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.

- Appointment of five members to the Brownfield Advisory Committee for the Beresford Reserve brownfield matter and adoption of the committee resolution. Motion by Commissioner Paiva; second by Vice Mayor Davis. Outcome: approved (voice vote). The commission adopted a resolution creating the citizen advisory committee that will receive submissions related to remediation and inform outreach to neighboring residents.

- Change to the January regular meeting date. The commission moved the regular meeting from Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 (federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day) to Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Motion by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Consent agenda approval (items 2–7) and a separate appointment to a city ad hoc airport consultant selection committee. Motion to approve the consent agenda by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid. Motion to appoint Commissioner Paiva to the airport consultant selection committee (to review qualifications and recommend a consultant under FAA/FDOT guidance) was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. Outcome: consent agenda and appointment approved.

- Continuances: the commission voted to continue to the second meeting in January the second readings of ordinance 2024-41 (annexation of ~0.99 acre south side of Casadaga Road), ordinance 2024-42 (land-use change for ~0.099 acre on the south side of Casadaga Road) and ordinance 2024-43 (amendment to DeLandTech Park PD covering 143.8 acres). Motions to continue were offered and approved by voice vote.

Meeting procedure and vote format

Most motions were decided by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies were not read into the record for the votes summarized above. Where a named mover and seconder were recorded, those names appear in the meeting minutes; the formal outcomes recorded on the dais were “motion carries” or “motion carries, ayes.”

Background and next steps

- Legislative platform: staff will distribute printed copies (the packet described as a newsletter-style handout) for commissioners to use at meetings with state legislators; the local delegation meeting was scheduled for Jan. 7 in the chambers.

- Tax-abatement guidelines: staff expects state-issued wage-rate tables within the next two weeks and will update the program automatically to reflect the new published wages.

- Brownfield Advisory Committee: staff said the committee will be advisory, of limited duration (ending after formal remediation confirmation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection), will meet at City Hall (evenings preferred by applicants), and will be supported by city staff and an outside geology consultant who will attend meetings to explain technical materials.

Votes at a glance (actions listed in the meeting record)

1) Consent agenda (items 2–7): motion by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid; outcome: approved.

2) Appointment — Airport consultant selection committee: motion to appoint Commissioner Paiva; seconded by Commissioner Reid; outcome: approved.

3) Brownfield Advisory Committee — appointment of Joseph DeGatano, Catherine (Clark) Samuels, Dr. Denise DeGarmo, Brian Diaz (absent), Lance Harding: motion by Commissioner Paiva; second by Vice Mayor Davis; outcome: approved by resolution.

4) Continuance — Ordinance 2024-41 (annexation, ~0.99 acre, south side of Casadaga Road): motion to continue to the second meeting in January; outcome: approved.

5) Continuance — Ordinance 2024-42 (land-use change, ~0.099 acre, south side of Casadaga Road): motion to continue to the second meeting in January; outcome: approved.

6) Continuance — Ordinance 2024-43 (amend DelandTech Park PD, 143.8 acres): motion to continue to the second meeting in January; outcome: approved.

7) Change meeting date — move Jan. 20, 2025 regular meeting to Jan. 22, 2025: motion by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid; outcome: approved.

8) Legislative platform — adopt Florida League of Cities platform and City of DeLand legislative program for 2025: motion by Vice Mayor Davis; second by Commissioner Reid; outcome: approved.

9) Tax-abatement guidelines — adopt updated ad valorem tax-abatement guidelines that reference annually published state wage rates: motion by Commissioner Paiva; second by Commissioner Reid; outcome: approved.

Ending note: The meeting record shows most actions were routine and carried by voice vote. For items that will produce future public materials or plans (legislative handouts, Brownfield remedial-action submissions, tax-abatement program updates), staff indicated follow-up materials will be distributed to commissioners and posted per usual public-notice practices.