DeLand City Commission approves legislative platform, tax-abatement guidelines and committee appointments

The DeLand City Commission on Jan. 6, 2025 adopted its city legislative program and the Florida League of Cities platform for 2025, approved updated ad valorem tax-abatement guidelines, confirmed appointments to a Brownfield Advisory Committee and passed several procedural motions including continuances of three ordinances and a change of the January meeting date.

Why it matters: the legislative platform and city program set the administration’s priorities for the upcoming state session; the tax-abatement guidelines govern eligibility for property-tax incentives that local businesses can seek; the Brownfield appointments set up the citizen advisory process for remediation and future development of the Beresford Reserve site.

Most significant votes and formal actions

- Adoption of the Florida League of Cities legislative platform and the City of DeLand legislative program for 2025. Motion by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid. Outcome: approved (voice vote). The packet includes the city’s priority of an appropriation request for a bridge project and related materials to use in meetings with legislators.

- Adoption of ad valorem tax-abatement guidelines. Staff presented updated guidelines tied to annually published state wage-rate tables rather than fixed wages embedded in the city resolution. Motion to approve by Commissioner Paiva; second by Commissioner Reid. Outcome: approved (voice vote). Staff said updated wage-rate tables are expected within weeks and will be applied automatically under the new guideline language.

- Ap…