Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – May 7, 2026
Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – May 7, 2026
The Dunedin City Commission met in regular session on May 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 737 Louden Avenue. The meeting included four presentations, approval of the consent agenda, two action items, and informational updates from the Commission and City staff. All votes were unanimous, and the meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
Presentations
- Commissioner Gow read a proclamation designating May 4–8, 2026, as Teacher Appreciation Week and presented it to the Dunedin Chamber Education Foundation. Jeanette Donaghue, Chamber President, thanked teachers and said the Chamber would deliver gifts to schools the week of May 18.
- Library Director Phyllis Gorshe presented the 15th Annual Mayor's Top Apple School Awards. "A" School awards went to Academie Da Vinci Charter School, Curtis Fundamental Elementary, Dunedin Highland Middle School, Garrison-Jones Elementary, and San Jose Elementary. Individual awards: Excellence in Technology – Natalie Paul (Academie Da Vinci); Health and Wellness – Haley Kukoleck (San Jose); Achievement in the Arts – Orlando Pena (Academie Da Vinci); Visionary Leadership – Commander Jones & Chief Johnson (Dunedin High School NJROTC); Golden Apple Teacher of the Year – Mariangelie Vazquez Llanis (Garrison-Jones). Gorshe noted Vazquez Llanis's students achieved 97.2% proficiency in science, and the NJROTC placed 14th out of 636 at Navy Nationals.
- Commissioner Dugard read the 57th Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week proclamation (May 3–9, 2026) and presented it to City Clerk Michelle Wells and Deputy City Clerk Heather Drake.
- Vice Mayor Walker read the Older Americans Month 2026 proclamation. Nichole Allen (Hale Senior Activity Center), Ann Marie Winter (Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas), and Cindy Cole (Committee on Aging) accepted and discussed the "Champion Your Health" theme and the Senior Hall of Fame.
Consent Calendar
- A motion by Commissioner Dugard, seconded by Vice Mayor Walker, approved the consent agenda except item 2.b. That motion carried unanimously and approved the 3/5/2026 and 3/19/2026 minutes and the $35,000 settlement agreement in Maurice Welch v. City of Dunedin.
- Item 2.b was pulled for a question about the Raftelis Financial Consultants purchase order. Vice Mayor Walker clarified that the $3,165.95 was an increase to the PO ceiling. A separate motion by Vice Mayor Walker, seconded by Commissioner Sandbergen, approved the increase unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No citizen input was offered on non-agenda items.
- During the DR-2026-0001 public hearing, Jeremy Reynolds of 973 Cedarwood Avenue opposed approval, arguing the project was not identical to the previously approved version because the Causeway Boulevard access had been denied; he also raised concerns about a fire department gate/Knox Box in a gated Coastal High Hazard Area project, compatibility with the residential cul-de-sac under Comprehensive Plan Policy 2.9.1, whether parking requirements reflected a wine bar or cafe, and the dumpster location's impact on the gateway corridor. He urged the Commission to send the application back for further work.
- Cheryl Stimac of 2651 Michael Place expressed concern for existing residents' quality of life, citing lost privacy and light from the nearby Hampton Inn. She asked the Commission to consider residential impact and traffic on Gary Circle before approving.
Discussion Items
- Historic Preservation Advisory Committee Continuance: Planner Frances Leong Sharp introduced HPAC Vice Chair Elly McCook, who reported completing 3 surveys for possible designations through state grants, designating 26 landmark properties, processing 11 Certificates of Appropriateness, and continuing work on a revised Historic Preservation Ordinance. The ordinance is scheduled for HPAC final review May 14, 2026, LPA on June 10, 2026, and City Commission hearings July 9 and August 6, 2026. A motion by Vice Mayor Walker, seconded by Commissioner Dugard, continued the committee for another three years unanimously.
- Design Review Application DR-2026-0001: Community Development Director George Kinney presented the mixed-use project at 265 Causeway Blvd and multiple Outlook Way parcels. The 1.05-acre vacant site is proposed for 12 townhomes, a retail winery, and a 7-room J Annex hotel, with surface parking, pool, cabana, and dumpsters. The property has been vacant since the 2005 demolition of a restaurant; a 2015 Arcadia condo project never built; the current design was approved in July 2024 but expired on July 11, 2025 because vertical building permits and infrastructure approval were not obtained within 12 months. Staff found all standards met, including 66 parking spaces provided versus 30 required (36 surplus) and 29 new peak-hour trips, considered de minimis. The DRC re-reviewed the project February 25, 2026; ARC approved the design March 3, 2026; LPA unanimously recommended approval April 8, 2026. Applicant Tim Gilpin of SDG Architecture answered questions, saying the annex would serve hotel owners/management, the winery would operate as a wine-tasting shop, and the colors would match renderings. Commissioner Dugard moved approval on first reading, seconded by Commissioner Sandbergen; the motion carried unanimously. The Commission also unanimously waived the second hearing set for June 4, 2026. Gilpin expected vertical building permits within one to two weeks.
- Proposed May 21, 2026 Agenda: City Clerk Wells moved consent item 2.c to the June 4 meeting. Mayor Freaney added a VFW Memorial Day proclamation requested by Rob Cozen as the first agenda item. The revised agenda was approved unanimously.
Informational Items
- Commissioner updates included congratulations to Dunedin High School's "Bye Bye Birdie," praise for the Senior Hall of Fame event, a PSTA legislative committee report on a possible $50,000 homestead exemption increase, Blue Jays spring training attendance being down while revenue was up, and Hog Hustle participation approaching 700 runners. Mayor Freaney discussed Forward Pinellas MPO merger discussions, SR 580 corridor changes, the July 9 Florida Council of Mayors, and legislative advocacy on property taxes.
- City Manager Jennifer Bramley reported completion of line-by-line budget reviews with Finance, a planned presentation to the Board of Finance at the end of May, and the first budget workshop on July 21, 2026. She noted the city has received approximately $7 million total in grants since hiring a grant writer, and staff are preparing a 20-minute property tax presentation for community groups.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the 3/5/2026 and 3/19/2026 meeting minutes and the $35,000 Maurice Welch settlement (unanimous).
- Approved the $3,165.95 increase to the Raftelis purchase order (unanimous).
- Continued the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee for three more years (unanimous).
- Approved DR-2026-0001 design review on first reading (5-0) with standard conditions, including 12-month expiration unless permits are obtained, and waived the June 4 second hearing (5-0).
- Approved the revised May 21, 2026 Commission agenda (unanimous).
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, and welcome to the May 7, 2026 City Commission meeting. Want to call the meeting to order. And uh we'll start with our invocation and pledge of allegiance by Jen, our city attorney. Let us begin this meeting by taking a brief moment of silence and reflection. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation. Liberty and justice across. Okay, we are going to start with Teachers Appreciation Week Proclamation 2026. And I believe Jeanette comes forward for that, and I will turn it over to Commissioner Gao. All right. Well, come on down, Jeanette. You know, it's uh teacher appreciation week, and it and it certainly should be every day, should be teacher appreciation day. Uh these are people who dedicate their lives and incredibly passionate to helping the young ones among us. Uh and so this is certainly worthy of a proclamation uh at minimum, if not a whole lot more. Uh Teacher Appreciation Week 2026. Whereas Teacher Appreciation Week is observed nationally during the first full week of May. And teaching is a profession that requires the ability and desire to impact knowledge, creativity, patience, and persistence, and to adapt all learning environments for all students. And whereas teachers dedicate themselves to their students' academic success as well as their social and emotional well-being. And whereas, because of the changing needs of young people in our schools, teachers must constantly, teachers must be constantly learning and evolving their methods of instruction. And whereas, besides parents and family members, teachers are the single most influential individuals in the lives of our students and their future. And whereas teachers inspire the next generation and make it possible for kids to realize their potential. And whereas devoted teachers in Dunedin are working countless hours and putting forth extra effort to help students achieve preparing them for future education, their workforce, and their civic duties. Now, therefore, I, Jeff Gao, by the virtue or the authority vested in me by the mayor of the City of Dunedin, and on behalf of this entire city commission to hereby proclaim Teacher Appreciation Week May 4th through May 8th, 2026. And during this week, encourage parents, students, community partners, and citizens to show admiration and gratitude to the teachers in our schools. So I'm Jeanette Donahue, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, and we'd like to thank all of our teachers and for all that they do here for our great city of Daneda. As National Teachers Week is almost over, but the Chamber Foundation appreciates you all year long. We'll be dropping off some goodies to all the Denene schools the week of the 18th. So be excited because we're going to be coming around to all the schools with a lot of um fun stuff. So keep the fueled up for the rest of the school year. So we're excited about that. So the principals will be emailing you and setting up a date and coming out to see you with some fun stuff for all the teachers. So thank you. Thank you, Jeanette. And of course, now we go into one of my favorite times with you. Oh, we need pictures. Oh, we need pictures. Never mind. Hold on. Yeah, that's a great idea. All the teachers in the room, come on up here. We'll get you all in this. But we gotta get close. We gotta get close. Maybe you'd like to forget about it. Okay. Okay, thank you. Okay, now. Unless that young one wants to come up here and pretend to be mayor and take away.
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