Largo commission approves consent docket, sewer agreement, grease-ordinance, bike-lane project, budget reorganization and public-comment rules

The Largo City Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 4 to approve a package of routine and substantive items including grant and procurement actions, a sewer connection agreement amendment with Gulf Coast Church for the Largo Golf Course, the second-reading adoption of a revised sanitary sewer/grease ordinance, a locally funded agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for protected bike lanes on East Bay Drive, a first-reading budget amendment to reorganize Community Development, and an update to the city’s public-comment policy.

Why it matters: The actions move several implementation items forward — from grant-funded environmental work and facility contracts to a street-safety project that adds protected bike lanes — and update city code and administrative procedures that affect businesses and public engagement.

Votes at a glance: - Consent docket: Approved (motion passed 5–0). Consent items included Resolution No. 2418 (grant agreement with Tampa Bay Estuary Program, $454,900), a HOME subaward with Pinellas County ($247,426.58), acceptance of a temporary construction easement (12760 Indian Rocks Road), award of ITB 24-VD-824 for custodial supplies (annual amount $65,000; estimated total $195,000 over three years), and award of ITB 25-BD-823 for sports field fencing and netting to Cardinal Fence LLC (estimated $238,430 plus renewal options). - Item 12 — First Amendment, sewer connection agreement with Gulf Coast Church (Largo Golf Course): Approved (motion passed 5–0). - Ordinance No. 2025-14 (sanitary sewer/industrial pretreatment and new grease/solids management program): Adopted on second and final reading (motion passed 5–0). - Locally funded agreement with FDOT to construct buffered/protected bike lanes on East Bay Drive (Highland Avenue to west of Belcher): Approved (motion passed 5–0). - Ordinance No. 2025-16 (fiscal-year 2025 budget amendment to reclassify economic development positions — first reading): Approved on first reading; second reading scheduled for March 4, 2025 (motion passed 5–0). - Resolution No. 2429 (amendment to Legislative Policy 5-1 to update public-comment rules to conform with recent Eleventh Circuit guidance): Adopted (motion passed 5–0).

Details and context: The consent docket consolidated several procurement and grant items. Resolution 2418 approves a grant agreement with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program for work tied to the wastewater reclamation facility non-surface-effluent disposal project ($454,900). The HOME program subaward is for $247,426.58 with Pinellas County. The ITB awards cover three-year custodial supply purchasing and a sports-field fencing and netting replacement contract with continuing-service and renewal options. These consent items were approved as presented.

On item 12 the commission discussed prior agreement terms, sewer hookup arrangements, and the practical limits of alternatives. Staff explained that gravity flow was not feasible at the golf-course bathroom site and that constructing a pump/lift station could cost roughly $100,000; commissioners pressed about past payments and whether the church incurred costs beyond electricity for its lift station. A motion to approve the first amendment to the sewer connection agreement with Gulf Coast Church for the Largo Golf Course passed 5–0.

Ordinance No. 2025-14 updates Chapter 23 to create a dedicated grease and solids management program, clarifies definitions, modernizes inspection and enforcement procedures, and establishes updated fees for industrial pretreatment and FOG (fats, oils and grease) producers. Staff noted the ordinance was approved on first reading Jan. 7 and that impacted businesses were notified by certified mail and email on Jan. 14; staff reported no responses at second reading.

The FDOT agreement funds protected bike lanes on East Bay Drive by narrowing the median and adding concrete separators between travel lanes and bicycle lanes. Staff said the project aims to provide a buffer for cyclists, reduce sidewalk conflicts with e-bikes and improve connections to transit; the commission approved a locally funded agreement to participate in the project.

Ordinance No. 2025-16 is a first-reading budget amendment that reorganizes the Community Development Department to add leadership capacity for economic development and customer service without increasing net full-time employees; staff estimated a $43,700 net cost in FY2025 and larger recurring costs in future years to be addressed in subsequent budgets. The second reading is scheduled for March 4.

Resolution No. 2429 revises the city’s public-comment procedural policy to align with Eleventh Circuit guidance by removing vague language and adding definitions for terms such as obscenity, profanity and disruptive conduct; the change also extends prohibitions on targeted personal attacks to family members of officials.

What’s next: Several items will move to implementation (procurements to contract, grant-funded work to proceed, and FDOT scheduling for construction). The City will carry the ordinance and resolution changes into the codified rules and publish the effective dates as required.