charges) each by unanimous vote with minimal discussion.

Public comment on reclaimed water: one resident, Bill Batten of 586 Ocean Spray Street SW, asked how much reclaimed water the city reuses versus how much is injected in deep wells and whether fees charged reflected local reuse. Utilities staff answered that the city currently reuses about 1,000,000 gallons per day and injects roughly 3to4,000,000 gallons per day to deep injection wells; staff noted future regulatory limits on total nitrogen will require investment in treatment.

Budget ordinance first reading: Council also conducted the first reading of Ordinance 2025-38 (the final budget ordinance for fiscal year 2025-26). Assistant Finance Director Angelica Collins told the council the ordinance reading is a first step and that the tax rate (millage) will be adopted by resolution at the next hearing before final ordinance adoption. The first-reading motion passed 5-0.

What passed with little debate: council members declined staff presentations on several items, indicating they were comfortable approving technical adjustments but reserved the right to request detailed presentations (Stantec was noted as available at the next meeting for impact-fee technical questions). Council directed staff to return with the formal rate resolution and the finalized budget documents for the next required hearing.