Palm Bay’s City Council on Jan. 7 approved a slate of items including a noise ordinance, a land sale tied to future commercial development, an interlocal agreement with Brevard County on Babcock Street reconstruction and grant-funded work on Turkey Creek, while residents raised long-standing drainage and accessibility concerns.

Council voted unanimously to adopt an amendment to the city noise code that clarifies construction work on weekends and to approve a request to vacate a portion of a utility and drainage easement needed for a backyard carport and garage. The council also approved a development agreement and sale tied to the St. John’s Heritage Parkway/Malabar Road land swap that staff said will create an additional commercial parcel; Deputy City Manager Jason De Lorenzo told the council the developer will pay $107,000 in design costs and that the parcel was appraised at $136,000 per acre.

The council moved a pulled consent item concerning a $1.8 million Turkey Creek Sanctuary Water Quality Improvement Project. Councilman Langevin raised concerns that the city had already invested heavily in baffle boxes, questioned the timing amid recent budget debates and noted the city will assume maintenance responsibilities; Councilman Hammer and others said the grant-funded work is a regional investment in the Indian River Lagoon’s health. The motion to accept the grant passed 4-1, with Langevin recorded as the lone dissent.

City Manager Morton summarized several infrastructure matters raised during public comment. Residents from Palm Bay Estates, including Angela Garrison and Terry Stollmiller, urged the city to reclassify Deer Run Creek (they said it is a historic waterway, not merely a drainage ditch), to address chronic runoff and to assist with a collapsed storm pipe that has damaged streets and habitat. Morton said staff have been working with HOA leaders, previously negotiated partnership terms and remain engaged on easement and repair solutions.

Other community concerns included accessibility for seniors, sinkholes in cooperative housing, neighborhood traffic and noise complaints; councilmembers said staff would follow up. Procurement for public-works rental equipment (ITB 26) and an interlocal agreement with Brevard County for Babcock Street reconstruction (city’s estimated share $861,130; county $745,904; the city will deposit $900,000) cleared the council by unanimous votes.

The meeting also featured a proclamation naming January 2026 Human Trafficking Awareness Month and a presentation by Kim Curry of the Space Coast Human Trafficking Task Force about online exploitation and local prevention efforts.

The council adjourned after a series of heated exchanges and extended council reports.

The next procedural step: council will coordinate follow-ups with staff on the Deer Run Creek drainage issues, provide additional records and summaries on procurement and surveillance questions, and implement the approved interlocal deposit per the ILA’s schedule.