Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee Meeting - June 16, 2026

The Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee of the Jacksonville City Council met on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 9:30 AM in the Council Chamber. The meeting lasted from 9:30 AM to 10:09 AM. The agenda included one legislative item (2026-0358, an ordinance regarding towing and storage of vehicles and vessels) and an educational presentation from the Lights Out Northeast Florida initiative. The committee also received public comment.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carnell Oliver spoke critically, stating that animals receive more respect than human beings and arguing that local legislation on the towing item is unnecessary. He characterized the council and mayor's administration as ineffective and warned that many council members would not be reelected.
• Marshall Adkinson submitted a public comment card for the towing item for questions only, but Chair Lahnen noted that since the item had already been taken up, the card was set aside.

Discussion Items

1. Ordinance 2026-0358 – Towing & Storage of Vehicles/Vessels (Amend/Approve)

• Introduced by Council Member Gay (co-sponsored by Council Member Peluso), the ordinance repeals and replaces Parts 12 and 13 of Chapter 804 of the Jacksonville Traffic Code to update nonconsensual towing and storage provisions.
• Amendment (NCSPHS): Modified insurance requirements for participating wreckers to align with a modified Florida Highway Patrol wrecker program model: $300,000 garage keeper's general liability, $50,000 off-hook property liability, and $100,000 on-hook property liability. Also corrected scriveners.
• Key changes in the underlying ordinance include: updating references and definitions based on state statutes; adding “vessels” as a separate vehicle type; expanding non-business hours from 8 pm–7 am to 6 pm–8 am; allowing additional service charges for unique vehicles/vessels (e.g., electric vehicles, heavy equipment, notice fees); and clarifying JSO practices.
• The amendment and the bill as amended were approved unanimously (6-0).

2. Presentation – Lights Out Northeast Florida

• Elizabeth Filippelli (Vice President, Duval Audubon; Conservation Director; co-leader, Lights Out Northeast Florida) and Mike Taylor (Curator, Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens; co-leader) presented on bird collisions with buildings.
• Key statistics cited: Over 1 billion birds die annually from building collisions in the U.S.; 2.9 billion birds have been lost in North America since 1970; over 7 million birds flew over Duval County in a single night; $107 billion is spent annually on birding nationwide.
• Jacksonville lies in the Atlantic Flyway, the second largest flyway in North America. The Lights Out initiative has operated for about seven years, conducting 14 seasons of collecting deceased birds downtown.
• Filippelli and Taylor recommended measures to reduce bird collisions: bird-friendly glass (e.g., patterned glass, exterior fritting), turning off non-essential lights during migration (11 pm–6 am), dark-sky compliant lighting, and free bird-friendly building audits.
• Examples of local adopters: Jacksonville Zoo, University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Stetson University's Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center.
• Questions from council members:
  • Council Member Carlucci suggested presenting to the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Vision; asked about window blinds (Taylor explained interior blinds do not reduce reflection; external solutions needed).
  • Council Member Clark-Murray inquired about Canada geese as an invasive species. Taylor clarified they are not classified as invasive; FWC cannot differentiate between native migratory geese and released barnyard geese. He noted Georgia has a nuisance geese program and USDA may have a wildlife control branch. Chair Lahnen directed Bill Delaney (Mayor's Office) to research city services for geese complaints.
  • Council Member Amaro asked about cost of bird-friendly windows (retrofit costly, but minimal added cost if designed into new construction) and the cause of bird population decline (Taylor attributed it to human causes: glass collisions, artificial light, telephone towers, cats – second largest factor).
• Filippelli offered to share additional materials, including a California study on geese and dogs. She presented a slide listing bird-friendly policies adopted in other cities.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on 2026-0358: The NCSPHS amendment was moved and seconded, then approved unanimously (6-0). The bill as amended was also approved unanimously (6-0).
• Directive: Bill Delaney (Mayor's Office) will investigate city services or programs for addressing Canada goose complaints and report back to the committee.
• Next Steps: The presentation was informational; no formal action was taken. The committee noted that Lights Out Northeast Florida will continue outreach and partnership-building. The next regular TEU committee meeting will be held Tuesday, July 21, 2026.