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Charter review committee finalizes draft ballot questions and confirms schedule for council consideration
Summary
The committee reviewed 12–13 draft charter questions — including a preamble, council expansion threshold, redistricting, appointed clerk, landscaping and land-use items, voter approval for park and city hall sales, and initiative thresholds — and agreed to forward a cleaned packet to City Council for June discussion.
The City of Edgewater Charter Review Committee spent its April 14 meeting reading and refining a package of proposed charter amendments that staff will deliver to the City Council for consideration and potential placement on the November ballot.
City Attorney Rollins and staff walked members through draft language and brief ballot summaries for the proposed measures. Among the items discussed were a new charter preamble that affirms home-rule authority and recognition of stormwater rights; a proposal to expand the City Council from four to six members once the official population exceeds 37,000; a five-year redistricting requirement in addition to the decennial census; and a proposed change to make the city clerk an appointed position.
The committee also reviewed several land-use and development-related measures: a requirement that at least 80% of new-construction landscaping use native or Florida-friendly plants; a proposed standard requiring stem wall foundations for new construction to address flooding; and a requirement for water-conserving fixtures in new construction. Staff noted that some land-use language could overlap with state law and that interpretations may vary.
Two property-related measures were read: language that would require voter approval before sale or transfer of city-owned park property, and a separate question restricting the sale of City Hall unless approved by the voters. Committee members asked that the city hall sale be presented as a separate, single-subject question; staff agreed and said they would group the park and city-hall sale questions near each other in the packet.
Staff also explained a proposed community engagement and public information program that, if approved by voters, would require the council to adopt an ordinance establishing the program and would allow the city to expend public funds for community-engagement activities it declares to serve a valid municipal purpose.
Rollins reiterated process and timing: the committee’s recommendations go to the City Council, which will discuss and decide what to forward as ordinances; ordinances would then proceed to first and second readings and must be submitted to the supervisor of elections by Aug. 18 for placement on the November ballot. The committee scheduled a final review meeting for April 28 so staff can supply a clean, renumbered packet for members to inspect before forwarding materials to council.
