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Council rejects $223,322 task order for Leon Avenue trail design after neighborhood opposition
Summary
Council denied a task order to Kimley Horn & Associates to design a 1.1-mile Leon Avenue bike trail; residents and council members cited safety, cost and community input concerns and asked staff to involve neighbors before proceeding.
Titusville City Council voted unanimously to deny a $223,322 task order (KHT009) to Kimley Horn & Associates to design a 1.1-mile bike trail on Leon Avenue.
The task order would have funded engineering consulting services including data collection, trail plans, drainage design and permitting. Multiple residents who live in the Leon Avenue area opposed the award at the council meeting, saying the work duplicated prior studies, did not reflect neighborhood desires and would cost too much. Tony Shafalow and other residents said sidewalks already exist for much of the corridor and urged the city to prioritize lighting, shade trees and bus-stop shelters rather than a standalone trail. Stan Johnston, a civil engineer, told the council the county had previously paved roads without extensive engineering and said the city could use in-house staff for smaller projects.
Councilmember Ana Muscosa and Member Nelson expressed concern about the project's cost and community buy-in; Member Muscosa recommended tabling or denying the task order and asking neighborhood services to hold a community meeting before spending design dollars. Member Nelson moved to deny the task order; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Ending: Council denied the Kimley Horn task order for Leon Avenue design and directed staff to consult with neighborhood services and the community before returning with alternatives or a revised scope.
