OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Jacksonville City Council Regular Meeting - March 24, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, March 24, 2026
BodyJacksonville, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:12:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

All right.

0:03

I do have a quorum, right?

0:05

Yes.

0:06

Okay, welcome everyone to the City of Jacksonville City Council meeting for Tuesday, March 24th.

0:12

It is five o'clock on the dot.

0:15

So we are officially adjourned.

0:17

Mr.

0:17

Floor Leader.

0:18

Thank you, Mr.

0:19

President.

0:19

Our first order of business is the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:22

Please recognize our council chaplain, Councilmember Kenamar.

0:29

Thank you, Mr.

0:30

Floor Leader.

0:32

Tonight our invocation will be delivered by Pastor Levi Ralston.

0:36

He is the assistant pastor for River City Baptist Church, which is located in the heart of Arlington.

0:44

With over a decade of ministry experience, Pastor Levi is committed to preaching, teaching, and supporting the spiritual and practical needs of the community.

0:53

Pastor Leva is married with two children and honored to have the opportunity to serve both the congregation and the wider community through encouragement, the scripture, and through prayer.

1:05

Please receive Pastor Levi Ralston for tonight's invocation.

1:10

Good evening.

1:12

On behalf of River City Baptist Church, I want to extend our sincere gratitude to each of you who serve on this council.

1:19

Your willingness to give your time, carry responsibility, and make difficult decisions for the good of this community does not go unnoticed.

1:27

We are thankful for your service and for your commitment to the people who you represent.

1:32

Let us take a moment and pause and reflect and center our hearts as this meeting begins.

1:40

The word of God reminds us in Micah 6 8.

1:43

It says, He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

1:56

And in James 1 5, it says, and if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

2:09

Let us pray.

2:11

Heavenly Father, we come before you with gratitude for this day and for the responsibility entrusted to those who gather here.

2:20

We acknowledge that all authority ultimately comes from you, and we ask for your guidance in every decision that will be made.

2:28

Grant these council members wisdom that is clear and discerning.

2:33

Give them courage to act with integrity and humility, to serve the people of this community faithfully.

2:41

Help them to pursue justice with fairness, to extend mercy with compassion, and to lead with hearts that seek the good of all.

3:38

Amen.

3:40

I pledge allegiance of the United States of America.

3:48

One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all.

3:58

Mr.

3:58

President, one announcement for the group since there are five Tuesdays this month.

4:02

Next week is fifth week, so there will be no council business next week.

4:06

We'll pick it back up with uh committee meetings the week of April 6th.

4:10

All right, thank you for that.

4:14

Mr.

4:15

President, next up is roll call.

4:17

Roll call.

4:32

Mr.

4:32

President, we have excuse me.

4:34

Next up is the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of March 10th.

4:37

I move the approval.

4:39

All right, we've got a motion and a second on the approval of the minutes.

4:41

All in favor of the minutes signify by saying aye.

4:43

Aye.

4:44

Any opposed saying.

4:45

The minutes have been approved.

4:46

Mr.

4:47

President, we have four communications from the mayor's office and others.

4:50

Would you like them read or filed with legislative services?

4:52

We are going to get those filed.

4:54

Very well, sir.

4:55

We have one presentation tonight by Councilmember Chris Miller, commending the Florida Sheriff's Association Correction Officer of the Year.

5:01

Councilmember Miller, please go to the podium and Mr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Public Engagement█████████████████17%
Community Engagement█████████████13%
Zoning And Land Use██████████10%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Public Safety██████6%
Procurement████4%
Economic Development██2%
Water And Wastewater Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Jacksonville City Council Regular Meeting - March 24, 2026

The Jacksonville City Council met on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The meeting was presided over by Council President Kevin Carrico. It included an invocation, pledge, approval of prior minutes, several presentations, quasi-judicial hearings, a consent agenda, public comments, public hearings on land use and other items, third reading resolutions and ordinances, second reading items, and introduction of new legislation. The meeting adjourned at 8:11 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes of the March 10, 2026 regular meeting (voice vote 17-0).
  • Approved the Consent Agenda (with the exception of 2026-0194) by a 17-0 roll call vote. Items included: confirmation of several board appointments (Sex Trafficking Survivors Leadership Council, Cultural Service Grant Program Committee, Duval County Election Advisory Panel), recognition of Arab American Heritage Month, honors for Darnell Smith Sr., Judge Henry Lee Adams Jr., Mark Middlebrook, the San Marco Preservation Society, and the Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi at Edward Waters University.
  • Resolution 2026-0194 (honoring Darnell Smith Sr.) was pulled by Council Member Johnson, amended with a council amendment, and approved 17-0.
  • Two resolutions (2026-0049 and 2026-0074) were withdrawn.

Public Comments & Testimony

Public comments lasted from 5:23 PM until roughly 6:30 PM, with speakers given three minutes each. Key topics included:

  • Soccer Stadium Location: Kathleen Pereira urged placing a soccer stadium downtown rather than at the Town Center, citing flood risks, traffic, and noise impacts on neighborhoods.
  • Redlining and Neighborhood Bill of Rights: Several speakers (Wells Todd, Bobby O'Connor, Anthony Brown, Addison Patrick, Denise Cook, Nancy Murray Settle) criticized council for prioritizing developers over residents and urged support for a neighborhood bill of rights. They noted only two council members attended a town hall meeting the previous night.
  • George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier: Multiple speakers (Angela Freedman, Belle James, Ulysses Cromedy Sr., John Nooney) requested reopening the Duval County side of the bridge for fishing, citing it as a popular recreational site.
  • JTA Connection Plus: Sharon Dykes, executive director of the Center for Independent Living, described poor on-time performance for paratransit and urged council to find a better solution.
  • JEA Contract Negotiations: Several JEA water/wastewater employees (Ronnie Burris, Nick Smith, Amanda Breen, Eric Stodola) expressed frustration over stalled contract talks, noting wage gaps with other JEA divisions and the essential nature of their work.
  • Flock Cameras: Dragon Beloit submitted draft ordinances to regulate or ban automated license plate readers, urging council to act.
  • Baby Boxes: Kathleen Pereira and Blake Harper supported the appropriation for infant safety devices at fire stations.
  • Public Service Grants Microgrant Program: Speakers debated the amendment to allocate 3% of PSG funds to microgrants, with council members and the Chief of Grants testifying.

Discussion Items

  • Quasi-Judicial Ordinances (2026-0060, 2026-0132, 2026-0135): All three were approved unanimously (18-0) after declarations of ex-parte communications.
  • Public Hearings:
    • Several land use amendments and rezoning items were continued to April 14, 2026 (e.g., Morse Ave, Historic Kings Rd, Old Kings Rd, Rampart Rd, Pitts Rd, Southside Blvd).
    • Approved items included: Eagle LNG Partners rezoning at Zoo Parkway (FLUM amendment 2026-0083 approved 16-0; companion rezoning 2026-0084 approved 17-0); Millennial Christian Schools rezoning at Park St (2026-0085 and 2026-0086 both approved 17-0 after amendments).
    • Public hearings were held for numerous funding ordinances, including $4.5 million for tree planting (2026-0180), $359,000 for fire specialty teams, $120,000 for an artificial reef, $100,000 for City Hall elevator repairs, $314,900 for baby boxes at 14 fire stations, $30,000 for North Florida School of Special Education vocational training, and $355,000 for McDuff Ave Park land acquisition.
  • Third Reading Ordinances (selected):
    • 2026-0136 (New Berlin Rd land acquisition): Approved 18-0 after amendment.
    • 2026-0137 (Council Rules attendance changes): Approved 18-0 after amendment. Council Member Johnson expressed concern about lack of flexibility for committee chairs.
    • 2026-0138 (PSG categories for FY 26-27): Amended to add a microgrant category (3% of total PSG funding) by a floor amendment, passed 16-1-1 (Council Member Diamond nay, Pittman abstain). The amendment was debated extensively; supporters argued it fulfilled a budget commitment, while opponents (including the grants chief) cited administrative burden and desire to use carryover funds instead.
    • 2026-0139 (Homelessness Initiatives Fund oversight): Amended to require council approval for expenditures over $100,000, then approved 16-2 (Peluso, Pittman nay).
    • 2026-0142 (Opioid settlement grant for MAT clinic): Approved 17-0-1 (Carrico abstain).
    • 2026-0144 (Justice Center due diligence): Approved 16-2 (Amaro, Diamond nay).
    • 2026-0150 (Campbell Cove affordable housing loan): Approved 18-0. Council Member Peluso noted an opportunity for a larger $10 million investment was missed.
    • 2026-0151 (PSG code amendments): Approved 17-0-1 (Pittman abstain).
  • Second Reading Resolutions (selected):
    • 2026-0197 (Women's History Month): Approved 18-0 with council amendments.
    • 2026-0200 and 2026-0201 (Five Points Special District appointments): Approved as emergencies, 17-0.
    • 2026-0229 (Honoring Rob Sweeting): Approved as an emergency with floor and council amendments (18-0), after news of his passing.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Resolutions & Ordinances: Numerous ceremonial and administrative actions approved (see Consent Calendar and votes above).
  • Land Use Approvals: Eagle LNG rezoning (FLUM and rezoning) approved; Millennial Christian Schools rezoning approved with amendments.
  • Funding Allocations: $4.5M for tree planting, $314,900 for baby boxes, $355,000 for McDuff Ave Park, $120,000 for artificial reef, $100,000 for elevator repairs, $30,000 for vocational training, and others passed second reading and moved to third reading.
  • Policy Changes: Council Rules amended (effective July 1, 2026); Homelessness Initiatives Fund now requires council approval for expenditures over $100,000; PSG categories for FY 26-27 include a new microgrant program at 3% of total funding.
  • Appointments Confirmed: Cultural Service Grant Program Committee members (Kaci Barnes, Dr. Darren Brownlee, Alanna Luksha, Chrys Yates), Duval County Election Advisory Panel (Raymond Pringle Jr., Edward Williams), Five Points Special District Board (Alonzo Walton, David Wingard, Cody Mashni as alternate), Sex Trafficking Survivors Leadership Council (Taneeisha Hammett), and others.
  • Deferrals: Several land use cases continued to April 14, 2026 for additional public hearings.
  • Introduction of New Bills: Multiple new resolutions and ordinances introduced, including a resolution supporting protected bicycle lanes downtown (2026-0231), an appeal of a historic preservation decision (2026-0232), a prohibition on city funds for abortion services (2026-0227), and expansion of the Downtown Entertainment District boundary to include Brooklyn (2026-0223).

Meeting Transcript

All right. I do have a quorum, right? Yes. Okay, welcome everyone to the City of Jacksonville City Council meeting for Tuesday, March 24th. It is five o'clock on the dot. So we are officially adjourned. Mr. Floor Leader. Thank you, Mr. President. Our first order of business is the invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance. Please recognize our council chaplain, Councilmember Kenamar. Thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Tonight our invocation will be delivered by Pastor Levi Ralston. He is the assistant pastor for River City Baptist Church, which is located in the heart of Arlington. With over a decade of ministry experience, Pastor Levi is committed to preaching, teaching, and supporting the spiritual and practical needs of the community. Pastor Leva is married with two children and honored to have the opportunity to serve both the congregation and the wider community through encouragement, the scripture, and through prayer. Please receive Pastor Levi Ralston for tonight's invocation. Good evening. On behalf of River City Baptist Church, I want to extend our sincere gratitude to each of you who serve on this council. Your willingness to give your time, carry responsibility, and make difficult decisions for the good of this community does not go unnoticed. We are thankful for your service and for your commitment to the people who you represent. Let us take a moment and pause and reflect and center our hearts as this meeting begins. The word of God reminds us in Micah 6 8. It says, He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. And in James 1 5, it says, and if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you with gratitude for this day and for the responsibility entrusted to those who gather here. We acknowledge that all authority ultimately comes from you, and we ask for your guidance in every decision that will be made. Grant these council members wisdom that is clear and discerning. Give them courage to act with integrity and humility, to serve the people of this community faithfully. Help them to pursue justice with fairness, to extend mercy with compassion, and to lead with hearts that seek the good of all. Amen. I pledge allegiance of the United States of America. One nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Mr. President, one announcement for the group since there are five Tuesdays this month. Next week is fifth week, so there will be no council business next week. We'll pick it back up with uh committee meetings the week of April 6th. All right, thank you for that. Mr. President, next up is roll call. Roll call. Mr. President, we have excuse me. Next up is the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of March 10th. I move the approval. All right, we've got a motion and a second on the approval of the minutes. All in favor of the minutes signify by saying aye.

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