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Brooksville council approves benefits renewal, moves chicken ordinance forward and continues wastewater moratorium
Summary
At its Aug. 12 meeting the council agreed to absorb a 2.9% increase in the city's medical plan (about $40,000), approved first reading of a chickens ordinance (permit required), continued a proposed limited wastewater‑connection moratorium to Sept. 16, and approved an ordinance to prohibit public camping (first reading).
Brooksville — The Brooksville City Council on Aug. 12 handled multiple policy and operational items ranging from employee benefits and animal code changes to public‑safety‑oriented ordinances and event approvals.
Employee benefits: City staff and consultant Athena Eckert presented the annual benefits renewal for the city's partially self‑insured medical plan administered by Cigna. Eckert said trend and claims experience produced a 2.9% renewal increase, which the city estimates at roughly $40,000 for the new plan year beginning Oct. 1. Human Resources Director Kyle Martin told council those costs are budgeted and available in Fund 610 reserves; the council approved staff's recommendation to renew the Cigna plan and absorb the increase in a voice vote.
"The plan generates a 2.9% increase over current, which is roughly a $40,000 increase for the year," Eckert said. Staff also noted a plan surplus in the most recent year and that the proposed increase is funded from reserves.
Chickens (Ordinance 9‑77): Community Development Director Steve Goldman returned to council with a draft amendment to the land‑development code to allow chickens on residentially zoned property. Key provisions approved on first reading (roll call 3–1) include a limit of five hens/pullets (no roosters), coops/runs sized and sited with setbacks (coops under specified square footage to avoid full building‑code requirements), a $120 permit and a 30‑day warning structure for enforcement before fines. The ordinance prohibits on‑parcel slaughter and the sale of eggs. Councilmembers debated permitting and whether the city should inspect coops proactively or only in response to complaints; the adopted language establishes a permitting/inspection process.
Wastewater moratorium (Ordinance 9‑86): Staff asked to continue a proposed ordinance declaring a limited moratorium on new wastewater connections while staff and counsel finalize agreements and review expiration timing on an emergency moratorium. The council voted 3–1 to continue the item to Sept. 16 to allow staff time to meet with affected entities and resolve outstanding legal and operational details.
Public camping (Ordinance 9‑87): The council approved the first reading of an ordinance implementing changes tied to Florida's House Bill 1365 (effective Oct. 1) that prohibit camping or sleeping on public property unless the county designates a site. The measure was framed as a proactive step to avoid private causes of action under the new statute; the first reading passed unanimously.
Other business: Council adopted a resolution calling the Nov. 5, 2024 special election to fill a council seat and approved street‑closure requests for Founders Week/Halloween events on Oct. 26, 2024. Staff reported a newly discovered open 3‑inch sewer pipe in a mobile home park that may have been discharging into the sewer system, estimating infiltration in storm conditions at around 200,000 gallons per day; repairs and investigations were underway.
The items above were taken as part of the regular agenda and public hearings; second readings for ordinances will be scheduled on subsequent agendas where required.
