Good evening.

I call to order the July 28th, 2026 meeting of the full city council.

It is 5 p.m.

And we do have a quorum.

Um welcome to the first full council meeting of the new council year.

I will turn it over to our new floor leader who's not new, he's very well experienced, and that's Councilmember Michael Boylan.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and thank you too for uh your expression of confidence in me to serve as the floor leader again.

I look forward to doing my very best to move these meetings forward in a timely fashion.

Our first order of business is the invocation and pledge.

I would ask that you please recognize Councilman Lennon to introduce senior pastor of Chets Creek, Spike Hogan.

You recognize her.

Thank you, Mr.

President, floor leader.

It's my honor tonight to welcome back Pastor Spike Hogan, the senior pastor of Chet's Creek Church.

Uh, Pastor Spike has been a familiar face, and he is retiring after nearly 30 years as being the uh founding and senior pastor of Chets Creek Church.

I'll be brief on his biography here because in a few minutes we will be presenting with him with a resolution honoring his service to our city.

So uh with that, Pastor Spike, please.

Let's pray.

Lord, thank you so much for this day.

Thank you for these men and women who represent our city so well.

We pray your blessings on them.

May they use your wisdom and guidance in all they do, and as they work things out, may you bless them and continue to bless us to live in this wonderful city, Jacksonville, Florida.

God, thank you for this time together, and we thank you, Lord, for the opportunity we have to enjoy serving together.

And most important of all, we thank you for the life that we have that you gave us.

We ask all these things in the name of the one who saved me, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Amen.

Please join me in the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag to the night.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

Floor Leader.

I would just like to note for everyone in the audience that uh the addendum will come up at the end of the meeting, and on that addendum is the veto override that I think a lot of people are anticipating.

So just note that comes at the end of the meeting.

That's it, sir.

Roll call.

And roll call, please.

17 present.

Ms.

President, it's now time for the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of June 23rd, 2026.

I move for approval.

We have a motion and a second on the minutes.

We'll take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the minutes indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Minutes pass.

Mr.

President, we have quite a number of communications from the mayor's office and other entities.

Would you like those read or filed with legislative services?

Let's file them, please.

Councilman Lennon has an unscheduled presentation that he would like to make at this time.

And as he heads to the podium down below, uh it's my pleasure to introduce today's pages.

Joshua Hartstock Reed, Lee Stand, and Chaithro Suranani.

How'd I do?

Please welcome now.

All right, Mr.

Lennon, you're recognized.

Thank you.

I believe Mr.

Teal was going to read the resolution.

Resolution 2026-272.

Pastor Spike Hogan has faithfully served as the founding and senior pastor of Chets Creek Church in Jacksonville for over two decades, providing spiritual leadership, guidance, and encouragement to Jacksonville citizens.

Under Pastor Hogan's leadership, Chets Creek Church, founded in 1998 with its first public service in Chets Creek Elementary School, has expanded to three locations and has grown into a vibrant and committed faith community.

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Pastor Hogan earned degrees from William Carey University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and served at several other churches and on the staff of the Florida Baptist Convention before joining the team that launched Chets Creek Church.

Pastor Hogan's services extends beyond the church, serving on the board of directors of one more child, the Florida Baptist Children's Homes, and previously serving as a trustee of the North American Mission Board and as a member of the Florida Governor's Faith-Based and Community-based advisory council.

Pastor Hogan has on multiple occasions led the opening prayer for the Jacksonville City Council meetings, offering messages of reflection, unity, and stewardship for council members and the citizens they serve.

Upon his retirement, the City Council wishes to recognize and honor Pastor Hogan for his outstanding contributions and service to his congregants as the broader Jacksonville community.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Jacksonville.

The City Council hereby honors and commends Pastor Spike Hogan for his distinguished service as pastor of Chets Creek Church and for his many contributions to the spiritual and civic life of Jacksonville and wishes him continued health, happiness, and fulfillment in the years ahead.

Thank you, colleagues, for appearing this resolution and Pastor Spike.

We appreciate everything you've done.

The church has been a pillar in our community, right there in the heart of District 3.

And then, like the resolution says, just all the work that have gone well beyond just the church and uh just all the great things you've done for our community for our city.

Uh, we're certainly going to miss seeing you here uh once a year at least.

I think things have been a couple times.

Either you or another pastor at uh Chets Creek Church has come here to open us uh in prayer.

Uh but I I know the new pastor will be here uh as well.

We look forward to meeting him, and again, just thank you for everything you've done here for uh your church and the citizens of Jacksonville.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Just real quick, uh, thank you.

I'm honored and touched and uh be praying for you guys on a regular basis.

You have some very important decisions to make in the weeks and months to come.

I know I've had the privilege of knowing every mayor since John Payton, and um it's been my privilege to pray for them, and I will continue to pray for you.

Even though I'm retired and I'm still in Jacksonville.

Anything I can do to be a help of service to you guys, please let me know.

And may God bless you and bless Jacksonville, Florida.

Thank you.

I think we're gonna take a picture of us.

Mr.

Vice President, uh, given council president is getting pictures.

We'll we'll we'll go to the queue after the picture is taken because we do have some council members that would like to speak.

Okay.

All right.

We have a few members in the queue.

Uh Councilmember Freeman, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Through the vice president to pass the spike one, thank you so much for your service.

Um, more importantly, thank you for your friendship.

Uh, I truly believe in giving folks their roses while they can still smell them.

Uh, and in 2012, in December of 2012, and you probably didn't know this at the time, but I was sitting in your congregation in the back.

I'm a back row Baptist, all right, preacher's kid.

Uh, and you challenged your congregation to read a book.

And one of the things that you said was, hey, everyone should be able to read this book.

It's only about 80 pages, 85 pages, and it was called The Prayer of Jabez.

And I said, you know what, he just said less than a hundred.

I think I can get through this book.

And I did.

And I saw my life change dramatically from that day forward because it was the first time that someone ever told me that it was okay for me to pray for myself.

I was always always grown up praying for others.

And so that prayer blessed me indeed and enlarged my territory.

Keep your hand upon me.

It has radically done some amazing things.

So I want to thank you for your leadership.

I want to thank you for all those blessings that followed that prayer.

Um, and just continue to do what you do.

Thank you so much.

Thanks, Terry.

Thank you, Mr.

Freeman.

Ms.

Pittman, you're recognized.

Chair and to Pastor First of all, I want to say thank you for the work that you've done for this community.

I met you at the Clara White Mission with Mr.

and Mrs.

Stafford.

And one of the things they always said, you said go outside of the church walls and make a difference in the community.

And of course, uh, Mr.

Stafford was one of our counselors there, and for individuals who also get in out of prison.

Um, you helped some of those individuals.

And so I first of all just say what matters to you matters to this community.

And so just thank you.

And I hope when you grow up you'll decide what you really want to do because you have done a lot in the journey for this community, and we thank you so much.

Thank you.

And that concludes all the members in the queue.

Pastor Hogan, thank you so much for all of your contributions to the community.

You'll be sorely missed at Chets, but I'm sure you'll contribute uh continue to contribute greatly to Jacksonville.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, we are now ready for quasi judicial actions.

I'd like to remind everyone that these items were not we are now taking up, do not include public hearings.

As these matters were thoroughly reviewed at the committee level, where the public hearings uh were part of the decision making process.

Council members are reminded that to declare X any ex parte communications.

Our first item is on page 4, 2026 438, a resuming at 23.3 acres from RLD 120 to PUD.

I move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

Seeing no speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 yes, zero and ease.

By your vote, 2026 0438 passes.

Next item 2, 2026 439.

Move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

We have two speakers in the queue.

We'll start with Mr.

Carlucci, followed by Mr.

Lenin.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just need to declare ex parte.

I met with Cindy Trimmer and Richie Mulaney in my office on July 20th at 10 a.m.

We discussed the site plan, community involvement, and the paperwork is being filed with legislative services.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Over to Councilman Lennon.

Thank you, President.

I rise to Claire to declare ex parte.

I spoke with Cindy Trimmer on May 12th to get an explanation of this bill right before it was filed.

I filed this with legislative services.

Thank you, sir.

No other speakers on the queue.

We do have a motion and a second on the bill.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 years, zero and ease.

And by your vote, 2026 0439 passes.

Mr.

President, we are now ready for the consent agenda.

I want to remind my colleagues that if you want to be added as a co-sponsor to any of these items, please let the chief of legislative services know via email.

As council rules prohibit pulling items for this particular reason.

Mr.

Teal, would you please read the bills?

2026, 453, 496, 515, 516, and 551.

President, I move the approval of the consent agenda.

Very good.

We have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda.

Seeing no speakers in the queue, let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 yes, zero and by your vote, the consent agenda passes.

Ms.

President and colleagues, we have one more item to be taken up before moving to uh public comment.

It can be found on page 38, item number 83, 2026, 592.

I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's take a verbal vote on the emergency.

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The emergency passes.

Ms.

President, we have no public participation cards on this, so I move the bill as an emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026 0592 is approved.

Mr.

President, I would suggest you recognize the rules chair at this time.

We recognize the rules chair.

Mr.

Gay.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

We have just approved the following appointments as part of the consent agenda, plus the additional item we took up tonight.

If you are in the audience, uh please stand up and to be recognized.

Uh Michelle Bagley to the Chief of Accounting Division of the Department of Finance and Administration of the City of Jacksonville.

Uh Shirley Dasher to the value adjustment board.

And uh please join me in thanking them for their service.

Mr.

President, as uh per ordinance 2022-475E, we are now ready for public comments.

Council members are reminded this is our time to hear from the public, and this is not a time for questions or answers or debate.

However, a member of the public may be invited to the Robert Johnson room for further discussions.

A council member subject to the rule of the present presiding officer of the president may extend this invitation.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to speak, you should have filled out a green public comment card.

No cards will be accepted after 6 p.m.

Council rules uh call for an allotment of 90 minutes for public comment.

In the event there is an excessive number of cards submitted.

The allotted time of three minutes may be shortened so that we are all wishing to speak, have an opportunity to do so.

President, we have 23 cards, so 25 cards.

We'll limit to we're not changing the limits right now.

So it will be three minutes per partir per participant.

During our public comment time, only the speaker will be allowed to the podium unless physical assistance is required.

We provide this opportunity for the public comment beyond what the state law requires.

As such, you must state your name and address before beginning your comment, or just say my address is on file, assuming you've put it on the card.

I will announce five speakers at a time in the order they are to appear.

When I call your name, I ask that you move down to the front row, please.

And our first five speakers are Kim Fontacheo, Roxy McLeod, Hurtis White White.

Angela Denbroke, Dennabrook.

And Valerie Herman, if you come on down to the front.

And while they're coming forward, I would ask Mr.

Thiel to read uh rule council rule 4.505.

Council rule 4.505.

Disruption of meeting.

Any person who disrupts a regular meeting of the city council, standing committees, special or select committees, subcommittees, or any other public meeting presided over by a city council member, may be forthwith barred, removed, or otherwise ejected in the discretion of the presiding officer from further attendance at that meeting.

If necessary, due to the nature of the disruption, the audience may be cleared from the council chambers or meeting location in the discretion of the presiding officer.

Any person who refuses to leave the city council chamber may be subject to arrest.

Mr.

Teo, please note the start time is 517.

Once again, our first speaker is Kim Fontecchio.

Did I get it right that time?

I hope.

You did, Fontecchio, yes, sir.

Again, please be sure to provide your name and address and or note that it's on file.

Good evening, City Council President and Council members.

My name is Kimberly Fontecchio.

I am the property owner and sole resident of 2729 Delonega Drive in District 2.

I'm here tonight to stand in solidarity with Nathan and our local urban agricultural coalition to urge this council to pass the Right to Garden Act.

This matter is deeply personal to me because on July 13th of this year, the city of Jacksonville officially executed and approved my formal certificate of use for Fontechio's community garden.

Despite being fully permitted and lawful under municipal standards, operators like myself continue to face targeted harassment, ambiguous enforcement of selective covenants, and unwarranted interference from HOAs trying to dictate their interpretation of city zoning laws.

Food independence, agricultural wellness, and gathering together in peaceful community connection are basic human rights.

This council has a historic opportunity tonight to protect its own permitted land use, defend its residents, and solidify our city's future.

We ask that you pass the home occupation bill tonight and in the coming days commit to sponsor the free to garden act so we can move it forward for filing an introduction.

Thank you, Kim Fontecchio.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have Roxy McLeod.

It's always so exciting to stand here in front of you.

My name is Roxy McLeod, and I very proudly live in District 10 at uh 8029 Buffalo Avenue.

And um, I am here to first of all do something I forgot to do last time I talked to you.

I'll be wearing this hat when you come to see us at the community garden in Panama Park.

It's right, I mean, it's like between here, it's just before you get to the zoo.

You don't have to drive far.

Just come and see the garden.

You will love it.

You will be allowed to pick some tomatoes, some okra, some peppers.

Okay, so please come to see our garden in Panama Park.

It's called Common Ground, where we grow together.

And I'll tell you a little story.

Just this morning, I was in the garden where I love to be, and uh, across the um fence, one of the little neighbors, she's five years old, and she's going, Oh, can I come to the garden?

Can I come to the garden?

She loves to come to the garden.

Well, I was just about to leave.

So I broke her heart and said, No, not today.

Tomorrow, tomorrow you can come to the garden tomorrow.

But the garden is so much more than all the perfect things that Kim just said.

I'm not going to repeat it.

I'm here to support that act for freedom to garden.

Please, please.

I'm asking you to support it too, and all the things that she said.

But I'm just telling you that it's not just for food and stability and it grows neighborhoods.

It grows community.

The people that come into that garden and work side by side or weeding side by side.

They're telling stories, things they had they didn't even remember from way back when they were sharing recipes with each other.

The beauty and the strength that it creates in a neighborhood in a community cannot be emphasized enough.

I cannot tell you how beautiful it is to see so many people of all ages, from that five-year-old all the way to the old people that can just barely get there.

They love to share their wisdom.

So anyway, community gardens are the way to go, so please, please, please support this act.

And that's enough.

But I want to see you, and you know where I'm at.

So come to the garden.

Only one of you have come here to the garden so far.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have Hurtis Weitch Jr.

I hope I pronounced that correctly.

Hey, how are you doing?

My name is Hurtis Weitch.

I am in your address.

My address is stated on the group.

How are you guys doing today doing doing all right?

We're good.

Okay.

Okay, hello.

My apologies.

I'm here today to support the Free to Garden Act because I have seen firsthand how community gardens improve public health, strengthen neighborhoods, create educational opportunities for youth, and increase access to fresh and healthy food.

Every week I work alongside families, volunteers, and community members who are learning to grow their own food.

Community gardens are more than places to grow vegetables.

They are outdoor classrooms, spaces for healing, workforce development, and community connection.

Unfortunately, organizations dedicated to serving their communities have often face unnecessary barriers to establishing and operating gardens.

Making community and market gardens clearly permissible will help schools, nonprofits, neighborhoods, and faith-based organizations focused on serving people rather than navigating uncertainty.

We respectfully ask that you pass the home occupation bill tonight and the coming days commit to sponsoring the Free to Garden Act so it can move forward and for filing and introduction.

Thank you for your time and your service.

Thank you.

Next we have Angela Tenbrook.

Good evening, Council President and members of the city council.

My name is Angela Tembrock, and I reside at 4920 Astoria Court.

I'm the executive director for the Center for Sustainable Agricultural Excellence and Conservation.

I was honored to serve as the City of Jacksonville's first and ultimately last manager of Ag, Urban Ag, Agroecology, Fisheries, and Land Use Policy, a role created to strengthen our local food system and improve food security for Jacksonville's residents.

That position was created because many in Jacksonville recognize that food security is not simply an agricultural issue.

It's an economic issue, a health issue, an environmental issue, and a community resilience issue.

Our goal was straightforward to put more locally grown food into our neighborhoods, support our farmers, ranchers, watermen, and allied producer businesses, to create educational opportunities, conserve water, and strengthen local food systems.

Although that position was eliminated, the mission did not end.

Since leaving the city, I have continued this work around the world, helping communities in multiple continents develop sustainable food systems that can serve water, create jobs, improve nutrition, and increase food security.

Everywhere I go, I see governments, governments investing in policies that make it easier, not harder, for people to grow food.

That is why I stand here today before you to support the Free to Garden Act.

This legislation is about empowering residents.

It gives families the opportunity to grow healthy food, teach children where food and their food comes from, strengthen neighborhoods and become more resilient during times of economic uncertainty and supply chain disruptions.

Jacksonville has an opportunity.

We should be developing legislation that encourages food production, removes unnecessary barriers, and supports homeowners, schools, community gardens, nonprofits, and local farmers alike.

Food security cannot rely solely on grocery stores and food banks.

It begins in our own backyards, schools, churches, and neighborhoods.

Every garden represents a healthier family, stronger communities and reduce environmental impacts, and greater local resilience.

Let's make Jacksonville known for the food we empower our citizens to grow.

I respectfully ask you support the Free to Garden Act so that we can continue to build a city where every resident has the opportunity to grow, share, access fresh, healthy food.

Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your support of the Free to Garden Act.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have Valerie Herman.

In the meantime, I want to invite the following to please come to the front.

Kathleen Pereira, Miriam Corney, Chaplain Jerry Woodham, Michelle Wilson, and Nathan Ballantyne.

Please come on down to the front.

Go ahead, Miss Herman.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Valerie Herman.

I'm executive director of First Coast Urban Ag.

We create agriculturally immersive play spaces for children and families in the urban core.

My address is on file.

Thank you.

Friends, neighbors, and members of the council.

It was never about a hot dog in a coke.

And today it's not about a tomato or a green bean.

In the 1960s, opponents framed lunch counters as a threat to public order and neighborhood character.

A threat to public order and neighborhood character.

Absurd.

And yet sounds eerily familiar.

Then as now, it was never just about food.

It is about human dignity.

It is about equal citizenship.

It is about healthy food sovereignty.

And it is about our fundamental right to gather in public space.

Because democracy is not born in City Hall.

It is created in the daily unscripted conversations, which usually happen over food, whether at a lunch counter or across a garden bed.

If a city fears its own neighbors growing food, it is a city losing touch with its own people.

When garden spaces are restricted by a generous amount of red tape, it does not create just a food desert, but a democratic desert as well.

Wouldn't you agree?

Please commit to sponsor the Free to Garden Act so we can move it forward for filing an introduction.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Kathleen Pereira.

My name is Kathleen Pereira.

My information is on file.

Congratulations to the new leadership of the council and special thanks to President Howland for strengthening the partnership with the sixth CPACs.

Together, we will continue to build a better city.

By the way, did you know that you have an allotted amount of time to enjoy your peace and quiet and privacy of your home before development has the right to barge in and destroy it all?

That is the impression I got from Sporting Jacks after my Fox Chase neighborhood's recent meeting with its representatives.

Apparently, our neighborhood's privacy and peace quota is 37 years.

And so we should just accept the development that will be encroaching upon us.

And then I guess we shouldn't feel sorry for the Windy Hill neighborhood if their septic tanks and well water gets get uh contaminated by this development since their peace quota expired 40 years before our neighbors, neighborhoods.

And the soccer stadium folks think that roughly one half mile buffer between our neighborhood and a stadium for 15,000 people is enough to dampen a loud concert or embranched soccer game when if UNF had a loud concert tonight, we could hear it even with a mile buffer, mile a buffer.

And that doesn't include the extra 15,000 cars that will gridlot the current congestion in St.

John's town center.

The best scenario is to have Sporting Jacks partner with the Amada and build and share the soccer stadium already zoned to be built in the sporting complex downtown.

Jacksonville does not need two major soccer stadium venues.

Finally, please support 2026 0570, which is being introduced tonight for about the e-bikes, and please adopt a resolution to declare Charlie Kirk Day for October 14th.

And I think the right to grow is a pretty good idea too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Miriam Corney.

Good evening.

My name is Miriam Corney.

My name is Miriam Corney.

My address is on file.

And this is my second time to speak in front of you, so please, if I sound nervous, I am.

But I would like to talk to you about the irreparable environmental damage of having a sporting Jacks Soccer Stadium and development in Big Island Swamp.

Construction and paving increased the runoff into the Pablo Creek Basin elevation, local neighborhood flood risk, and threatening natural water filtration buffers.

Also removing the tree canopy reduces the water absorption after drainage and causes flooding.

Not to mention the environmental and impact of destroying the nesting sites, food sources, and protective cover for native birds and amphibians and mammals.

According to recent newspaper articles, our St.

John's River is already experiencing massive amounts of pollution and algae blooms.

This is going to the construction and the runoff and the fact that they're going to have to raise the water table for that property because it is a swamp will cause more problems for our St.

John's River.

So I'm begging you to remember this when it comes time to vote and say vote no for this soccer stadium and development.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Chaplain Jerry Woodham.

Good evening, Chaplain Jerry Woodham address on file.

I want to thank President Howland and Vice President Carlucci for taking over leadership.

I know they uh really want to make this a conservative budget that's coming up because we're all taxpayer dollars.

We have to watch our budgets.

But tonight I want to stand with John Labriel and the Christian Family Coalition group.

I'm asking this city council to honor Charlie Kirk.

This man is widely known to inspire our youth on our college campuses all around the country.

Charlie has debated and held many events right here in Jacksonville.

This young man used debate to educate and let the students find the truth and that a happy and blessed life.

He modeled his Christian life by marrying the love of his life and becoming a dad to his children.

He debated so people would understand that the unborn were a blessing and not a curse, and that children are to be loved and raised by a mom and dad.

His belief came from the Bible.

He wanted other young people to have joy and peace that he had found.

He was always respectful and used truth and logic to be his sword in his cultural battle.

He even tried to wake up our churches to the Islamic threat.

He was a watchman on the wall, and he was evilly brutally assassinated.

So I would like to see October 14th as Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day, with his books displayed October 12th to the 17th in our libraries so children can learn and read from his books.

The sound, the traffic, the lights, put it somewhere else where there's lots of room where everybody can enjoy it.

We have our CPACs that are not being listened to, such as a Chick-fil-A that was built despite neighbors saying it would make it dangerous to leave their neighborhood, and now many of my friends are dealing with those issues.

We stopped it, but now there might be a mosque.

So please research and listen before approving all these PUDs and over developments in our city.

Please remember that the citizens voted for you.

Respect and listen to them.

Be blessed and have a great night.

Thank you, ma'am.

Michelle Wilson is next.

Good evening.

My name is Michelle Wilson, and my address is on file.

Since January the 12th, we have had a business that has moved into the residential neighborhood of Panama Terrace.

I have made 23 My Jacks reports to report noise nuisance, not having a fence around their swimming pool, invasion of my privacy when they removed uh brush, building on the property line, having an illegal business and a food truck, and now dumping pool water in my backyard.

Last Friday, a city employee actually came out and did a reading and found out that they were in violation of the noise ordinance.

I've made four calls to alcohol tobacco firearms.

I've been to two Ask a Lawyer events where I was told that maybe I might try the media.

Investigative reporter Anthony Austin came out and did a report, and now I'm on an HBO documentary about neighbors.

I've made 24 calls to JSO for illegal parking, almost got hit twice by wrongway drivers going northbound in the southbound lane of North Pearl Street, as well as not being able to see a left turn to turn on my own street.

And then I was told that it was up to JSO whether they give a citation or not.

So city council can save money if the city is the one buying citations because they're not writing them.

Seven months ago on News for Jacks, Officer Christian Hancock showed a decibel reader and said what the citizens should do.

There's even a flyer on the city's website of what to do when you have noise uh nuisance neighbors.

I've made two calls to my beloved uh councilwoman.

And um, I love seeing your face, photo ops, ribbon cutting, and awards, but we need your help over in Panama Terrace.

We have been terrorized by City Bricks at 6843 North Pearl Street since January, and they are not registered as a business under Sunbiz.

I don't know what else to do when I go in my backyard because I believe in the Free to Garden Act.

I'm trying to get a um an edible schoolyard for individuals on special needs, but I can't go in my backyard.

The music is just that loud.

They think they see me and they yell F Michelle across the fence, F the neighbors if we call to get the noise turned down.

And one night when I was working and I wasn't even there, they um threatened to F my house up, which makes my daughter not want to go to sleep at night.

So I'm asking for some kind of help.

Um I'm gonna be writing to the mayor and to JSO, but we need some help.

And from what I'm getting from other uh sheriffs, they say, well, it is Jacksonville.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have uh Nathan Ballantine.

Uh in the meantime, I'd invite the others to come forward.

These to come forward, Ruth Thompson, James Weston, Betty Saunders, Lazaro Salinas, and Laura McKeithan.

Um we're gonna limit after Mr.

Ballantine, we're gonna limit to two and a half minutes going forward because we picked up some additional cards.

Go ahead, sir.

Um Mr.

Pelusa would like to talk to Ms.

Wilson in the Robert Johnson room.

So, Ms.

Wilson, if you're still go ahead, sir.

Good evening.

Council President, Council members, it's good to be here.

My name is Nathan Ballantyne.

Overalls farm grows at 125 East 7th Street.

I'm here to advocate for the Free to Garden Act, which will make market and community gardens permissible by right in Jacksonville.

There is extensive legal precedent and best practices to draw upon that have been drawn upon in the drafting of our proposed legislation.

Did you know that all of the following cities have defined and made legally permissible market andor community gardens by law?

Tampa, St.

Pete, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Gainesville, Lakeland, and Titusville, Florida, Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, Clark County, and Decatur, Georgia, Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama, Nashville, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Wilmington, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Richmond, Virginia, Houston, Austin, and Dallas, not to mention Kansas City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

I could go on for a long time.

There are no zoning definitions or permissions to give that dictate legs.

We're merely asking for the legal permission to grow food with and for our neighbors.

We request that you pass the home occupation bill with all deliberate speed.

And then in the coming days, commit to sponsor the Free to Garden Act.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, sir.

Next we have Ruth Thompson.

Good evening.

My name is Ruth Thompson, and my information is on file.

I rely on the laws of the Florida Agricultural Department for my business, which is be grateful apiaries.

It allows beekeeping in the urban area.

And I would like to see Jacksonville pass the same urban agricultural rules for the Free to Garden Act, allowing people to farm in their urban area.

One of the most direct economic benefits of urban farming is the stimulation of local economies through the farmers' markets.

That's where my daughter and I, who are partners in our business and beekeeping, do most of our work is in the farmers' markets.

These markets create a platform for urban farmers to sell their produce directly to consumers, fostering a direct economic link between the producer and the community.

This is what people are the citizens of Jacksonville want.

They want local produce, local food to be able to purchase, and they want to buy it from the producer.

This supports local agriculture and encourages the growth of other small businesses, such as food vendors, artisans, and crafts people, creating a vibrant economy.

At most of the farmers' markets, there are not enough farmers.

You know, as a the farm, the market manager is always looking for produces of agriculture, but they're so limited.

And one of the things that I really love about urban farming and beekeeping is that it has a relatively low entry level to the agricultural journey.

I started our business with one beehive.

We now have a hundred.

People come to the farmers market and they say, Oh, I want to visit your farm.

Because what do they think?

Agriculture is way out in the country.

And I say, well, my farm is in 25 people's yards throughout Jacksonville, from the beaches, South Side, Deerwood, San Marco, Riverside, Murray Hill, the West Side, Springfield.

So I say, maybe we could spin it, you don't have to ask the owner if you can come to the yard.

But this is what the future of urban agriculture should be.

That there's farms throughout the whole city.

And especially now, I just ask you to pass the free to garden act.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right.

Next we have James Weston.

Good evening.

My name is James Weston, and my address is on file.

If you've been following the recent news about the parasite outbreak causing explosive diarrhea, you've probably been paying a little extra attention to where your food comes from.

I know I have.

Thank you for your time and your service to the community.

Thank you, sir.

Next we have Betty Saunders.

Hello, my name is Betty Saunders, and I live in the Glenlea Grove Park neighborhood, and my address is on file.

I'm here tonight to support and encourage the consideration, passage, and sponsorship of the Free to Garden Act.

Which would allow the community and market gardens permissible by right in Jacksonville.

I want to add to what Nathan said earlier because I just recently came back from visiting family in Detroit, and they also have a free to garden act equivalent, and they have a lot of community gardens and APARs there.

Community gardens provide fresh, healthy food to our families and neighbors who need it most.

They encourage physical activity education, they strengthen family bonds, and they enrich the social fabric of our neighborhoods.

When I learned about the challenges that Nathan and Overalls Farm and other similar things, similar farms encountered, I was actually shocked and disappointed that organizations dedicated to feeding our communities are forced to navigate costly administrative hurdles in order to operate.

The current statute does protect the right to grow food for personal consumption, but does not address market gardens or a sale of those things.

The Free to Garden Act addresses this gap by creating a reasonable framework for nonprofit community gardens and local market gardens.

It includes sensible standards for daytime operating hours, noise lighting, and safe composting practices so that these urban gardens can coexist in the current neighborhoods.

In my view, requiring an urban gardener to obtain a planned unit development at a cost of $5,000 to apply is an unnecessary and prohibitive barrier.

Currently, Overall's Farm provides fresh food to about 120 families through its subscription program.

Imagine how many more families could benefit if these unnecessary barriers were removed.

Rather than making it harder for community gardens to succeed, we should be creating opportunities for them to grow and save serve even more residents.

I believe the proposal also aligns with the goals of the city's developing state of the food plan, which seeks to strengthen our local food system and improve per food security throughout Jacksonville.

These gardens teach useful life skills and could even encourage younger children to go to environmental services.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next, we have Lazaro Salinas.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Lazarus Salinas with the Jacksonville DSA chapter.

My address is on file.

I'm here tonight to speak on the Free to Garden Act, which aims to make community gardens permissible by right in Jacksonville.

I have many friends and family in my communities that lack access to affordable groceries.

The prevalence of food deserts and the lack of accessible transit creates hard barriers for the disabled, elderly, and overworked.

The ability to create a growing space in our neighborhoods to feed ourselves and our neighbors alleviates the stress and financial burden of traveling to a grocer for basic foods like vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

Now that garden produces peppers, tomatoes, beans, various herbs, and sunflowers for the neighborhood residents to eat and enjoy.

As the price of basic groceries rises and financial burdens make us less able to satisfy our own needs, a community-led garden would materially improve our independence, sustainability, and health.

This is a neighborhood-friendly common sense legislation that builds upon regional, state, and local policy foundations, and I urge you to consider the Free to Garden Act as a step in the right direction to improve the lives of our communities in the city.

I would also like to oppose any honoring of Charlie Kirk as he was a hateful bigot who weaponized people's fear and ignorance to normalize oppression of minorities all over this country.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Laura McKeith.

In the meantime, I'm gonna invite the following to come to come down to the front, please.

Duchy Stevens, Ms.

S.

Charlie Smith, Samantha Sears, Denise Scott, and Laura Marie Herman.

If you'd please come down to the front, I'd appreciate it.

Ms.

McKeith.

Hi, my name is Laura McKeith, and my address is on file.

I live in Springfield.

I support the Free to Garden Act for so many reasons.

Most importantly, it makes sense for communities, especially in times of economic challenge.

I am so lucky to live where a neighbor, Nathan, tends nearby gardens daily.

I pick fresh vegetables, spices, even flowers on a daily basis throughout the year.

I do not rely on driving to a grocery store.

Seriously, I almost never go to the grocery store.

There is always something in season in Jacksonville.

We are so lucky.

With support of officials like you, tended community gardens like ours will become the model for other cities seeking to better the welfare of their season their citizens in fun, healthy, and engaging ways, regardless of the ups and downs of the economy.

I appreciate your support for this.

And like Lazaro before me, I am not in favor of a Charlie Kirk Act being associated with this city.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Ms.

Duchy Stevens.

Good evening, Dutch Stevens.

The address is on file.

I'm hearing all this augment and talking about these gardens and stuff, but you got too many contaminated city right away ditches, too.

All this lettuce and stuff coming in with poison and stuff.

I wouldn't recommend no garden until y'all get on public works about getting on their job, digging and cleaning out these ditches and mowing and cutting in every three months.

Because it just seemed like ever since we have voted with a Democratic mayor, we've seen too much fraud going on with DC right away, ditches not being mowed and cut according to the federal law of environment and protection.

So if your environmental grounds ain't safe, then ain't safe for no darn garden.

But y'all kind of give them contaminated food poison because these ditches are stinking up the community.

And I'm telling you, and I have sent our counsel, you know, in our district, she got more contaminated ditches in District 10, I think, than that, because I don't see that north side public works in mowing and cutting.

They're not doing their job, maintaining the city government grounds.

And when you say enough is enough, we may have to borrow President Donald Trump to get the federal lawsuit for public works misusing that federal government funds, but our grounds are not safe right now because you got too many contaminated city right-of-way ditches throughout our city, and we got to get the ball rolling.

I know they don't use the prison inmates no more because a lot of them used to run off and try to escape some years ago when John Rutherford was our sheriff.

So they can't borrow the prison inmates no more to help public words, you know, the mowing cut and dig and clean out the ditches, because they did have some that did try to escape some years ago, and that's why they can't use them no more.

And they was coming from the P farm, not the jail.

So I don't know what to tell y'all, but ditches stink.

And I think we're gonna have to get President Donald Trump involved because I vote more Republican than Democrat.

But it just seemed like we're not getting, we don't see the city maintaining their grounds in the mowing and cutting.

And I think we need to buy John Patriots back.

Oh, we need to find us a decent male that qualified for the position, not a female.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh next we have Ms.

S.

Charlie Smith.

Great day, City Council, uh, and thank you for your service.

I am Ms.

S.

Charlie Smith.

My address is on record, and I'm in District 13.

I'm here with man and overalls to support the Freedom Free to Garden Act.

Uh, the goal I'm here tonight to support and encourage the Freedom Garden Act, which I which will take will make the community and market permissible by rig in Jacksonville.

Uh, for the consideration of global supply lines are disrupted, food prices are on the rise, and uh the community, the local community and market gardeners who are well positioned to help insulate us from these problems are stymied from growing groceries in Jacksonville.

Uh to put a personal spin on it.

I am a combat veteran that has served myself.

I, if it wasn't for the fellow garden partners that I had uh in the past two and a half years, I suffered a fire two and a half years ago.

If I did not have that support, I would not be able to be in front of you today to ask for the permission to push it forward.

As fellow veterans that I also service in the community, a plant club operator uh at R.L.

Brown Academy, I help the children learn how to grow their own fruit.

Uh uh, the elementary students that are there.

I won't take up too much more of your time, but it's important for us to be able to grow our own food.

If I'm not able to be at the school with these young people, they don't have the access to learning new skill set, they don't have the access to know where their food comes from, they don't have the access to have extra food to come into their uh their uh economic functioning in their household, which their parents did not know they could do until they were able to sit with me at the school.

So if you could please do your part uh kindly and respectfully uh consider co-sponsoring the Free to Garden Act uh so that we and also pass the home uh occupation bill.

I'd be great there very grateful.

Thank you for your service.

Have a great day.

Thank you, ma'am, and thank you for your service.

Next, we have Samantha Sears.

Samantha Seary's address on file.

I'm here to talk to you today about overdevelopment.

I understand that Jacksonville is a growing city.

I just think that we could do a little bit more responsible development where we would take abandoned buildings, empty lots, and use those as places that could have mixed use housing with um, you know, maybe the community gardens can be part of it too.

It would be a great time to have some walkable areas.

It doesn't have to be all of Jacksonville, of course, but I think it's important that we start honing in on our developers to you know maybe encourage them to go towards places that are already torn down, already dilapidated, you know.

And because I know the development is continuing it, obviously we cannot stop growing.

We need to keep growing.

I think it's important that maybe JA starts looking into desalinization because we're running out of water.

Yes, our Florida Aquifer is being overdrained constantly because of us in Florida, and 90% of Jacksonville gets their water from the Florida Aquifer.

That's right.

And because we have over developed so much, we get a lot of runoff.

That runoff goes into our water into our streams and to our rivers, and it does not get to be um filtered through the ground because we have developed it.

So now we have contaminated water.

That's great.

So I think maybe JA needs to look into desalinization because that's where we're headed.

I also think that JA should pressure some companies to take the very hot parking lots that are dead space, a heat zone really, and make them partially covered with solar panels.

That would help with the community costs of energy instead of continually making our prices go up.

I do understand they have some projects to cover with the gas plant that they need to build and everything like that, but maybe we could start encouraging these larger companies that have these huge empty lots that are just dead space, they're heat zones.

You know, do you like getting burned when you go into your car?

I don't really enjoy that.

So it doesn't have to be the whole parking area, you know, just a partial one.

Then that could save our community money.

You know, it's all about saving money, and you know, this property tax might be coming up where we lose the property taxes.

We need to start looking into other ways that we can generate money, have our energy cheaper for our communities, and just you know, as always, try to stop that overdevelopment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, Denise Scott, please.

Good evening.

My name is Denise Scott, and my address is on file.

Um, we hope you all enjoyed your time off, and we hope you're back and ready to take care of business for the people.

But this being the first meeting under our new council president, Mr.

Holland, I'm coming asking that you please restore public comments back to three minutes.

We have council meetings twice a month.

Is this our time for your constituents to have public um access to this body?

When you give your instructions before comments, you say always say that this is the time to hear from the public.

Well, we want you to hear from us and we want our three minutes back.

I don't know why.

And I and I I don't know why it stopped or when it stopped, but we want our three minutes back, please.

As for this counter um council, as you begin to have discussions concerning the mayor's proposed budget, I'm asking that this council please try to um think about the citizens of this county and not your special special interest groups or not your um your own selves.

Um, since this mayor has been in office, the majority of this male-dominated Republican council has fought her on every turn.

There are not many times that you've tried to come together for the sake of the people.

I'm asking that you please stop being so selfish and so petty and put the people's needs um first for a change.

Um, when you start discussing the budget, please remember where the bulk of this money goes.

Um, we all understand that we need to have public safety as a priority, but at what cost?

I know that this is not a popular opinion, but it needs to be said.

I'm grateful for the good officers that roam our cities, our city streets.

But until this council reigns in our sheriff and its officers and teach them how to have um de-escalation training instead of training in um Israel defense forces, this city is always going to have to settle with victims with their lawsuits.

Um maybe just maybe if you would let the sheriff know that any lawsuits that would come from his budget and um their pensions.

And I'm not sure what's going on with this um one that honor Charlie Kirk.

No disrespect to anyone that believes the mess he said, but I thought we would finish him um hearing his name.

The majority of the folks do not want to honor anyone that spread so much hate and misinformation.

Jacksonville doesn't need to honor another racism and white supremacist.

Next we have Lori Marie Herman.

In the meantime, I would like to invite the following to come forward, and I forgive me on this one.

I believe it's Annette Mamon or Marman, Jennifer Joyner, Ronnie Burris, Addison Liberty Patrick, and Dragon Beloit.

I'm sorry.

Dragon Beloit.

Go ahead, Ms.

Rams.

Thank you.

Good evening, President Howland, honorable council members.

Um, my name is Laura Marie Herman.

I'm an uh English teacher in the district.

My address is on file.

I'm here today to speak in support of the Free to Garden Act.

Um, I would like to ask you today to think of this act in terms of communities, in terms of building community, in terms of communities putting prevention to work, in particular putting prevention to work in the form of food security, which is more urgent than ever.

From 2010 to 2012, I had the opportunity to observe the communities putting prevention to work grant in action on the island of Maui, Hawaii.

As a result of that grant, over 32 gardens were planted across the island, which not only resulted in food security, obesity dropped by 30%.

Tobacco usage by 40%, the availability of healthy food for the community increased by almost 70%.

These are big numbers.

I believe that this type of positive change can happen here by putting prevention to work through building community with the passage of the home occupation bill tonight and the sponsorship of the Free to Garden Act in the upcoming sessions.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Annette.

And please help me with your last name.

So I'm like, um, my name and address are on file.

Oh, I need your name.

Annette Maninov.

Thank you.

Um, all right.

I'm a local community organizer and I'm a teacher, and I support the Free to Garden Act, which makes community and market gardens permissible by right.

So I'm a teacher at John Ray Ball High, and I've seen firsthand the benefit that gardening has on our youth.

I was teaching one day, and there was something going on in the back of my class.

I was trying to teach a novel, and one student raises his hand wanting water, tears streaming down his face.

They were all laughing.

I was a bit annoyed at first until I realized what they had.

A group of teenage boys had a hot pepper that had grown from the garden.

And I went back there and I started talking to them, and the way they lit up when they told me about how they'd grown it, and they were showing it to me like with so much pride.

And you know, these boys are usually like, you know, always causing me trouble and whatnot.

But it's about so much more than the food, especially for our vulnerable youth in Jacksonville.

And I want for all of the youth of Jacksonville to be able to experience that joy.

But not only that, if you bring that joy, you bring votes because me and people with my mindset remember things like this.

And we tend to be the types of people that care enough to vote and encourage others to vote or even run for office ourselves.

I'm out in the community a lot, and I promise this issue is of great concern between groups who otherwise may have nothing else in common, as I'm sure you've noticed tonight.

So I'm not gonna take up too much of your time, as you guys have heard this a million times, but just observe the walks of life that people are coming from and why they support this bill.

It's a it's pretty popular.

All right.

So we ask you to pass the home occupation bill tonight and in the coming days, commit to sponsor the Free to Garden Act.

So we can move forward for filing an introduction.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next we have Jennifer Joyner.

Hello, council.

My name is Jennifer Joyner.

I live in San Suci.

My address is on file.

I'm a member of the Southeast CPAC.

With the next fiscal year's budget currently in the works, I'm here tonight to speak on the topic of animal welfare in Jacksonville and specifically regarding funds to cover spay and neuter surgeries.

We pray to God before each of our city council meetings.

We are here to be good stewards of God's creatures.

And while City has taped taken steps in the right direction, we still have a long way to go.

Animal welfare is hot on Floridians' radar right now.

Governor DeSantis has signed into effect several notable animal welfare laws over the last couple of years.

More people are acknowledging that we need to take better care of all creatures big and small if we want to be a better society overall.

One major way we can impact this is through trap neuter and return programs, also known as TNR.

Jacksonville has an extensive population of community cats, and without human intervention, their fate is not always a good one.

TNR is the humane answer for controlling that population while helping the community cats that are already here.

Controlling this population frees up resources for already overwhelmed shelters and rescues in our city so they can help more dogs and cats in need.

The city of Jacksonville has not significantly increased funding for spay neuter programs like Duvall Catfix in many years, despite rising demand and increasing costs associated with providing these services.

As a result, volunteer trappers must now pay a fee for TNR procedures.

This will greatly reduce the number of cats brought in to be fixed.

The chief of ACPS has stated that our city's shelter is working hard to achieve no-kill status again.

So to that end, we need more funding for spay and neuter surgeries.

Per Jennifer Barker, the CEO of Every Pet, a reasonable request for additional trap neuter return funding would be in the range of 100 to 150,000.

TNR programs, such as Duvall Catfix continue to demonstrate tremendous community need with available funding often being exhausted quickly.

An increased investment from the city would allow more cats to be sterilized, reduce the burden on shelter intake, improve community cat health and quality of life, and help prevent the growth of community cat populations.

Additional funding would represent a proactive, cost effective investment in animal welfare.

Thank you for your consideration.

And thank you.

Next we have Ronnie Burris.

Hello, my name's Ronnie Burris, and my address is on file.

Well, I'm here to tell you tonight we settled the contract.

And my bargaining unit uh passed at 240 to 14.

So they're very happy with the contract that we were able to negotiate at MPAS.

Just so you know, we were the first union in over 20 years to go to Impasse with JEA.

So hopefully we're gonna get them to 2026, and that's what I told them.

Um I just want everybody to know that we did settle the contract.

Our members are happy, and I look forward forward for it to coming to you and you passing it also.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Next we have Addison Liberty Patrick.

Good evening.

My name is Addison Liberty Patrick, and my address is on file.

I am a Jacksonville resident taxpayer and party to case number 16-2026-ca-004155 in the fourth judicial circuit.

She's passing around some information there.

I am standing here tonight to talk about ethics and basic due diligence because apparently someone around here needs to.

Back in 2025, 10 sitting members of this council, Carico, Howland, Amaro, Lannon, Carlucci, Arius, White, Salem, Miller, and Freeman, along with Sheriff TK Waters, rushed out to throw their official backing behind a single candidate for city council at large group one.

She was endorsed before basic legal questions were ever answered.

So let's clear this up now.

In this case, the one ending in 4155, no judge has actually heard the evidence on these residency claims.

No judge has allowed discovery, and no one has put Miss Wesley under oath for a deposition.

Her residency qualification has never been proven in a court of law, not once.

In fact, as of today, a second lawsuit from an independent Duval County elector has officially been filed, challenging her residency from a completely separate source.

Ten of you endorsed her so early in 2025 without checking the facts.

Meanwhile, in 2026, state-level criminal investigations and subpoenas hover over our city council like a dark cloud.

The irony is almost impressive.

So what was the rush?

Did 10 council members and the sheriff simply fail to do basic research?

Or was political expediency more important than just transparency?

I believe you hoped the public would not pay attention to the fine print.

But newsflash, Jacksonville residents do pay attention.

We read the fine print.

So my question to you with two active lawsuits now challenging her eligibility.

Does anyone have the backbone to retract or pause their endorsement until discovery takes place and the truth comes out under oath?

Or are you going to pretend these legal questions do not exist?

The public record is watching.

Thank you.

Next we have Dragon Blood.

In the meantime, I'm going to invite up to the front, please.

Jamel Davis, Kiana Blaylock, Nancy Murray Settle, Xavier Green, and Moriana Nieves.

Neves.

Yes, ma'am.

Hi, my name is Dragon Blood.

My address is on file.

Hello again, everyone.

Let's all be really, really excited for Lyuna getting everything they wanted because it was crazy having them come up and go, hey, please help us.

It's always nice to see a positive result.

I'm also here to speak on the Free to Garden Act.

Sounds awesome.

I like that.

I have a little garden that I keep in totes because I can't put it in the ground.

Uh so I keep it in totes so I can move it back and forth.

I'm growing peppers now.

Um I also have another thing I'd like to say.

I actually have a cat trap actively in my car to start doing the TNR program, and I'm really not looking forward to those fees.

So hey, if you can wave those, that'd be awesome.

But what I'm actually here for is to talk once again.

You're gonna be so shocked about flock cameras.

There are eight flock cameras around my neighborhood.

I literally can't leave without a private corporation spying on me.

We are the free state of Florida.

Let's try and maybe look into that.

Also, none of them have any like breakaway plates at the bottom.

So if a car hits them, they're not going anywhere.

And that person's gonna get really hurt.

Who installed these?

Um, the one right in front of my house on Merrill Road, that one is just sitting right next to Merrill Road, which I don't know if you know how fast people go on that road, but it's pretty quick.

Somebody hits that without a breakaway plate, they're going to die.

And then their family is going to sue not flock, but the city.

I am letting you know that this is going to be an issue in the future as soon as somebody hits one of them, and we all live in Jacksonville, we know what drivers are like here.

Someone's gonna hit one.

So let's try and take some steps to try and maybe if they're gonna be there, put a breakaway plate there.

Also, if they're gonna be there, inform the people that are being actively surveilled because it is active surveillance.

I really don't like living in a surveillance state.

This is Jacksonville.

Jacksonville's an awesome city.

I don't want somebody looking over my shoulder when I leave my house, and right now they do.

A private corporation currently knows exactly where I am.

I don't like that.

I don't want that to be the kind of city I live in.

And none of my neighbors do either.

I can't get them out because they're all working, but everybody's pretty upset, and they're gonna vote that upset later.

So please take action on flop cameras.

Thank you very much.

Bye.

Next, we have Jamil Davis.

Good evening.

My name is Jamil Davis, and my address is on file.

Um, I am here tonight.

Also to say that I am in favor of the free to garden act as well.

Um, I also think that the Free to Garden Act would be a great way for us to institute another way to have some sort of mental health practices within our city.

Um, instead of putting more into the already inflated budget that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office currently gets here in our wonderful city and county.

Um, I am here standing as the North Florida League regional organizer for Black Voters Matter and also standing in solidarity with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee on behalf of Black Voters Matter in honor of being able to um help institute a mental health response team that will answer a lot of our mental health cases instead of having our police department having to constantly and consistently go out and answer those particular cases as well.

Um, and I would like for many of our city council members to also sit with individuals within the community and help build out a budget that will benefit the people instead of corporate interests and our developer friends and well-being loved ones.

Um, and so that is my time that I will yield the rest to.

Thank y'all so much for listening to me.

Y'all have a great evening.

Thank you, sir.

Next we have Kiana Blaylock.

Kiana Blaylock address on file.

I am here with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee to demand that Jacksonville citizens have a say in the city's budget.

We have seen that the portion of the budget that goes to public safety has increased over the years, and much of that is going to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

And yes, while public safety is a priority, um, giving and increasing the budget allocations that go to JSON seems like a contradiction only because they have proven time and time again that they do not know how to de-escalate, especially when there are cases of mental health crisis is happening.

Um, with Brian Gillis, uh Rashawn Martin, Leah Baker.

Um, with Brian Gillis, uh Rashawn Martin, Leah Baker, they have only escalated the situations, and unfortunately, a lot of them uh leads to Jacksonville citizens being killed.

Um, many of the people here tonight have told you exactly what they want to be in this budget, where the funds should be going, whether that's a community garden, whether that is the stopping of certain developments, and that we can have a more walkable city and um in Jacksonville, whether that be um when Dixie came to ask for money to be staying in Jacksonville, um, and then the the reasoning was that there are food deserts and food insecurity.

When you're a council member here has said, well, there is a food desert fund or act, however, it just has gone um ignored by most of you.

Um so again, people are telling you exactly what they want in this budget.

However, time and time again, you have proven that you it is falls on deaf ears.

Um there are studies have shown that over policing just leads to over policing.

It does not lead to a safer city, but the things that do lead to a safer city are the things that your constituents here have told you to your very face time and time again over the many uh city council meetings I have been over the years.

Um the public the people's budget that J uh JCAC is proposing uh provides a clear transformative alternative rather than the bloated JSO budget that we have gone gotten every single time.

And thank you so much.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have Nancy Murray Suttle.

Nancy Murray Settle, addresses on file.

Today I'm here to speak about law and order, rules and regulation.

There's a lot of them when it comes to running a large city like Jacksonville, and I personally can chafe against many of them at times, but I also realize that that's what makes our civilization work.

It makes government work, it builds trust between citizens and elected officials when the rules are followed.

It brings order to what otherwise could be chaos.

When there is corruption, greed for wealth and power, nepotism and dishonesty, a city or a state is bound to fail.

There's lots of sayings which show us that humans have a tendency toward corruption and dishonesty, such as rules were made to be broken.

Let's ask forgiveness rather than permission.

It was just a little white lie, and everyone does it.

There's so many escape patches from truth telling and honesty, but we must attempt to shed light where we see that the bending of truth is becoming detrimental.

We must talk about hypocrisy.

Sometimes we give each other grace, sometimes we give a pass, a waiver when we make mistakes.

And when running large organizations like Jacksonville, I can see sometimes the need for a waiver from following the rules, the codes, the ordinances.

But when it becomes a common practice, I think we all need to take a look at what is happening.

I'm looking at specifically at the waivers from code um one eight oh seven, which requires a competitive bid before grants can be made.

I understand it on a certain level, it speeds up the process of getting money to organizations that are large trusted, have been doing business with the city for decades, such as United Way of Northeast Florida, Shoalsbackers Center.

And however, in this week's agenda, there were 27 instances of a request for a waiver.

Granted, many of them were coming from the budget for next year.

Um, some of them made sense, some of them does didn't.

However, there were at least five other waivers ordinances attempting to give money to nonprofits without a competitive bid.

I'm gonna go to the one ordinance 0575, a request for 94,000 to a great organization, operation for new uniforms, worthy for sure.

But when the president's fire watch has two of those members sitting on the board, it looks a little bit like nepotism.

So let's be careful of that.

Thank you.

Next we have Xavier Green.

Xavier Green, address on file.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Xavier Green, and I'm a resident of Jacksonville, and I just have a question.

What message does it send to your constituents that our pretrial detention facility has quietly become the largest mental health receiving facility in Duval County?

What message does it send when your own 2024 special committee report reveals a staggering reality that more than 31% of the jail population currently qualifies for diversionary mental health programs undiverted?

Yeah, you also complain about how overpopulated the jail is.

Sounds like an easy solution to this billion dollar issue.

Am I right?

You all don't believe you all don't even believe that they belong in there, so act on it.

That same report proved that individuals with mental illnesses stayed in the jail eight times longer and cost seven times as much, draining millions from taxpayers through the jail in UF Health.

At the same time, JSO has killed over five residents in mental crisis in 2025 alone, contributing to a local police killing rate that is more than twice the national average, while use of forced incidents and complaints continue to rise and go unresolved, according to JSO's own AP open data and community reports.

We cannot afford to keep funding a broken cycle of incarceration and lethal policing.

The focus must shift immediately to funding a civ civilian-led mental health emergency response program.

We're um pitching a 12-month pilot deployed deploying clinician first and co-responder teams to handle nonviolent calls through licensed LSF mental health providers like MHRC, the co-responder program through uh JSO.

If there is a potential threat of danger and a police response if there is a direct threat of extreme violence, diverting people who need it to community care like the Souls Baker Center or MHRC before they even reach SL.

And guess what?

It wouldn't cost the city much at all.

We've done the research.

The state has coffers specifically for mobile response teams or MRTs.

So the time is now.

Thank you.

And also Charlie Kirk, y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Next, we have Morriana and Eves.

In the meantime, I want to invite uh Gabrielle Peralta, Amina Sharif, Jamie Travis Leonard, and Denise Cook to please come down to the front.

Go ahead, ma'am.

Hello, my name's Moriana Nievis, address on file.

Uh once again, you've heard from the public about what it wants to see within its own community.

And I have an incredible and new transformative idea for our community.

The people of Jacksonville will pay you tax money to put the things that we want to see, the programs and initiatives that we want to see within our communities in our communities.

And you actually do it this time.

As the working class people of Jacksonville continue to see more money being sucked into the city, only to have fumes come out and have city leaders seemingly be more interested in the investment of death and stagnation within Jacksonville.

We are done.

We are done.

With a $674 million budget, sorry, and over a 150 million dollar increase over the years, Jacksonville can more than afford to invest in invest in mental health initiatives and a mental health professional team in response to the mental health crisis in Jacksonville.

And yet it chooses to invest heavily into armed forces meant to protect property and not people.

JSOS JSO's budget has increased from 638 million to 678 million over the last two years.

Does anyone feel 678 million dollars safer?

No one does.

JCAC's budget, people's budget is clear.

It's transformative and for the people, reinvesting millions of taxpayer dollars into the services and the infrastructure that make our communities better, and no more JSO funding increases.

We need to implement a people's budget now.

And I know if Charlie Kirk was here with us, he's looking up at us right now.

He would want this as well.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you.

Next we have Gabrielle Peralta.

Good evening.

Gabriel Peralta, address on file.

So the JC the JCAC, Jacksonville Community Action Committee has called for the inclusion of participatory budgeting, in which additional funding going towards JSO should be decided by the community.

So what priorities the community needs.

More funding to JSO hasn't paid dividends.

However, increased opportunities, economic development, livable wages, and enhanced public services provide the stability needed for the people of Jacksonville to thir to thoroughly flour flourish.

Over the past decade, the JSO budget has consistently accounted for more than half of our city budget and is increasing, increased nearly every year with an overall rise of over 200 million since 2013.

A mental health crisis is not a death sentence.

When families call 911 for help, they're asking for medical intervention, not an execution.

With the 674 million dollar budget and over 150 million dollar increase over the last couple of years, Jacksonville can't afford to invest in train.

Jacksonville can afford to invest in trained mental health professionals instead of letting armed officers act as first responders for those in crisis.

We are demanding a permanent mental health emergency response team, mandatory de-escalation protocols and family and family records within seven business days because grieving family members shouldn't have to wait months for answers while JSO's budget balloons.

Also also no Charlie Kirk Day, please.

That sounds horrible.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Amina Sharif.

Good afternoon.

Amina Sharif address OVA.

I am coming to basically repeat the same thing we've been saying over and over and over again.

And we as the community are faced with stagnation.

Many of the things that we've been coming up here acting for have not been acting on.

Connor, the young man that was arrested for speaking regarding uh Palestine is still in jail for his public comments he has made.

And he was uh basically arrested for that.

From the tape, he was assaulted.

But that's another issue.

The other thing is I'm glad to see that alligator Alcatraz is being closed.

It is because people have been outraged about how the environmental situation affected the animals.

Now we have the same situation in Brentwood, where the environmental fumes that are coming from the forensic forensic lab in the morgue.

We the the uh residents of that area should be given the same consideration as the alligator Alcatraz.

We're being affected by those fumes.

All right.

The other thing is the the uh criminal president who has uh basically pardoned the January 6th uh people that storm the Capitol.

He has pardoned them.

Now he has put in for these people to be compensated for the crime they committed.

When in essence, a subject like uh to be considered for something like that.

Here you have victims of slavery asking for compensation for them being victimized.

They consider that not relevant.

But then you can ask for the January 6 people to be compensated.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have uh Jamie Travis Leonardo.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Jamie Travis Leonard.

My address is on file.

Welcome back.

Um, so today I want to talk about momentum, specifically in this community.

You may have noticed we have increasingly, at least since I've been coming regularly, which has been about a year, and I've attended almost every one of these meetings and several LUZ meetings at this point, built a lot of momentum, built a lot of community.

You've seen it with the neighborhood bill of rights, you've seen it with the Freedom to Garden Act.

So I want you to keep community momentum in mind as we come into our fiscal year.

Uh, I reviewed the mayor's budget.

I was very interested in the fact that 53% is going to public safety.

And unless there is something wrong on the infographic that was shared, that's over a billion dollars.

Which uh public safety is priority number one, and this budget reflects that.

I'm beginning to think this council and the mayor's office have a different idea of public safety compared to me.

Someone tell you what I think public safety is.

Public safety is access to nutritious food.

Public safety is affordable housing.

Public safety is pedestrian pathways that keep them safe.

Public safety is heat shelters in our lovely Florida summer.

Public safety is feral population management and funding to help people in the community do that.

Public safety is the Freedom to Garden Act, it's the neighborhood bill of rights, it's not putting the jail on the north side.

So what I challenge this council to do this fiscal year is take up the mayor's call to prioritize public safety, but give us actual public safety.

Make our communities better, safer, and more accessible.

Thank you.

Next we have Denise Cook.

In the meantime, I want to invite up to the front, please, Kirsten Gilmore, John Nooney, and Chelsea Chapman.

Hi, good evening.

My name is Denise Cook, and my address is on file.

Give you three guesses what I'm going to talk about tonight.

Y'all have been listening to me for years.

So I'm gonna talk about JP Smalls.

And I'm going to talk about the money that we've invested, the money that we're continuing to invest, and how exciting that is.

This is a huge opportunity for Jacksonville for 3209, but we have to also put in place things that were destroyed during redlining.

There it is.

There's that keyword.

There's that buzzword.

We use it.

We use it when it's appropriate to generate hype about what we're doing in city council.

We use it when we're generating hype about we want people on our sides.

We use it when it's appropriate when we feel like it's appropriate.

But what it really is is a deterioration of our communities, and it has been in place for years.

We all know it.

We know we're still doing it.

We're doing it in different ways.

We're doing it by digital redlining, environmental redlining.

There's a hundred different names, and we should sit down and talk about them all.

But what we're doing now is we're investing in an anchor into 3209.

That is an excellent idea.

But how many of you have been down there in the last six months?

Is there safe places to walk?

Are there any eateries?

Are there anything to support that?

Is the crime in that area where it should be so that tourists can come, so that families can come.

We're going to put in a new museum.

I'm all for this.

I want us to have these anchors.

We have beautiful, beautiful historic buildings.

We have wonderful rich history, not just in 3209, but all throughout Jacksonville.

But we need to do things purposely and thoughtfully and with intent and make sure we're not putting the cart before the horse.

I do also support the Freedom of Garden Act.

And as far as feral cats, I got several rabies shots last year from a feral cat that was not trapped.

So if we need if we can swing some money that way, it's a good thing.

That's very dangerous because raccoons carry them in Florida, but they don't demonstrate any symptoms.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have uh Kirsten Gilmore.

Good afternoon, my name is Kirsten, and my name, my address is on file.

Um, I am here to speak about Jacksonville.

Jacksonville deserves much better than the scraps we are often thrown by the wayside.

Um, like we're birds searching for the scraps, like you know how when you scatter seed and some of it goes right in the middle, and some of it fails to meet the outer edges of the um of the birds.

And unfortunately, oftentimes, like birds, we're all trying to flock into one area to try and gain access to a resource, to a need being met, to a thing that we need.

And unfortunately, Jacksonville oftentimes leaves many, many districts by the wayside.

Um, unfortunately, Jacksonville leaves many people, many institutions, many funding things by the wayside when we prioritize funding things that are not able to actually supplement the scattering, the way that we are continuously scattering seeds, the way that we are continuously only putting things in certain areas, only putting things in certain districts, only prioritizing planting trees in certain districts, putting mental health resources in certain districts and things like that.

When we only prioritize those types of things, it creates an unfortunate situation where people think that things don't exist in those districts.

People think those districts are trashy, are disgusting, are invaluable, and I do not want that for our city.

I know that we've heard many, many people say that they don't want that for their city.

They want to be able to build community gardens, they want to be able to have food access, access to nature, access to creating sustainable living programs for not only the humans of Jacksonville, but also for the animals of Jacksonville, for the wildlife of Jacksonville, for the nature of Jacksonville, for the continuing infrastructure of Jacksonville, which is what the budget is supposed to be for.

When we highlight and over-emphasize making sure that public safety is only administered in one way, we often we often see that scattering of seeds only being concentrated in one area.

I highly recommend we listen to our constituents.

We listen to the people that come and speak to us weekly.

I know a few of them personally.

And I would like to decrease JSO's budget, please.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Next we have John Nooney.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Ojo Trade 506, Baskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32216.

Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819, shout out, RD, the real doge, Ron Davis, 600 WBOB, Monday through Friday, 6-9.

Governor DeSantis, James Upmeyer, President Trump, Dean Black, Scott Wilson, Donnie Olton, the Board of County Commissioners of St.

John's County, Jacksonville, City Council members, Pardon Nooney.

2024 0107, 3.5 million direct contract, 2024-0325, direct contract, University of Florida septic tanks.

Now I'm wearing my FWC hat.

You know, fishing with corrections.

Now at a recent ethics commission meeting, and you can ask Dylan Rheingold, Paige Johnson, Kirby Oberdorfer.

I asked, we have six seat packs representing near the entire city of Jacksonville.

We have the mayor's disability council.

Um the Council on Elder Affairs.

Why is OGC, the Office of General Council, not represented at these meetings?

The public trust is crushed, especially on our waterways, and I'll show anyone.

I'm just down about a minute.

Okay, 2026 0024 is a recent legislative example.

2026 0004, that's our Parks Trust Fund.

2026 0396 Movie Trust Fund.

2025 0463 Veterans Trust Fund.

2025 0867, Duval County Public Schools, CIP, Wendy Con, COJ 2009, 4042.

That's the Artificial Reef Trust Fund.

Now support the Freedom to Garden Act, okay, true commission, waterways.

You know, that's uh thing to the but here, real quick.

I'm only down to 20 some seconds.

Here is downtown Jacksonville, the visitors map.

You open it up.

And you know what?

The kayak launch on Chelsea Street, it's not there.

Here's the new handout.

Look how much smaller this one is.

Again, the kayak launch on Chelsea Street's not there.

And there's legislation coming.

But I'll tell you what, I'll take anybody.

Tourism.

It's the world that we're marketing to.

Our last speaker is uh Chelsea Chapman.

Ms.

Chapman, hello, council members.

My name is Chelsea Chapman, a single mother of two uniquely able sons and a resident of Duval County since 2021.

Also a member of NAACP and the founder of Guided Guarded Protect the Inc., which will be providing a youth academic community enrichment program for the youth in the near future of 2027.

I came to Jacksonville seeking peace, growth, and a stability after homelessness, but instead faced repeated negligence, delays, and violations from the city of Jacksonville that prolonged our hardship and endangered my family's well-being.

Despite clear needs in eligibility, essential services were mishandled or denied, leaving my children without consistent disability support and forcing us to navigate instability.

No family should endure.

These systematic failures cause emotional, financial, and physical harm while obstructing our path forward, securing housing and economic independence.

Even through these challenges, I speak publicly because the residents of Duval experience reflects a broader pattern of institutional neglect affecting vulnerable families across Jacksonville.

I remain committed to advocating for accountability change in a future where families like mine receive the support they are promised.

Council members, I'm here to address the clear shift in Jacksonville spending priorities between the budget of 2019 and the 2026-27 budget and what those changes mean for the people who live here.

In 2019, the city general fund exceeded 1.26 billion with nearly 750 million dedicated to public safety.

While people investments remain small at what 7.3%.

The capital improvement plan has exploded to 262 million for the year and 1.2 billion over five years with 1 billion funded through borrowing.

These this represents a major strategic shift towards debt-driven infrastructure expansion.

The pattern is consistent.

Public safety dominates social programs.

We have two uh people who do not wish to speak but submitted cards.

Jessica Machin, please support uh JCAC's but people's budget, create a mental health resource center.

And Ann Sembok do not want, does not want the sucker stadium at the town center.

Mr.

President, before moving on to public hearings, as per your request, we're going to be moving up item uh number 144 on page 56.

Number 144 on page 56 2026 0576.

I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency, and the applicant's representative is here.

If anyone did not get to talk to him during committee week.

Seeing nobody in the queue, we'll take the emergency vote verbally.

All those in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against say no.

The emergency passes.

Mr.

President, we have two public participation cards.

The first is John Nooney.

Mr.

Nooney, you're up three minutes on item 144, 2026, 0576.

Hello, I am John J.

Nooney.

Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC 3, School Board, District 3.

Uh I thought I marked on the card, did not wish to speak, but I just needed to hear your voice, my friend.

I'll take you for your word, though.

It's not if you look at it, but uh I just but I'm here, and I and just for the record, I do believe I marked support the legislation.

Thank you, Mr.

Nuny.

Thank you, Mr.

Newton.

Thank you, sir.

We have another speaker.

Uh Mr.

Hardin.

Uh Council President, I have questions only if someone has anything they'd like to ask me now.

All right, thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.

Having no more cards, I move move the emergency, move the bill as an emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency.

Again, the applicant's representative is here for any questions.

Seeing none.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

18 years, zero and a s.

By your vote, 2026 0576 passes.

Mr.

President, it is now time for public hearings beginning on page eight.

Council members should declare any ex parte communications.

Anyone wishing to speak on the following bill should have completed a blue speaker card, and you will be allowed three minutes to speak.

If you provided your address or the on the prescribed form and don't wish to state it on the microphone, then you're permitted to just state it's on the record.

But we encourage to be specific as possible as to your location, because it will likely impact the weight of your comments.

Like public comment, assuming approval of the presiding officer, a speaker may be invited to the Robert Johnson room for further discussion with a council member.

Failure to complete the form, provided including the provision of an address on the form will mean your name will not be called for public hearing.

Mr.

Teal, please read the bills.

2026, 376, 420, 421, 483, 484, 485, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 552, 2026, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, and 482.

Ms.

President, I would ask you to please open up those public hearings.

These public hearings are all open.

Again, as per your request, we're going to jump ahead and take two items out of order.

Item number 46, 2026, 477 on page 24.

Do we have any cards for that?

We have two cards on 46, three cards, I'm sorry, on 477.

And um I'm sorry.

Okay.

It is 77 and 78, right?

All right, we've got four cards.

First one is Chrissy Kinney, followed by Grady Pope and Laura Backus.

I would ask you to come on to the front, please.

And then Mr.

Harden.

And because we skipped the head, reminder to all uh my colleagues were on item number 46, 2026 0477.

We're in public hearing.

Do we have any enforcement?

Good evening, Chrissy Kinney, address on file.

I oppose Bill 0477 as it has clearly identified comp plan deficiencies.

On behalf of the San Jose Neighborhood Association and myself as a homeowner, I respectfully request that the San Jose Neighborhood Association competent substantial evidence binder exhibits one through 53 be entered into the record.

This exhibit binder represents months of research through public records, city planning documents, engineering reports, environmental studies, demographic data, legislative history, star a diseases, judicial precedents, and applicable statutes in case law.

It has been prepared to assist the council in developing a complete evidentiary support record for this proposed land use amendment.

And it is compan and its companion rezoning 478.

The first section of the binder focuses on the land use amendment.

It contains demographic information, planning analysis, comprehensive plan resources, and legal authorities that are supported by evidence and advances a legitimate public purpose, which at this time we oppose due to failure points within the application.

The remaining sections are organized around five findings required by the San Jose Neighborhood Association Resolution 012026 and addresses the companion planned unit development, which my neighbors will address for the next bill.

Each tab corresponds to one of those findings and includes supporting documents related to traffic, compatibility, buffering, environmental preservation, infrastructure, and housing standards, and how our five asks reasonably repair the four-mentioned failure points.

It has been organized as a working reference to help locate supporting documents quickly, formulate questions as they arise, and identify issues that may warrant further discussion before this matter moves to the LUZ committee.

The neighborhood presents that these exhibits to help complete the evidentiary record by providing information that was either not included nor fully developed in the applicant submission.

Our intent is not to overwhelm the record, but to assist the council in evaluating whether the applicable land use and zoning standards have been satisfied.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Next we have Grady Pope.

Grady Pope 3704 Ponce Leon Avenue in San Jose 32217.

I oppose ordinance.

Bear with me.

As written.

Sir, we're speaking on 477.

I'm sorry, Alice Have a seat.

Uh Miss Kenny just spoke for me.

On that one, I'll speak to the next one.

Next we have Laura Backis.

Hi, I'm Laura Back as my address is on file.

And I'm uh I oppose 477.

Um the section of Old King's Road South between St.

Augustine Road and Powers Avenue, where the King's Trail property is located, does not meet current standards for a residential roadway.

Um it has two 10-foot lanes, no shoulder, no parking lanes or turn lanes.

There's no bike lane and no JTA bus route.

No space was planned for road expansion.

Drainage ditches line about half of this section of Old King's Road South on both sides.

Um the road has 57 single-family homes across the 20-foot wide street facing the King's Trail Elementary School property, and it is assigned as a suburban residential collector, C3R by the FDOT or a collector by the city, with an acceptable volume of over 17,000 trips daily, um, according to the classification.

In early July, um, our neighborhood association hired an independent traffic engineer, Austin Chapman.

He did his analysis, and it indicates that Old Kings Road South is non-conforming to current standards for a collector roadway.

Uh, there are currently um no bus stops, no routes along this section, and the closest bus stops are on St.

Augustine Road, about a third of a mile away, um, or half a mile to Powers Avenue to the east.

Um, this is important to consider um when increasing housing density according to the comprehensive plan.

Um, and in 2025, the City of Jacksonville traffic study identified the section of road the King's Trail School property is on, gets about 2,500 trips daily.

Um, but FDOT estimates 3,600 trips daily in this section.

Um as a comparison of collectors to our West St.

Augustine Road is classified as a minor arterial, and it has four lanes but no parking or turn lanes, and it gets over 16,000 daily trips, um, and it's at 60 percent capacity according to projections to our east powers avenue, a minor arterial.

It's a suburban commercial collector C3C has four lanes with a center turn lane.

It is estimated at over 21,000 average daily trips, and is at about 58 percent of the projected volume.

Um powers also has bus routes, bus stops, and a bike lane.

Um the proposed land use change would open this area to medium density residential development.

According to the traffic engineers analysis, thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

Paul Hardin.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Paul Harden, 1431 River Place Boulevard.

I'll go quickly on this.

This piece of property is adjoining a parcel that you zoned for the exact same use that we're making of this property less than six months ago.

We're proposing a down zoning on the site.

It's currently being used for a school, the school board is closing down.

It's going from an institutional use to single family residential.

The road that they're talking about, uh Old King's Road at the spot uh that that we're planning our entry onto the road is serving capacity at 14 percent.

There's 86 percent capacity according to the planning department at this site.

Everything that they propose in their booklet that they handed out to you is incorrect.

It is countered in the planning department's report and has information in those reports uh on those issues.

So I'll be happy to go over those with anyone if you have time.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

President, you also have four members who do not wish to speak for individuals.

Lisa Friedlander, she opposes.

Dragon Beloit and Amy Caffey.

All oppose 477.

I have no more cards on 477.

This public hearing is closed, and additional public hearing will be held on August 11, 2026.

Next we have item number 472026478.

I have two speaker cards, Grady Pope and Paul Harden, Mr.

Pope.

Grady Pope 3704 Ponce Leon Avenue in the San Jose neighborhood, 32217.

I oppose ordinance 2026 0478 as written.

The staff report for this ordinate recommends two conditions.

The standard traffic study and requiring guest parking to be provided in accordance with the code at a ratio of one parking space for every three townhomes and or cottages.

At the Planning Commission hearing on July 23, the attorney for the applicant agreed to the traffic study, but both but balked at being required to provide guest parking, stating its burden to maintain.

If you look at page nine of the staff report, it explicitly states that as the number of townhome and cottage developments has increased throughout the city.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Next we have Mr.

Harden.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Paul Hardin, 1431 River Place Boulevard.

We have proposed at the Planning Commission that the guest parking be in front of the houses.

They have room for parking on the front.

Otherwise, what you would have is guest parking scattered throughout the uh subdivision.

There people use them for storage, they're not used for parking.

People don't want to park and then come visit somebody and walk uh three or four houses away.

We'll have some of the folks uh from Dream Finders here to answer the questions on that, but we we think that the proposed plan of proposed in the site plan in the application fits this uh requirement.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

President, I have no more cards for uh for item four seven.

I do have one more you do have another card.

I believe I do actually I have four more cards, five.

Ms.

Kinney, Lisa Fredlander, Friedlander, Elise Roche, Amy Ketfill, Cordy Pope.

Uh he just spoke on that one.

And then Laura Bacchus.

So Miss Kinney.

Again, Chrissy Kenny address on file.

As written, 0478 should not pass.

For nearly 75 years, our San Jose neighborhood settled beside the King's Trail Elementary School.

It was not perfect, but it was predictable.

Families understood the relationship between their homes and that property.

The school served a profound public purpose and the surrounding community rooted around that reality.

That chapter is changing, and we understand that properties do not remain frozen in time.

We understand that housing demands are different, and we're not asking this council to stop progress.

Quality planning asks a significant question.

When one land use gives way to another, will we build the right bridge between the old and the new?

Because the city is not simply approving housing, it's granting a new set of development rights that will remain attached to this property with the POD long after we're gone.

The former school property and the proposed development are not equivalent uses simply because they appliced the same acreage.

One was a public institutional use with activity concentrated around school calendar and activities.

The other creates 110 permanent households and the intensities of such.

That difference matters.

It is why the PUD written description matters.

A PUD is not a contingency.

It is the legal instrument that defines what can and cannot happen on this property.

The applicant suggested that many of the protections our neighborhood request seem unreasonable, but will likely happen anyway under intent.

Respectfully, likely it's not a zoning standard, and if our community cannot think, feel, and believe to substantiate our requests, neither can the applicant.

This is still a school board property.

Our ask is the language you approve.

Our neighborhood has requested five reasonable additions to the PUD written description.

They are not unreasonable demands.

They are modest safeguards intended to ensure that the transition from a long-established suburban neighborhood to a higher intensity urban residential development occurs respectfully for all property owners.

For four months, residents have asked for collaboration.

We've reviewed plans, studied impacts, and offered solutions.

We've not come here to oppose, we've come here to improve during the planning commission hearing.

All of those efforts were dismissed rather than examined.

But disagreement should never replace evidence and frustration should never replace planning.

Do not ask this neighborhood to trust what cannot be enforced.

To rely on assurances never written down.

How can we be expected to do that?

Next, we have Lisa Friedlander.

Hope that's close.

Lisa Friedlander, my address is on file.

In the last three years, within 1.6 miles of our San Jose neighborhood, we have lost 105 acres of forest that served as a major ecosystem to our area.

Clear-cut by developers for affordable housing apartments, luxury apartments, and town homes.

105 acres of beautiful trees and wildlife gone.

I would be lying if I said I believed that the Planning Commission or Dreamfinders cares about the 1.2 acres of wetlands behind the King's Trail Elementary School, but we care.

Instead of an extensive clearing of the 1.2 acres of wetlands, mature live oaks, and cypress trees, the builder could choose to utilize this land for the benefit of themselves, new homeowners, and the existing neighborhood.

There is researching this path.

Please refer to your binder.

From Bay Meadows North to San Marco, it's a pleasant drive with mature trees and no strip malls every few miles.

I have so much respect and gratitude for the San Jose Neighborhood Association.

I belong to.

They have worked tirelessly, giving their time and money to try and preserve our neighborhood, even though the game seems stacked against the people.

Jacksonville is blessed to have such caring citizens as a part of their community.

Unless environmental protections are made a condition of approval.

Once these wetlands are filled and these trees are removed, they cannot be replaced.

We have an obligation to ensure growth occurs responsibly, and in accordance with the standards, the city council has already adopted.

Thank you for your time.

Next we have Elise Broch.

Good evening.

My name is Elise Broche, address on record, and I'm the president of the San Jose Neighborhood Association.

I'll be speaking to Purple Tab 5 in your binders and submit those documents for the record.

I oppose ordinance 2026 0478, not the project itself, but the PUD as written.

There are things about the project we can support, but the PUD written description leaves many questions unanswered and leaves a blank check for the developer to cash without community input.

At the Planning Commission hearing on July 23rd, Mr.

Hardin colored our requested conditions as unreasonable.

But that may seem like a true statement to someone who doesn't live in the area and travel the roadways on a daily basis, or even to someone who doesn't live directly across the street from the project site.

Our neighborhood is asking for five specific conditions to protect the character of our neighborhood, all supported by the comprehensive plan, Florida statutes, and prior council actions.

One of those conditions is housing for the elderly, which the applicant has identified as one of the principal permitted uses within this PUD.

Because the written description does not define what qualifies as housing for the elderly, the ordinance should expressly require that any development relying on this authorization comply with the Federal Housing for Older Persons Act and its implementing regulations for the life of the development.

Requiring compliance with HOPA simply ensures that it, if it if this permitted use is pursued, it functions as a true age-qualified community consistent with both the applicants' representations and federal law.

We recognize the need for and would welcome a 55-plus independent living active adult community in our area.

In fact, of the four active adult communities within a 10-mile radius of this project site, only one offers detached single-family homes, and it's the farthest from the site.

I'd like to mention that despite our best efforts, we've not been given the opportunity to meet with Mr.

Harden or have a town hall.

Although the affected parties were afforded some type of virtual meeting, the San Jose Neighborhood Association was not notified or invited.

Lastly, in June, the Southeast CPAC voted unanimously 19 to zero to submit a letter recommending a deferment to provide the planning commission and the public with additional time to carefully evaluate the benefits and concerns associated with these ordinances and their potential effects on the surrounding neighborhood.

A copy of the CPAC letter is in your binder.

The planning commission declined to defer, but if we're given more time, we're confident we can work with the applicant to reach a solution.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next we have Amy Calfil.

Good evening, I'm Amy Calfey.

Thank you.

Yeah, so Amy Calfey with San Jose Neighborhood Association.

My address is on file, and I'm speaking in opposition to the proposed ordinance, 0478 as written.

Having spoken here before you all have asked us to just don't say no, bring some ideas.

So in your binders, and we keep referring to that, it's quick reference material, full of competent and substantial evidence supporting the PUD's conditions that we're requesting.

So you've heard about wetlands, you've heard about traffic.

I'd like to talk to you about building heights and the buffer along Old King's Road South.

First height.

The application allows structures up to 35 feet on 31 foot wide lots right up against our neighborhood boundary.

That's a sharp jump next to primarily single story single family homes.

And after the planning commission hearing last week, the applicant's representative confirmed that the product is intended to be single story cottages across the whole site.

If that's the case, and we take him at his word, then writing that commitment into the PUD language should be straightforward.

Single story limit along our shared boundary, stepping up only on the far east side near Powers Avenue, simply locks in the transition the site plan already implies.

It protects the existing neighborhood without stopping the project.

Second is the buffer along Old King's Road South.

We're asking for continuity with what's already there, reclaim the school brick from the walls torn down from the school, and set the buffer depth at 35 feet from the right of way.

That matches the established buffer and keeps a streetscape consistent with more safety and more safely walkable.

There's a practical upside too.

Adaptive reuse credits are available.

Instead of demolishing all the brick, you can repurpose it, and it's in part of historic reuse requirements of the comprehensive plan.

It's better for the project, saves money for the developer.

Good idea.

Neither of these conditions are unreasonable nor are they anti-development.

But simply make the PUD match what the applicants already described.

Finally, I want you to see this handout in your binder that talks about our neighborhood.

We are 1,100 single-family homes with roughly 265 2,650 residents, and nearly 73% of those homes are homesteaded and owner-occupied.

So it's a stable tree-line data set in your binder that I just shared with you, representing a full long-term resident base, asking for reasonable transition.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our last speaker is Laura Backis.

Hi, I'm Laura Bacchus, so my address is on file.

And I'm opposing 478 as written.

Development on that property could explore getting an easement to Powers Avenue, which is better designed for the volume of traffic 110 units could just generate and have easier access to multimodal transportation.

Widening Old King's Road South in the section between St.

Augustine Road and the intersection with Powers Avenue to meet current collector roadway design requirements could be required.

According to the City Land Development Procedure Manual, vehicles, excuse me, when developments have a volume of left turn and right turn traffic that exceeds 20 to 30 vehicles per hour, they recommend a specified storage turning lane when deemed necessary.

They recommend a specified storage turning lane when deemed necessary.

This would be a roadway improvement that could be required.

According to the independent assessment of traffic engineer Austin Chapman, current space constraints are impossible to overcome without potentially seizing property of adjacent homeowners by eminent domain.

A possible solution has been proposed by our neighborhood association.

We have approached YMCA leadership.

Their property is also for sale and is adjacent to the King's Trail property, and the Duval County School Board representative for the King's Trail property about requesting a shared easement using an existing service road at Wilson High School that would allow ingress and egress for both properties via Powers Avenue.

The ability to provide an access road that meets current roadway design standards is possible with this solution.

YMCA leadership is interested as it would enhance their ability to sell.

And via a specific roadway prior to the first certificate of occupancy or the functional equivalent.

A condition like this for access on Powers Avenue via an easement through two school board properties with the agreement of the YMCA.

It's our recommended solution.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Thank ma'am.

Um Mr.

President, we have no more speaker cards on 478.

This public hearing is closed.

Additional public hearing will be held on August 11, 2026.

Moving back to the start of our items on public hearings, page number eight.

Item number eight, 2026, 376.

I have one speaker card, John Nooney.

And Mr.

Floor Leader Vice President Carlucci is going to the green room for those from the neighborhood who want to meet in there regarding the last two public hearings we just had.

Mr.

Nooney, three minutes, sir.

Hello.

I am John Philanthropic.

Good boy, resiliency, intangible.

Noone 83, 56 Baskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

I'm a city council district four, CPAC 3, School Board District 3.

All right, uh, gosh.

Yep, this is massive stuff.

Home occupations.

We're gonna amend sections.

We got a rural residential category, low density residential category, medium density residential category, high density category, subport B, residential use categories and zoning districts.

Now this is massive, it's in rules, L U Z, but not waterways.

And you know, the CPACs is it gonna go to the CPACs?

And you know the reason I want to speak to this.

It gets back to the quality of life throughout this entire city, and then the waterways component for access.

And I'll tell anybody, I'll show anyone.

I think we're just getting absolutely crushed.

So when you do increase this in every category, then keep in mind there's 67 counties in the state of Florida.

Our waterways is one of the most critical unifying features.

And you know, I just wrote on a whole bunch of different like Facebook stuff, like keep in mind, like we just had the power lines, like a thing with the Jacksonville ports.

Well, I am.

I mean, can you you know again?

You know, all these home occupation occupations density requirements, uh and it doesn't matter what, whether it's JTA, all the independent authorities.

You know, what I want to just focus on, and what I hope this council focuses on.

Just remember that Reed Island.

Before we had public access now.

Also, not the bill, please, Mr.

Nuny.

Okay, okay.

Okay.

Last last time.

Last time.

All right.

Uh I know.

Okay.

Well, anyway.

Uh wanted to bring that.

Uh why not just send it to waterways and then maybe that discussion can happen there.

All right.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you, sir.

That's no more speakers' cards for 376.

This public hearings continue to August 11, 2026.

Page nine, items numbers nine, 10, and 11, 420, 421, 483, I have no speaker cards.

Number uh 2026 0420 and 2026 0421 are continued.

Public hearings continue to August 11, 2026.

And then item number 11, 2026, 483, I have no speaker cards.

This public hearing is closed.

Turning to page uh 10, item number 12, 2026, 484, and 485.

I have actually I have one speaker card in 485.

Hold on.

484, I have no speaker cards.

This public hearing is closed.

On 485, I have one speaker card.

Questions only.

And it's Kristen Reed.

Seeing no questions, this public hearing is closed.

And moving on now to item 14, 2026, 533.

I have one speaker card.

Jorge Gonzalez.

Mr.

Gonzalez.

Hello.

Uh George Catulas.

Uh 135 West 9th Street.

Um I don't have anything.

A little bit closer to the microphone, please.

Uh I don't have anything additional to say.

I just was here uh if someone needed any questions.

Questions only?

Yeah.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

I have no more speaker cards.

And seeing no questions, this public hearing is closed.

We got now to page 11.

Item number 534 2026 534.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearings closed.

Item 16, 2026, 535.

I have one speaker card, Jamie Travis Leonard.

Do you wish to speak, Miss Leonard?

I do.

Thank you.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Jamie Travis Leonard.

My address is on file.

Uh so when it comes to 26535, I do support uh this ordinance.

Uh what I'm handing out right now is the FDOT um flyer on roundabouts.

So my only request is I don't know if it could be applied technically to this ordinance, but in the future, when we are uh expanding some of our roadways, roundabouts are the safest way to integrate turning into uh when we're redeveloping roads.

It is safer for cars, it's safer for pedestrians.

Also, as I've mentioned previously in public comments, we don't have to worry about uh people ignoring safety in the rain outside of what they're normally going to do because roundabouts don't require electricity, which means when we have our torrential downpours, they are still functional.

Uh so my public comments predominantly on uh potentially incorporating roundabouts into uh the turn lanes that are going to be uh the subject of this bill, if possible.

If not, I understand I kind of came in at the end of the process, but for the future, I hope you guys consider that when you are looking to improve our roadways.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

I have no more speaker cards on 535.

This public hearing is closed.

Item number 17, 2026, 536.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearing is closed.

During the page 18, uh, number 18, 2026, 537, I have four cards.

Samantha series, followed by Jamie Travis Leonard, followed by Nancy Murray Settle.

Samantha series address on file.

This bill provides forgiveness to Jacksonville fraternal order of police foundation.

The FOP Foundation received 200,000 city grant to support various charitable and educational initiatives under the fiscal year 2024, 2025, city grant agreement sections 118.201 and 118.202, the FOP Foundation was required to provide an audit report by April 30th, 2026 for funds received during its fiscal year ending December 31st, 2025.

The FOP Foundation submitted a limited procedures audit report that did not meet the requirements and did not provide required audit and was therefore placed on the council auditors chapter 118 noncompliance list on June 12, 2026.

Because that placement renders ineligible for the city grants, that is why the FOP Foundation is requesting forgiveness for their noncompliance and removal from the list.

I do not support this.

That's usually how it works.

If you are not auditing these places, you and you're just forgiving them without having any backup to any reason that you're forgiving them.

You're just okay, take them off the list, give them more money.

Where's the money going?

Why can't they give us an audit that actually meets the requirements they agreed to?

They received money, 200,000.

They said they were gonna give you an audit that met the requirements for the money that they received, and it doesn't meet the requirements.

Why are why are we just forgiving this?

That there needs to be a discussion about this.

Are we getting an audit?

Because again, that is where fraud slips in.

That is when you see monies being used that are not allowed to be used for what they're being used for.

That's the only reason why you wouldn't give an audit because you don't have the backing, you don't have the receipts.

That's usually why an audit isn't being provided because you don't have the full correct receipts.

I think we need an audit.

I think you all need to discuss this, and I'm sure it's gonna pass, but honestly, it's concerning that we're just allowing forgivenesses for things that are required to have audits, not have audits.

And I would think that you guys would be concerned about that.

It's your it's the money for our city.

You know, our budget's coming up, we're probably gonna give them another grant.

We need to be careful about this.

Thank you.

Next, we have Jamie Travis Leonard.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Jamie Travis Leonard.

My address is on file.

I'm back.

So I also oppose uh 26537.

I don't know if there's like a miscommunication with like what is being expressed to the community, but from what I've read, basically what happened was the FOP Foundation failed to meet their obligations to provide audits based on our ordinances, and now they are asking for forgiveness for that to continue to receive public funds.

I don't know about you, but if I fail to pay my taxes, um the IRS doesn't just forgive me.

So I'm not sure why we would even entertain a forgiveness.

Now, if maybe they were late and they have finalized a and submitted an audit that meets the requirements, I can understand if that happened, that information is not communicated in this.

So there's a lack of communication and transparency with the public in that case.

At which point I may move to support.

But at this time, I oppose based on the information that was uh provided in accordance with the bill online.

I don't even know.

Again, I'm not sure why we'd entertain this if they aren't meeting their audit obligations.

We have those ordinances for a reason.

It's checks and balances.

Do we not have Duval Doge up in here?

Are they not questioning this?

Isn't that their whole thing is to find waste fraud and abuse?

I work in healthcare, it's a big deal.

I'm assuming it's a big deal for you all to pay attention to that.

So unless there's again information that hasn't been transparently provided to the public, I expect you all to not pass this.

Thank you.

Next, we have Nancy Murray Settle.

Nancy Murray said all addresses on file.

Again, I'm sticking with my um same theme for today.

I'm here to speak about law and order, rules and regulations.

I oppose Bill 0537 to forgive the fraternal order of police for noncompliance and auditing.

It should they should not be forgiven.

They broke a rule and they should live with those consequences.

It's law and order, they are not above it.

When citizens here in council break the rules by clapping, they're tossed out, or even worse.

And again, in proposing this ordinance, even the hypocrisy is evident.

If clapping in support of council is good and grace is given then, yet clapping in support of a citizen that disagrees with the council, that's bad and must be punished.

There are rules and regulations.

We're either going to follow them or not.

And for the fraternal order of police, they also need to abide by those regulations.

Um why?

Why are we even why is it out here?

I mean, is it just because they're the police, and I mean, we give a lot of money to police, and we don't question.

I mean, we have a police problem, inmates are dying.

There's lawsuits about police brutality, but we don't question and we continue in the budget to give money.

Is it just because the police is in the name?

We haven't problem, obviously, with the fraternal order of police.

They did not submit audit statements.

That's a requirement to be able to receive city money.

Waivers, all these forgivenesses.

Are we gonna just let the fraternal order of police off the hook as well?

I say no.

They did not complete the audit as required, and we want to make more city money available to them again.

How does that make sense?

It doesn't, it would not be good stewardship, stewardship of our money.

Please vote no on bill 0537, ladies.

Umson would be glad to meet with you in the Robert Johnson room, the three ladies who just spoke if you're interested in meeting with him, Mr.

Johnson.

There was a fourth card uh on this item by John Nooney, he opposes it but does not wish to speak.

That closes the that can't public hearings closed.

Item 19, 2026 538.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearing's closed.

Item number 20, 2026 539.

I have one speaker card, John Nooney.

Hello, I am John J.

Nooney.

Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC 3 School Board District 3.

All right, the reason I'm speaking on this piece of legislation, we're appropriating 115,000 dollars and 90, you know, it's from the Duval County Tax Collector.

But we've got 25,000 from the St.

John's River Water Management District, and some of it's gonna be posted.

You know what my first thought was?

Are we getting a manatee stamp?

I mean, the water management district.

You know, uh, I hope someone's here to speak to that because there's legislation.

I filled out another call.

You there's there's stuff coming in the next, but anyway, you know, if we're just gonna be just moving some stuff around, the water management, you know, 25k, you know.

Uh if that's the way, then just let's uh let's get ready to really open up our waterways for some public access.

All right, thank you for listening.

No more speaker cards in 539.

This public hearing's closed.

Item 21, 2026, 540, and no cards.

This public hearing is closed.

Items 22 and 23 on page 14 5.1 and 542.

I have no cards.

These public hearings are closed.

Page 15, item 24, 2026, 543.

I have no cards.

This public hearings closed.

Item 25, 2026, 552.

I have two speaker cards.

John Nooney and Jamie Travis Leonard, who's in the green room, but Mr.

Nooney.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819.

City Council District 4, CPAC 3, School Board District 3.

Now, this one, man, bring the water management district in on this.

Okay, we're we're what we're doing.

You know, this is in neighborhoods finance, but but not in rules or waterways.

We're getting ready to spend 1.6 million from the general fund, and we're gonna be creating the Jacksonville Riverfront Alliance.

It's like wow, you know, and we're just waiving everything.

You know, we're gonna allow for a direct contract, waiving the provisions, advancement.

I mean, so anyway, you know, and at this point, you know, I'm just down to two minutes, but I want to share with all we are marketing to the world, and remember that this legislative body created trust funds, and so right here with this legislation, which is part of the permanent record.

I am making two donations.

One is the 2026 000, that's the parks trust fund.

The next one, 2026 0396.

That's the movie trust fund.

Spielberg, call me.

We're redoing it.

Um, but I will bring this up and donate it.

So here we have we're creating something.

The St.

John's River Alliance.

You know, I put on there, you know, vote no.

I mean, what do we need to do with this?

You're creating a whole new level.

And it is uh I'm just down to 50 some seconds.

But again, you look at our waterways, and I will show anybody when someone says you think we're getting more act, we're getting crushed.

And so uh, yeah, 1.6 million.

And uh at the very least, send it to waterways.

And I hope I I can't understand why there's people not lined up to speak to this because you only get one shot at speaking to a piece of legislation.

So in the meantime, uh again, we're just marketing to the world, the free market.

You know, and just remember Pottsburgh Creek, public park.

It connects to downtown.

Jamie Travis Slander does support this bill but does not wish to speak.

Now it's time for public uh hearings on land use amendments and companion rezonings and modifications to the comp plan beginning on page 16.

Item 2026, 2026, 122.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearings continue to August 11, 2026.

Item number 27, 2026, 123.

I have one speaker card, Samantha Searies.

I believe she's in the green room.

Just that does not wish to speak and opposes this item.

This public hearings continue to August 11, 2026.

Item 28, 2020, 124, 125.

We have no speaker cards.

These public hearings are continued to November 24th, 2026.

Item I did have one speaker card on 125.

Samantha Seary.

She did uh does not wish to speak, but she does oppose it.

I apologize.

We're good.

I will no, I doubled up.

Mr.

President, it would probably be appropriate to reopen the public hearing to allow him to announce the cards so it's on the record for that hearing and then recontinue it.

2026 0125.

This public hearings open.

And Mr.

President, I do have one speaker card who uh Miss Samantha Sears, who opposes this legislation, but does not wish to speak.

Thank you.

This public hearing is continued to November 24, 2026.

Item number 30, 2026 126.

I have one speaker card, Miss Samantha Sears, who opposes but does not wish to speak.

This public hearings continued to August 11, 2026.

And item number 31, 2026-127.

Again, Samantha Searies uh opposes this legislation, but she does wish to speak, but she's not available.

She's in the green room.

Ms.

If you can hear me.

All right.

I have no more speaker cards.

This public hearings continue to August 11, 2026.

During the page, items number 22 number 32, 2026 422.

I have two speaker cards.

We'll start with Randy Baker.

Questions only, correct?

And Miss Ceres is still locked up in the green room, so we will close up, Mr.

President.

I think that's all I have.

Seeing no speakers, we will close this public hearing.

Uh move the item 422.

We have a motion and a second on the bill 2026 0422.

Seeing no speakers in the queue, let's open the ballot and record your vote.

15 yay, zero and a's by your vote 2026-0422 passes.

Item 33, 2026, 423.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearings closed.

Move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

15 yay, zero and a vote 2026-0423 passes.

Item 34, 2026, 424.

I have no speaker cards.

It's public hearings closed.

Move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Open the ballot, record your vote.

15 yay zero nays by your vote 2026 0423 passes item 34 2026 424 I have no speaker cards this public hearings closed move the bill we have a motion and a second on the bill no speakers in the queue open the ballot record your vote 15 years by your vote 2026 0424 is approved turning the page item number item number 35 on 2026 425 I have no speaker cards public hearings closed to move the amendment we have a motion and a second on the amendment no speakers will take this vote verbally all in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye aye all against saying no amendment passes move the bill as amended we have a motion and a second on the bill as amended no speakers in queue let's open the ballot and record the vote 15 years zero nays by your vote 2026 0425 passes item 36 2026 426 I have one speaker card Brenda Yazell questions only she supports the bill seeing no questions this public hearing is closed move the bill we have a motion and a second on the bill no speakers in the queue it's open the ballot and record your vote 15 years zero nays by your vote 2026 0426 passes item 37 2026 427 I have one question one card question Brenda Easel questions only she supports seeing no speakers on the queue this public hearing is closed move the bill we have a motion and a second on the bill seeing no speakers let's open the ballot and record your vote trying to record your vote 15 yay zero nays by your vote 2026 0427 passes brandy page 21 item number 38 2026 428 i have five speaker cards if i call your name i'm gonna ask you to come down to the front and please uh be ready to come to the podium first we have uh jamie williams will still here hilliard graham all stasi laurie stasi and bishop arty braun whoever wants to go first please identify yourself come on up my name is jamie williams address on file and I serve as the director of social services with the city rescue mission in 1995 I graduated from Robert E.

Lee High School now known as Riverside High School having spent my teenage years in the Lackawanna and Riverside community I have witnessed both the strength and challenges that have shaped this neighborhood over the years in 1998 I began my career with the City Rescue Mission the same year the mission purchased the McDuff campus during my tenure I have worked at all three of our locations at thrift store our state street location which is called the New Life In our McDuff campus.

Over the years I have had the privilege of watching the organization grow significantly in the number of services provided the best offered and the lives we've impacted as we look towards expanding our McDuff campus I often reflect upon when many people in the surrounding community were unaware of the services we provided for many years the City Rescue Mission functioned as a community within a community the mission has always been a safe haven and a temporary home for individuals facing significant life changes and complex barriers.

Throughout our history we have worked hard to not be a nuisance or a burden to the community rather we have been and continue to be a valuable community resource providing hope stability and support support to those most in need our policies programs and expectations are guard guided by grace and compassion which is why many of the men and women we serve come to view our staff and our services as family the growth of the city rescue mission's McDove service is truly a win-win for our community because we'll help we are helping return transform men and women to their families return them to their families workplaces churches and neighborhoods our objective is not limited to meeting an immediate needing lasting generational change that produces a positive impact throughout the community thank you council for your service to the community and we appreciate and pray for your support as we continue in our endeavors thank you thank you good evening my name is Hilliard Graham addressed on file and I'm a recipient of the services of city um city rescue mission I'm proud and I'm proud to stand before you today as a grad graduate of the city rescue mission life builders program I came to city rescue mission at a time when I was tired alone disappointed in myself because of the choices I made

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Helia Graham addressed on file, and I'm a recipient of the services of City Rescue Mission.

I'm proud and I'm proud to stand before you today as a graduate of City Rescue Mission Life Builders Program.

I came to City Rescue Mission at a time when I was tired, alone, disappointed in myself because of the choices I made.

My drug addiction had taken control of my night life, and I knew something had to change.

Growing up, life wasn't always difficult.

In my early years, I was surrounded by love and support.

My mother owned a home and a neighborhood store.

Our family was close.

I grew up in the Riverside, Lackawanna, and Brooklyn communities here in Jacksonville and attended school on the west side.

But life changed when my older brother got in trouble.

Times became hard, and eventually she sent me to live with my family up north.

Because she could no longer afford it carefully.

Not long after that, I was introduced to drugs.

From that point on, my life became a blur.

Poor decisions, addiction, and missed opportunities.

Then I heard about City Rescue Mission.

Actually, I knew it was in the community because I stayed like a block away.

But coming to the one that was the City Rescue Mission were one of the best decisions I ever made.

Here I found more than shelter, I found hope, I found guidance, most importantly, I found myself.

Through the Life Builders program, I learned discipline, responsibility, accountability, and purpose.

I discovered that I'm capable of being a leader and positive influence on others.

Most importantly, I learned that God never stopped loving me.

Today, I'll live and prove that change is possible.

The City Rescue Mission didn't just help my life, it changed my story.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you for sharing.

Bishop Brown.

Good evening.

I'm a local pastor in the Lackawanna area, and um I've personally seen many lives changed uh over the years through this program, so I give my full support behind the amendment.

Mr.

Brown, Bishop Brown, if you again just note that your address is on file, please.

Address is on file.

Thank you, sir.

Next, we have Laurie Stasi.

My name is Lori Stasi, and my address is on file.

I reside in Riverside.

I would like to speak on behalf of City Rescue Mission as a volunteer for 10 years.

Two individuals had spoken and raising concern previously about City Rescue Mission, and I would like to give my perspective.

I have always felt safe on the mission campuses.

When people come to the mission for help, they are ready to comply to the rules and program requirements.

There's a fence and security gate to limit access and to make sure troublemakers do not come on campus.

When people come in to the program, they have been wounded by the world and they need to feel safe and secure.

It is a very loving, family-like Christian environment.

The mission tries to present well in the community by keeping their buildings up.

Recently, with a one million dollar grant, they began a painting project and installing new windows.

They keep their grounds neat and landscaped and have put in several gardens for the residents to enjoy.

The hope is that others in the community would also keep up their properties as well, and we would be good neighbors.

Someone had raised questions in the past about increased traffic.

Most of the residents in our programs do not own cars.

They use public transportation.

Gradually, as they get on their feet and get a job and become responsible citizens, some will purchase a vehicle to aid in their goals of living a productive life.

We are very proud of those who accomplish this, but it is a very limited amount of people and certainly would not create traffic jams in the area.

But if that were the case, I would be extremely thrilled to have that kind of success of getting people off the streets of Jacksonville and back to living a beautiful life.

Every big city has homeless people and individuals with drug addiction and alcohol problems.

I am proud of how City Rescue Mission has 24-hour care so that the streets around the mission are not littered with encampments.

I see their work as a service to the entire population by those in need, by helping those in need.

We have mothers who would be sleeping in their car if the mission weren't open.

He met Jesus and he was filled with joy, and he was transformed.

We have individuals who were working functional alcoholics until they couldn't keep up the charade any longer.

They lost their jobs and they came to us for help.

We get people from all over Jacksonville.

City Rescue Missions' work is extensive, and having the proper zoning would aid them in their amazing work.

Thank you for voting.

Yes.

Thank you.

Next, Paul Stasi.

Hi, Paul Stasi, Executive Director of City Rescue Mission and Address on File.

Thank you, Mr.

President, members of Jacksonville Council, and everyone here today.

In 1946, three businessmen in downtown walk the streets carrying thermoses of soup, offering food, compassion, and hope to people who had nowhere else to turn.

They could never have imagined that their simple act of kindness would become City Rescue Mission, a ministry that has faithfully served Jacksonville for 80 years.

Today, City Rescue Mission provides meals, shelter, addiction recovery, transitional housing, workforce development, and medical and dental care.

Every day we see lives transformed, as you heard, as people move from homelessness to housing, from addiction to recovery, from unemployment to meaningful work, and from despair to hope.

None of that would happen without a place where healing can begin.

Today I'm not asking for funding.

Staffed 24 hours a day and committed to being a safe, positive president's presence in the Lackawanna and North Riverside communities.

We believe that serving our neighbors also means being a good neighbor.

Earlier this year, this council honored City Rescue Mission's 80th anniversary with a resolution sponsored by Councilman Johnson, recognizing our decades of service to Jacksonville.

We are deeply grateful because it affirmed our partnership that has existed between the city and the mission for generations.

We understand that there might be questions that were raised through this process and respect the opportunity for them, but our record stands by itself.

Past performance is one of the strongest predictors of future performance.

For all these years, we have operated both campuses responsibly, safely, and in partnership with the community.

This rezoning simply allows us to continue doing what we've already demonstrated that we can do well.

We respectfully ask for your support so the City Rescue Mission can continue transforming lives, strengthening families, and serving Jacksonville for another 80 years.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, I have no more speaker cards.

I move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers on the queue.

Let's open the ballot in a quarter vote.

17 years, zero nays.

By your vote, 2026 0428 passes.

Item number 39, 40 2024 2026 429.

I have one speaker card, Mr.

Stasi.

Paul Stasi, Executive Director, City Rescue Mission address on file.

Again, thank you, President Howland and members of City Council.

Jacksonville is facing an affordable housing crisis.

Every day, City Rescue Mission helps people overcome homelessness, addiction, and other life challenges, but too often, when they're ready to move forward, they cannot find housing that's affordable.

We are asking for your support to build studio apartments on the Hunt Street portion of our existing six-acre campus, along with the other things that are in this bill.

This is not new for the mission.

It is the next step in a proven one.

For more than 10 years, we have successfully operated transitional housing that helps people move from homelessness to independence.

This project simply creates more opportunities for people to have who have already done the hard work of rebuilding their lives.

There may be questions about traffic and height of the building.

The reality is most of our residents, as you heard, don't have vehicles, so traffic impact is minimal.

And we already have a four-story building on our campus.

So this proposal is consistent with what exists today and has for years.

Consider what currently lines the section of Edison Street, which should be the backyard of this section where we're looking to add the uh apartments.

It's a JEA parcel, a vacant lot, a boarded up house, which actually, since the LUS committee last week, I've been in no negotiation with the owner to purchase ourselves.

And then another vacant home that is reportedly occupied by squatters.

Instead of vacant properties and blight, we want to offer safe, well managed housing, attractive landscaping, and a campus that continues to serve both its residents and the surrounding neighborhood.

We are investing in this community because we believe it deserves better.

This request is not about changing who City Rescue Mission is, it's about allowing us to do more of what we have faithfully done for the last 80 years, helping people move from crisis to stability, dependence to independence, and homelessness to home.

I respectfully ask for your support of this bill.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, we have no more cards in 2026 429.

This public hearing is closed.

Move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

I recognize Ms.

Clark Murray.

Thank you, Chair.

I rise to declare ex parte.

I met with Steve Debonow and Paul Stasi beginning on March 18th of this year, and Steve Debonow on June 25th of this year.

Our discussion was primarily what the applicant wanted to do in regards to the uh zoning change, and was which was primarily to bring all of the parcels and buildings under one zoning.

And that has been filed with legislative services.

Additionally, I met with Richie Mulaney and Paul Stasi on June 16th at the North Riverside Community Center during their uh neighborhood meeting.

And once again, they explained the reason for the zoning that proposed construction for the uh CRM's vision for the next 20 years.

Lastly, I met with Robert Freleck on June 23rd here at City Council, and he just expressed his concerns in regards to the rezoning, and all of this has been filed with legislative services.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, ma'am.

We have no other speakers in the queue.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 years, zero nays.

By your vote 2026, 0429 is approved.

Turning on now to page number 22, items number 40 and 41, 2026, 430, 431.

I have no speaker cards.

These public hearings are continued to August 11th, 2026.

Item number 42, 2026, 432.

I have two speaker cards, questions only.

Travis uh sorry, JV Trav Jamie Travis Leonard supports and Christian Reed questions only.

She supports as well.

No speakers in the queue.

This public hearing is closed.

Move the bill.

We have a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 years, zero nays.

By your vote, 2026 0432 passes.

Page 23, it's number 43, 2026 0433.

I have two speaker cards.

Uh Jamie Travis Leonard, who wants to speak on this, and Kristen Reed, questions only supports the bill.

Ms.

Lundard.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Jamie Travis Leonard.

My address is not found.

I'll be quick for this.

I do support this ordinance.

I really just wanted to come up and uh say that I appreciated the um developer and the owner and how much uh in planning and really community thought they put into this proposal.

Um I was at the LUZ meeting where it was presented, and you could really tell that they took into account not only their needs but also the needs of the community around them and how what they are proposing could impact that community.

I hope to see more proposals like this where they really are working with us to ensure that what they're giving us not only meets their needs, uplifts the community, but also is in conjunction with the area they're in versus what we are seeing more and more where there is friction between the uh developers and the community at large.

Thank you.

I have no more speaker cards.

This public hearing is closed.

Item 44, 2026, 475.

I have oh actually we have a move the amendment.

We have a uh motion and a second on the amendment.

Seeing no speakers in the queue, we'll take the vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye, all against saying no, the amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill is amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026, 0433 is approved.

Item number 44, 2026, 475.

One speaker card, Samantha Seary.

She's questions only or comment, no quote does not wish to speak, but does oppose.

I see no speakers for questions.

This public hearing is closed.

Actually, and an additional public hearing will be held on August 11, 2026.

Item number 45, 2026, 476.

I have no speaker cards.

This public hearing is closed, and additional public hearing will be held on August 11, 2026.

We've already taken up items 46 and 47.

Moving on now to item number 48, 2026, 479.

I have three speaker cards.

I believe it's Solomon Rags, Charlotte Corbett Walter, and Trevor Peters.

All do not wish to speak.

All support.

An additional public hearing will be held on August 11th, 2026.

Items number 49, 2026, 480.

I have the same three folks.

Settlement Ross.

Sherron Corbett Walker and Trevor Peters do not wish to speak, but do support this bill.

This public hearing is closed, and additional public hearing will be held August 11, 2026.

Items number 50 and 51.

Uh I can do that, yes.

2026, 481, and 482.

I have no speaker cards.

These public hearings are closed.

Additional public hearings will be held on August 11, 2026.

As it happens, Mr.

President, there are uh there are no third reading resolutions today, so we move on to the ordinances beginning on page 26.

For members of our audience, these bills have already had their public hearings with the final committee reports are now ready for full council action.

Our first item is number 52, 2026 319.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

We have no speakers in the queue.

Let's vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no, the amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

A little rusty.

17 yes, 0 nays.

Okay.

Turning on now to page 23, item 53, 2026, 2026, 445.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's vote verbally.

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Amendment passes.

I move the bill as amended.

Required is it requires a two-third vote.

We have a motion and a second on the bill is amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026, 0445 passes.

Item number 54, 2026, 448.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

Seeing no speakers in the queue, let's vote verbally.

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Amendment passes.

Move the bill is amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and record the vote.

17 yes, zero nays.

By your vote, 2026 0448 passes.

Moving on now to page 28, item number 55, 2026 449.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers in the queue.

We'll vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against say no.

All right.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill is amended.

Open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 yes, zero nays.

By your vote, 2026 0449 passes.

Item number 56, 2026, 0489.

I believe there is a motion of floor amendment or following.

Yes, indeed there is.

Let me uh call on Mr.

Peluso, please.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh I'm gonna move to withdraw this bill.

Um I believe that through some of the conversations that we've had in committee, it seems like there's a little bit of a disagreement about what uh the purpose of this bill is and different processes within the HIC.

Happy to come back with a better bill later on.

So move to withdraw.

We have a motion and a second to withdraw 2026 0489.

And everyone, you're getting a floor amendment.

That's for a bill two from now.

So uh the motion here on the table is uh to withdraw nothing to do with the floor amendment you're getting.

Um seeing no speakers on the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

A yes is a withdrawal.

Welcome back.

17 yes, zero nays.

By your action, 2026 0489 is withdrawn.

Item number 57 on page 29, 2026 490.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

We'll take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion, a second on the bill is amended.

Before we vote, I'll recognize Ms.

Pittman.

To the chair, too, out of abundance of a c uh caution.

I work at the Clara White Mission, and my staff may be partnering with someone that may be receiving this, so I just want to make sure paperwork has already been signed and submitted.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Pittman.

No other speakers in the queue.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

16 yes, zero nays, one abstention.

By your vote, 2026, 04490 passes.

Before we move on, uh Ms.

Pittman, you just want to state for the record that you abstain from the amendment as well.

Chair, I was supposed to do that on 58 instead of 57.

So I do apologize.

Oh, okay.

Well, you just abstained.

You don't want to reopen the vote, do you?

Okay, all right.

Or do you?

Would you like to reopen the vote?

Oh, we need to, don't we?

Um actually uh hold on, let's just let me get from Mary what you think I should do.

I apologize.

Yeah, abstained on the wrong one.

I did it on 57 instead of 58.

I apologize.

All right, no problem.

Give us a second for uh Mary to see if you have to uh vote on it.

Out of abundance of caution, we could just move to reconsider, Mary.

Through the president to Councilmember Pittman.

This is for the home investment partnership funding.

I don't believe that you have traditionally abstained.

No, ma'am, that's what I said.

I think my recommendation, Mr.

President, if is if somebody who was thank you.

Um, and we can then um take a vote on the reconsideration, and assuming it passes, you would just need to move and second the move.

All right, Mr.

Diamond just moved to reconsider 2026 0490, and I heard a second from Dr.

Johnson.

So uh we have a motion.

Uh now let's entertain a um let's motion to reconsider.

Do we vote verbally on the reconsideration?

Yep.

So we'll take a verbal vote on the uh motion to reconsider.

All in favor indicate by saying aye.

Aye, all against saying no, the motion to reconsider passes, and Mr.

Florida leader will do that.

Okay, sir.

Uh let's go ahead and move the amendment on 2026 490.

All right, we have a motion and a second on the amendment.

Take the vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye, all against saying no, the amendment passes.

Now I'll move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

See no speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

17 yes, zero nays.

By your vote, 2026 0490 passes.

Item number 58, 2026 491.

Uh, Mr.

President, I recognize Ms.

Pittman.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I'll recognize Councilwoman Pittman on 2026 0491, please.

Thank you, Chair.

I'm on the right one now.

Um I'd like to abstain um from 491 due to me working at the Clara White Mission and some of the staff may apply with the partnership with another agency.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

I'll turn to Mr.

Carico.

Former Council President Carrier.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I rise to abstain from this legislation out of an abundance of caution as my employer.

The boys and girls clubs of Northeast Florida has received CDBG grants in the past and may receive them in the future.

We're actually not listed as a uh recipient of these funds, but I just feel uh the name of transparency and caution to abstain from any CDBG legislation.

So I will be abstaining.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

And now I will recognize Councilman Peluso.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I'd like to offer a floor amendment.

I'm gonna have Ms.

Stefopoulos uh explain it if you'd like to thank you through the president to the council.

So the floor amendment encompasses the committee amendment, which is listed on the blue sheet, but it adds a couple of additional technical corrections for the bill.

It attaches a revised exhibit one, which is the BT to correct the revenue and expense amount for sidewalks to 500,000 and correct the revenue and expense amount for the Edward Waters University project to 200,000 and changes that expense account code code.

It also attaches a second revised exhibit two, which is the schedules of funding to correct the amounts and remove the Edward Waters University project from the included in CIP category to the not included in CIP category on page two of the schedules.

And you'll just want to get a second on that if you haven't already, Mr.

I heard a second.

Anything else, Mr.

Pelusa?

All right, we have a motion and a second on the Peluso floor amendment uh before we take a vote on it.

Uh Dr.

Salem, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just heard Edward Water's university mention a couple of times.

Are they on board with these changes just to make sure?

Through the chair to council member Salem, and I I will let Ms.

Reber, Mr.

Peterson correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the issue was there was a uh a belief at the time that the bill was originally filed that they were on the project was gonna be on city owned property and it's not city-owned property, it's private property, so it can't be listed under our CIP.

Um and so I'll let Ms.

Reber address any additional detail for that.

Ms.

Reber, you're recognized.

Uh through the chair to Councilmember Salem, yes, we had to remove it from the CIP because it's not city-owned property.

So that's why we're moving it into that other category of non-CIP project.

So it really has no impact upon the it has no impact.

It's the same dollar amount that they were gonna receive previously.

Thank you so much.

All right, Mr.

Lane and you're okay, not on the queue.

Great.

Then we have a um motion and a second on the Peluso floor amendment.

We'll take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the Peluso floor amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye, all against saying no, amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

16 yes, zero nays, two abstentions.

By your vote, 2026 0491 passes.

Moving on to page 30, item number 59, 2026 492.

Move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The amendment passes.

I move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

There are no speakers.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote.

Your innoxious weed.

You're invasive.

That's what it's like.

18 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026 0492 passes.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I didn't want to get in the weeds on that one.

I had to do it.

I had to save it.

It was invasive and obnoxious.

I get it.

60.

2026 493.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers.

We'll take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended, requiring that uh two-thirds vote.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord the vote.

18 yes, 0 nays.

And by your vote, 2026, 0493 passes.

Page number 31, item 61, 2026, 494.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment.

Indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill is amended.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord the vote.

18 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026, 0494 passes.

Item 62, 2026, 495.

I move the amendment.

Okay, good.

We're back on 62.

All right, we have a motion and a second on the amendment, 2026, 0495.

Uh we have Mr.

Diamond before we vote on the amendment.

You want to speak back on 2026 0494?

You don't mind.

It's just a comment.

It's just a comment.

Okay, let's go for it.

Yeah, no, I just wanted to thank Kara Tucker for her hard work on all this ADA compliance stuff, which has been and the entire department over there.

They've done really good work.

And if you all don't know, she she lost her dad a month ago, ostra mom six months ago, and she's still soldiering on helping literally anyone in the city who's who has uh you know challenges.

And so, you know, uh I just want to send all of our love to Kara as she's literally at work today after all this stuff.

Amen.

Thank you, Mr.

Diamond.

All right, we have a motion and a second on the amendment for 2026, 0495.

No speakers on the queue.

Let's uh take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against say no.

Amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and second on the bill as amended.

There are no speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord the vote.

18 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026, 0495 passes.

Turn to page 32, item number 63, 2026 497.

Before I move the amendment, I think we need to recognize council member Pittman.

Ms.

Pittman, you are recognized.

To the chair.

Um again, I'd like to abstain from this one and the next one.

Um I am employed at the Clara White Mission, and some of our staff may be applying in partnership with another agency and providing um service to individuals with eight.

Thank you.

And the paperwork has been signed.

Thank you, ma'am.

No other uh ex parte or abstentions, sir.

Just for clarity, uh she is abstaining only on 497 right now.

Only 40497.

Thank you.

Move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers.

Let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment, indicate by saying aye.

All against say no.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers, let's open the ballot and cord your vote.

By your vote, 2026 0497 passes.

That's it.

2026 498.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendments.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment, indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and court your vote.

18 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026 0498 passes.

Again, I like to um abstain because Claire White missions serve clients, and we've already submitted the paperwork for this.

And thank you.

Thank you.

No one else on the queue.

Move the bill.

I move the amendment.

We have a motion and a second on the amendment.

No one's on the queue.

Let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the amendment indicated by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The amendment passes.

Move the bill as amended.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 yes, zero nays, one abstention.

By your vote, 2026, 0499 passes.

Mr.

President, uh, we have five resolutions and ordinances are in second reading and ten ordinances on second reading.

Uh although none of these items will be taken up this evening.

I want to remind colleagues there is an opportunity for public participation regarding for the resolutions.

Mr.

Teal, would you please read the bills?

2026, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, and 532.

Given we have no public participation cards, participation cards.

We now move on to the introduction of first reading resolutions and ordinance is beginning on page 38.

Starting with item number 81, 2026, 500.

There are no public participation cards, so I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency.

Seeing no speakers in the queue, we'll take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the emergency indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Emergency passes.

Again, I should note there are no cards for this one, so I will move the bill as an emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency, and I believe at this point, Mr.

Peterson, you would like to.

Oh, we did.

Yep.

You would like to speak.

Through the president to the council.

So this bill uh is moved as an emergency tonight to notify the property appraiser by August 4th of the city's rollback rate.

Uh the proposed millage rates for the upcoming budget, which are staying the same as last year's council approved rates, and then also the September 8th public hearing that will occur where the public will get to come and talk to you about the millage rates.

Um this just as I said keeps the rates the same as last year.

It does set the high water mark for the millage rates for the proposed year.

So from this point forward, finance committee and the council can lower the millage rate, but after tonight it's nearly impossible to raise the millage rate above what you approve tonight.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

Peterson.

So we have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency.

We have no other speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

17 yes, one nay.

By your vote, 2026 050 is approved.

All right, now moving on now to page 39, item number 87, 2026, 596.

I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency.

Seeing no one in the queue, let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the emergency, indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no on the emergency passes.

Move the bill as an emergency.

I have no cards on this one other than mine.

Very suspect.

Mr.

Chair, if I might, before we take a vote on this one, I just want to make a comment.

I really appreciate this.

Is my seventh year serving on the canvassing board?

I can't tell you there's a more important job that I've had during my tenure on the council.

Somewhat disconcerning to me, we had our logic and accuracy test last Friday.

It was learned at that point in time that the number of mail-in ballots has dropped dramatically.

Uh and I'm concerned about the prospect of that.

I want to assure uh constituents out there the due diligence that I and the other members of the canvassing board do in combing over those ballots as they come in.

So if it's a matter of convenience for you, it's also a matter of importance that you take the time to vote and do so by ballot is still a viable way to work.

So thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, sir.

Do we have a motion on the bill as an emergency with the second rate?

Yes, we do.

We do.

All right.

With the motion uh and second on the bill as an emergency on the table and no other speakers, let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

18 yes, zero and nays.

By your vote, you've approved 2026, 0596.

Turning to page 40, item 91, 2026 600.

I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency, no speakers.

Let's take this vote verbally.

All in favor of the emergency, indicate by saying aye.

Aye, all against saying no, emergency passes.

I have no public participation cards on this one, so I move it as an emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency, no speakers.

Let's open the ballot and cord your vote.

18 yes, 0 nays.

By your vote, 2026, 060 passes.

Moving on now to item number 98 on page 41, 2026 607.

I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency, no speakers.

Let's vote verbally.

All in favor of the emergency, indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no, emergency passes.

I move I have no public participation cards on this one, so I move the emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency.

No speakers.

Let's open the ballot and accord your vote.

So I'm going to 136 next.

All right.

18 yes, zero and a's.

By your vote, 2026 0607 passes.

Mr.

President, there are two first reading ordinance ordinances to be taken up this evening.

The first can be found on page 53, item number 136, 2026 568.

Move the emergency.

All right.

We have a motion and a second on the emergency.

Again, it's item number 136, 2026-0568.

You'll find it on page 53.

I have no speakers on the emergency.

We'll take the vote verbally.

All in favor of the emergency, indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

Emergency passes.

I have no participation cards on this one, so we will go ahead and move it as an emergency.

We have a motion and a second on the bill as an emergency.

Mary, would you mind just explaining what this bill does?

Yes, thank you.

Through the president to the council.

So this legislation would reschedule the finance committee, TEU committee, and LUZ committee meetings that are regularly scheduled for Tuesday, August 18th to Wednesday, August 19th, as the 18th is the date of the primary election.

And it will also reschedule the finance, TEU, and LUZ committee meetings of Tuesday, November 3rd to Wednesday, November 4th, so that the general election which occurs on the 3rd can be observed by individuals who might want to attend to that versus attending count council committee meetings.

So this is an adjustment that the council makes with those when the election dates fall on committee or council days.

So it's in keeping with past practice of the city council.

Thank you, Mary.

And there's a companion bill or a related bill running through that schedules reschedules meetings for May of next year.

Um as I understand it as well.

Yes, Mr.

President, that one was not done as an emergency, but there is a bill, item 137 on the agenda that would reschedule finance TEU and land use and zoning on that are currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 18th to Wednesday, May 19th, in observance of the election date that would occur on May 18th.

And it also just acknowledges the council rules already provide that when a regular meeting of the council occurs on election day, that that is an automatic rescheduling to the next day.

So while the bill doesn't accomplish that because the rules would automatically do that, it does acknowledge that.

So it's an another opportunity through this legislation when it gets noticed that the public be made aware of that additional change.

Thank you very much.

I see no speakers.

Let's open the ballot and court your vote.

18 years, your and ease.

By your vote 2026, 0568 passes.

Mr.

President, before we move on to the addendum, item number 159 on page 63, 2026 591 happens to be a duplicative bill to item number 14, 2026 054.

In order to dispose of the duplication, I move that we withdraw 2026 591.

And I need a second.

We have a motion and a second to withdraw 2026 0591.

Um as you said it is duplicative.

There's a bill that is exactly the same that is earlier on the agenda.

I see no speakers in the queue.

Let's open the ballot and record your vote to withdraw 18 years, C or an A's.

By your vote 2026, 0591 is withdrawn.

Mr.

President, we have two additional items to that end.

I move the addendum.

We have a motion and a second on the addendum.

This is also a voice vote.

All in favor of hearing the addendum, approving the indendum indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

All against saying no.

The addendum passes.

Item number 160, pursuant to council rule 4.1001.

We now take up the matter of the mayor's veto of ordinance 2025 872.

I move it be approved, notwithstanding the veto of the mayor.

All right, we have a motion and a second.

The floor leaders' motion is to approve ordinance 2025 0872, notwithstanding the veto of the mayor, which has been, and of course, that's been seconded.

The question posed to everyone tonight for consideration is as follows.

Quote, shall ordinance 2025 0872 be adopted and become effective, notwithstanding the veto of the mayor.

With that, we'll open up the floor to for debate and the queue is lining up.

Mr.

Peluso, you're first.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you for recognizing me first.

I just wanted to clarify voting no on this basically supports the mayor and it ensures that this veto remains.

So uh Mr.

Fopulos, can you just clarify?

So voting no is the right thing to do, correct?

Uh Mr.

President, would you like me to address that?

Please do.

Okay.

So the motion on the floor is to approve ordinance 2025 872, notwithstanding the veto of the mayor.

So if you pressed green or yes, the that is a vote to override the veto of the mayor and approve the ordinance.

If you press red or no, that is a vote to sustain the mayor's veto and defeat ordinance 2025 872.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Mr.

Fopoulis.

I mean, we've had this debate numerous times.

Let's just get out of here this evening.

Vote no.

Vote no on this stupid process.

We actually really shouldn't even be here, but regardless of why we are, vote no.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

I recognize Dr.

Salem.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I'll just make a few points, some of which I've made before.

Um Mr.

Fackler indicated when we first got into this, he wanted to get this right.

I entertained several past general counsels to talk to him as well as past experts in our government.

They convinced him that we have the authority to make appointments to these to these boards.

Um that had been the policy for 55 years in this city, up until when Mayor Deegan came in and Mr.

Fackler became the general counsel.

This is nothing new.

And I want to make emphasize that point.

Why these two boards, KHA, as I've said before, there are all sorts of issues with KHA.

Their budget approaches 60 million dollars.

We should have input into those board positions.

Again, 40 plus million dollars, we should have appointments to that board.

This this bill respects the strong mail form of our government.

We get three on KHA and five on the library board.

Those appointments occur as people come off the board.

This in no way, shape or form disrupts those boards or anything similar to that.

The council president will only get an appointment as people come off those boards.

A couple of things that I've heard discussed, we're taking power away from the mayor, this mayor.

This bill isn't just for the next year while Mayor Deegan is mayor.

This bill goes on past that.

It goes past my tenure on this council.

This is a permanent change to these boards.

We have the authority.

We voted for this.

It passed.

Now we have to override this veto if we want to maintain that.

We are co we are a co-equal branch of this government, and I feel strongly we should have these appointments.

This bill is similar to the downtown investment authority, DIA.

Our president has an appointment to the DIA board that he has because that board is shared.

He will get those, he will have that appointment coming up.

So in summary, this bill is not disruptive.

It is consistent with this government for the past 55 years, other than the last three.

I believe we should have appointments to this board as we do with DIA, and I encourage you to vote yes on this ordinance.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Salem.

Over to Councilman Lane.

Uh Councilman Salem touched on the budget, and uh like I said, uh when this came up the first time, that was my biggest motivation for voting yes on this because I do want us to have more input on this.

Uh if you go back just four years, KH's budget has gone from 35 to 65.

That's 86 percent in four years.

Public safety, which I think we all agree should be the largest part of growing government.

Public safety is gone up 41 percent.

In fact, if KHA had grown at the same rate of public safety, their budget would have been at 50 million instead of 65 million this past year.

So I do want to make sure we have some sort of input on who we're appointing to this board, because the reality is we're gonna need board members that can either do more with the same amount of money or potentially uh do the same with a less amount of money.

So I want to make sure we are able to uh vet and put people that we think are going to do the best uh and make the best use of the money that KHA gets.

So I'll be a yes on this again tonight.

Thank you, sir.

Over to Councilman Boylan.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I appreciate the comments of both uh councilmember Salem and Elaine on this, but uh I wish Councilmember O'Mara was here.

You know, if it ain't broke, why are we trying to fix it?

Uh we do have control.

We do have control.

At the end of the day, we say you're up or down on these appointments.

So we do have that control.

And the questions and concerns with respect to KHA in particular, certainly we can make clear our intent to see this managed better or well if it's isn't already, and to put people in place in order to do that.

You know, many of you may know this, but I I put out a bi-weekly email after the city council meetings, and in that email, I talk about the various bills and why I supported them or didn't.

Well, I and it goes down to about 5,000 constituents.

And so I use that as a pretty good barometer as to whether or not items like these are important to my constituents.

I got one response to it.

He was supportive of my vote against uh this bill the last time it came around.

People are looking at this as something that's not critical.

It's this is inside baseball.

And if we've got the the opportunity to say up or down on any of these appointments, we have all the power we need to make sure these boards are properly populated.

And so I need see no need to do this.

And for the record, I'm not doing this because Donna Deegan is mayor.

I would have done this five years ago when Councilman Current uh President uh Mayor Curry was in place was in place.

It doesn't make sense to me that we we want to make changes to the these kind of boards.

You might recall KHA when it was established, it was assistant upon Ms.

Mayor Curry that he have all the appointments in that process.

And we did it it was not challenged at that point.

Well, maybe it was challenged, but it didn't happen that way.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Let's leave this thing alone and move on and deal with the things that people care about.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair President.

Thank you, sir.

Over to Ms.

Clark Murray.

Thank you, Chair.

This bill by its nature is disruptive.

So I talk with previous council members often about the history behind bills.

And so Mayor Austin was the first to basically establish the children's commission, which is very similar to this.

And so he had the wisdom to say that as a mayor, there was a certain amount of power that he didn't want to have in regards to the financial aspect because he thought that this could create a problem in regards to just power by its nature corrupts.

And then absolute power corrupts absolutely.

So he maintained the idea that you the mayor gets to recommend and then the council approves.

And then going on, Mayor Delaney, not exactly sure, but I remember that.

And I was a young younger person then.

But then Peyton had the Jacksonville journey and kept the appointment aspect the same.

Then going on to Brown, not exactly sure, but just going and just kind of piggybacking on what you said, Councilmember Boylan.

Mayor Curry had the inclination to keep the same type of structure.

So I'm not sure exactly why it needs to be changed, but it doesn't.

Do we want to keep that or maintain or help to further that perception by changing the structure of this board?

And of course, I didn't think that any of us thought that the mayor would approve it or sign it.

Certainly she shouldn't.

And whether it's a female mayor, male mayor, Democrat, Republican, once again, the structure of the board isn't broken, and it doesn't need to be fixed.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, ma'am.

Over to Councilman Miller.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

To the president, um, I'd like to take a slightly different approach.

Um thankfully the uh auditors and researchers helped me with this, but I just want to take a factual approach on the past and the current situation with our boards and commissions.

Um and so by the numbers, you know, I heard the comments um we get uh upper-down votes, so that's that's enough for us to have, or the implication was, and also mayor recommends the council approves, but the facts of our current boards and commissions uh don't support that.

We have 52 boards and commissions, and of those 52, 35 have multiple individuals nominating or appointing, um, even though we we actually confirm this body does, but 35 of the 52 current boards and commissions are at least duly, and in some cases three different individuals with different organizations give nominations for those boards.