City of Deltona Regular Commission Meeting - September 9, 2026

The Deltona City Commission held a regular meeting on September 9, 2026, from 6:00 PM (Public Forum) to 7:50 PM. The agenda included consent items, a public hearing on affordable housing code updates under the Live Local Act, adoption of the tentative millage and budget for FY 2026-2027, and an appointment to the Planning and Zoning Board. Commissioners voted on several items with split outcomes.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of August 24, 2026 regular meeting and August 31, 2026 special meeting.
• Approved proclamations: National Service Dog Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Festival of Nations, Good Neighbor Day, Manufacturing Day, and a newly added NAACP Proclamation.
• Approved Resolution 2026-81 awarding Bid #26026 for fertilizers and chemicals to Howard Fertilizer & Chemicals Company, Inc., SiteOne Landscape Supply, LLC, and Rentokil North America, Inc. DBA: Target Specialty Products.
• Approved Resolution 2026-78 reaffirming annual assessment rates for Lake McGarity ($0), Solid Waste ($287.76 per parcel), Stormwater ($210.00 per equivalent residential unit, with scheduled future increases), Streetlighting, and Nuisance Abatement for FY 2026-2027.
• Approved Resolution 2026-83 adopting the Amended Master Fee Schedule for FY 2026, incorporating Parks and Community Events fee changes.
• The consent agenda passed on a 5–2 vote (Commissioner Howington and Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez dissenting).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Resident Pat Blocker urged the city to cut “wants” (festivals, events) from the budget to preserve funding for essential services, particularly if Amendment 3 passes.
• Resident Temple cited Florida Statute 166.04971 and questioned the necessity of items such as multiple sheriff’s deputies, helicopter service, and heavy vehicles, calling for a re-prioritization of spending.
• Resident Kathy Bryan cautioned that Amendment 3 would shift the tax burden, not eliminate it, and that special assessments would disproportionately affect newer residents; she also expressed concern that the Parks budget exceeds Public Works.

Discussion Items

Ordinance 16-2026 – Live Local Act Update (First Reading)

• Community Development Services Director Jordan presented a proposal to update Chapter 76 of the Land Development Code to conform with House Bill 1389, effective July 1, 2026. Key changes: expanded eligibility to certain Planned Unit Developments, government-owned property, and religious institutions; removal of a 35% non-residential requirement (state now limits such requirements to 10%); and continued administrative review without discretionary commission approval.
• A resident (former Planning and Zoning Board member) voiced concern that the new height provision (highest building within one mile or three stories) could allow nine‑story structures citywide, referencing Halifax Hospital as a potential benchmark.
• Commissioner Colwell asked about incorporating green building certification; staff and the City Attorney noted that such a requirement might be considered a prohibited workaround under the revised statute but agreed to explore options for second reading.
• Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez questioned whether the commission retains any approval authority; she was told individual projects meeting state criteria are approved administratively.
• The Planning and Zoning Board had recommended approval 5–2 on August 19, 2026.

Tentative Millage (Resolution 2026-79) and Tentative Budget (Resolution 2026-80)

• Finance Director McKinney and Deputy City Manager presented a combined overview. The tentative millage rate is 6.4948 mills per $1,000 of taxable value, a 0.00% increase from the rolled-back rate, yielding approximately $36.5 million in ad valorem proceeds. The total tentative citywide budget is $177,524,364, with a General Fund of $78,682,518.
• Staff delivered a detailed presentation on proposed Amendment 3 (property tax limitation), which could reduce city property tax revenue by up to 43%, requiring a shift of $12 million in the first year and $17 million in the second year. The city’s fund balance might cover such losses for about five years if policies were changed, but ongoing service levels would be affected. Special assessments and contract reductions were discussed as potential mitigations.
• Commissioner Howington opposed the millage rate, arguing for a lower rate and greater conservatism given the potential revenue loss; she also noted that the consent agenda had already increased stormwater fees by $20/year while the budget included nearly $700,000 for promotional events.
• Commissioner Colwell expressed concern about “fluff” in the budget and stated he could not support it as presented.
• The tentative millage resolution passed 5–2 (Commissioners Colwell and Howington dissenting).
• The tentative budget resolution passed 4–3 (Commissioners Colwell, Howington, and Vice Mayor Avila-Vazquez dissenting).

Appointment to Planning and Zoning Board (Item 9-D)

• Commissioner Howington moved to appoint Timothy Blodgett as the District 4 representative to the Planning and Zoning Board, noting the seat had been vacant for 128 days. The motion carried 6–1 (Commissioner Nabicht dissenting).

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved (5–2).
• Ordinance 16-2026 Approved on First Reading (5–2); second reading scheduled for October 5, 2026.
• Resolution 2026-79 (Tentative Millage) Adopted (5–2).
• Resolution 2026-80 (Tentative Budget) Adopted (4–3).
• Item 9-C (FDEP Grant for Aquifer Injection Well) Pulled by staff for further coordination with consultant and partner agencies.
• Timothy Blodgett Appointed to Planning and Zoning Board (6–1).
• Future Agenda Items Added: AI expedited permitting presentation (Commissioner Colwell), ADA program update presentation (Commissioner Howington), and presentation from D-Ranch and Conservation Florida on their ECHO grant plans (Commissioner Heriot).