OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Jacksonville City Council Regular Meeting – September 8, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, September 8, 2026
BodyJacksonville, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 8, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:29:27

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Good evening and welcome.

0:04

I call to order the Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 meeting of the full city council.

0:10

And Mr.

0:10

Floor Leader, I turn it over to you.

0:12

Thank you, sir.

0:13

Our first order of business is as usual the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

0:17

I would ask that you please recognize Councilman, our council chaplain to reduce the kind gentleman who will be sharing their those duties tonight.

0:25

Mr.

0:25

Mary, you recognize thank you, Mr.

0:31

Floor Leader.

0:32

Would you please stand?

0:39

This week will mark 25 years since that terrorist attack on the World Trade Center building as we know it.

0:48

And we pause to remember the lives lost on that day, whether it was Lower Manhattan, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, or the Pentagon.

0:59

Just in Manhattan alone, over 3,000.

1:03

Today there's still 1,100.

1:06

The remains remain unidentified.

1:13

So lest we forget what happened then.

1:17

A generation has come and they may not know, but we know.

1:26

So tonight our invocation will be delivered by two members of the public safety sector that lost a number of individuals during that day.

1:39

JSO chaplain Corey McDonald, who is a husband of 15 years, a dad to his 12-year-old daughter, a U.S.

1:46

Army veteran pastor of a local church, Thunder Road Baptist Church.

1:51

He's a nine-year veteran officer of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the current chaplain.

1:58

We'll also have JFRD Chaplain Dr.

2:01

Percy Golden Sr.

2:03

Senior Pastor and Bishop of the Holy Church of the Living God Revival Center in Atlantic Beach.

2:10

He retired from JFRD after 26 years.

2:14

And then asked to come back as JFRD's chaplain two and a half years later, having served as chaplain previously and in a number of roles within the department and also take on the role of critical incident officer.

2:27

He also serves as the administrator over the peer support team for firefighters.

2:34

And when they're finished with their prayer, we'll have a moment of silence for 60 seconds, and then we'll do the pledge of allegiance.

2:48

God of peace and mercy.

2:51

On this day, we remember that day.

3:25

Surround them with your comfort, grant them peace and strength, and their family through this sorrow.

3:34

Bless the active firefighters and emergency workers and personnel who put their lives on the line every day.

3:42

Grant them wisdom, safety, and courage.

3:45

May we never forget their sacrifice, and may we honor their legacy with living in kindness and in strength and in unity.

3:56

Amen.

4:12

And while this time of reflection comes out of great loss and devastation, it's also a reflection a reflection of the bravery and courage and the pride that we receive from being fellow Americans.

4:27

I pray that you'd be with the lives of the families of those law enforcement officers that are no doubt still grieving today over their loss.

4:36

But we also pray that you watch over the nearly 2,000 law enforcement officers of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, those of our partners, and those in the surrounding agencies.

4:46

Protect them as they go out every day to continue to protect and to serve our community and our country.

4:52

And God may we continue to walk in your paths.

4:56

We pray a hedge of protection around them and around us today.

5:00

We ask it in Jesus' name.

5:01

Amen.

5:23

I pledge allegiance.

5:28

And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

5:43

Ms.

5:44

President, now it's time for the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of August the 25th.

5:49

Oh, and you roll call first.

5:51

All right, we'll call for roll call, then I'll do announcements.

5:53

Roll call, please.

6:08

Announcements.

6:26

17 present.

6:31

All right, with that, we have a quorum.

6:33

And I do have three announcements, Mr.

6:34

Floor Leader, if I can.

6:35

Um, first announcement, I would like to welcome Councilwoman Monet Holder to the dais for her full first city council meeting.

6:48

Get ready to make some law.

6:49

That's what we're doing tonight.

6:51

Um, I'd like to highlight uh the floor amendment process uh for everybody's sake.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing██████████████████████22%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Budget████████████12%
Public Comment██████████10%
Public Safety█████████9%
Public Engagement████4%
Election Process████4%
Personnel Matters███3%
Homelessness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Jacksonville City Council Regular Meeting – September 8, 2026

The Jacksonville City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included presentations, quasi-judicial items, a consent agenda, public comments, public hearings on numerous ordinances and resolutions, tentative approval of millage rates and the FY 26-27 budget, and introduction of new business. The meeting adjourned at 8:27 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes from August 25, 2026, were approved 18-0.
  • Communications from the Mayor and other entities were filed.
  • Presentations: framed resolutions for Florida State College at Jacksonville’s 60th anniversary (2026-681-A) and for Duval County Supervisor of Elections and poll workers (2026-159-A) were presented.
  • Quasi-Judicial Ordinances (9 items): All rezoning, zoning exception, sign waiver, and variance applications were approved unanimously (17-0), as recommended by the LUZ committee.
  • Consent Agenda: 13 items (2025-0775, 2026-0545, and 2026-0625 through 2026-0686) were approved 17-0, except item 20 (2026-0684) which was pulled. Item 2026-0684 (honoring Reverend Dr. Conley H. Hughes, Jr.) was amended on the floor (changed high school reference) and then approved 17-0. Items 2025-0775 and 2026-0545 were withdrawn.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Over 40 speakers addressed the Council during the public comment period (limited to 2 minutes each due to volume). Key themes included:
    • Affordable Housing Trust Fund: Numerous residents and community leaders urged the Council to reinstate the proposed $4.9 million affordable housing trust fund, citing rising rents (up 34% in five years), unaffordable homeownership, and the strain on essential workers. Speakers included Rev. A.V. Kearney, Adam Gray, Carolyn Rosenberry, Lonnie Mills, and many others.
    • Home Occupations and Right to Garden: Several speakers supported the home occupation bill (2026-0376) and called for protection of community gardens, with one resident (Kim Fontecchio) alleging discriminatory code enforcement.
    • Police and Fire Pension Fund Divestment: Multiple speakers from the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network urged the Council to direct the pension fund to divest from bonds in Teva Pharmaceuticals, citing the company’s role in the opioid crisis and its Israeli operations.
    • Flock Cameras: Speakers both supported (Latasha Hobbs, mother of murder victim) and opposed (Casey Jones) the use of automated license plate readers.
    • TNR Funding: Advocates requested increased funding for trap-neuter-return programs for community cats.
    • Other: Comments on the proposed concrete batch plant, neighborhood bill of rights, code enforcement issues, and the FY 26-27 budget.

Discussion Items

  • 2026-0376 (Home Occupations): After a public hearing with one speaker, the substitute bill was approved 16-0, modifying home occupation regulations to comply with state law.
  • 2026-0590 (Firearms Preemption): Extensive debate. The bill repeals and amends several city code sections to comply with state preemption of firearm regulations. Council members Miller, Peluso (opposed), Diamond (supported), and Matt Carlucci spoke. Passed 14-3 (Pittman, Johnson, Peluso opposed).
  • 2026-0671 (FL Black Excellence Festival): Emergency passage approved 16-1 (Diamond opposed) to extend the grant agreement.
  • 2026-0674 (PUD Correction): Emergency passage approved 17-0 to add an omitted condition.
  • 2026-0627 through 2026-0645 (Third Reading Ordinances): All approved 17-0 with amendments, including road right-of-way closure, Dinsmore Area Sidewalks funding, honorary street naming for Preston H. Haskell III, CDBG funding allocation, and a contract with Downtown Vision Inc. for James Weldon Johnson Park management.
  • Tentative Millage and Budget (2026-0501, 0502, 0503, 0504): After required millage rate statements, public hearings, and a motion to reconsider (on 2026-0502), the Council tentatively approved the millage rates and the FY 26-27 consolidated government budget as substituted by the Finance Committee. Votes: 2026-0501 (15-2, Carrico and Diamond opposed), 2026-0502 (15-2 after reconsideration), 2026-0503 (15-2), and 2026-0504 (16-1, Diamond opposed). Council members noted the need for a two-thirds vote for final adoption due to rates exceeding the rollback rate.
  • Introduction of New Items: Numerous resolutions and ordinances were introduced and assigned to committees, including appointments to boards, heritage month declarations, and various appropriations and contract amendments.

Key Outcomes

  • Quasi-Judicial Items: All 9 items approved 17-0.
  • Consent Agenda: Approved 17-0 with one item amended.
  • 2026-0376 (Home Occupations): Passed 16-0.
  • 2026-0590 (Firearms Preemption): Passed 14-3.
  • 2026-0671 (Emergency): Passed 16-1.
  • 2026-0674 (Emergency): Passed 17-0.
  • Tentative Millage Bills: 2026-0501, 0502, 0503 approved 15-2 each; 2026-0504 approved 16-1. Final adoption scheduled for September 22, 2026.
  • 2026-0723 (Polling Place Change): Emergency approved 17-0.
  • 2026-0739 (Steve Cassada Retirement): Emergency resolution approved 17-0 with floor amendment.
  • All 3rd Reading Ordinances: Approved 17-0 with amendments.
  • Public Hearings Continued: Several land use items (2026-0126, 0127, 0523, 0524, 0631, 0632) continued to September 22, 2026.
  • Next Meeting: Regular Council meeting scheduled for September 22, 2026 at 4:00 PM (budget adoption).

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome. I call to order the Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 meeting of the full city council. And Mr. Floor Leader, I turn it over to you. Thank you, sir. Our first order of business is as usual the invocation and pledge of allegiance. I would ask that you please recognize Councilman, our council chaplain to reduce the kind gentleman who will be sharing their those duties tonight. Mr. Mary, you recognize thank you, Mr. Floor Leader. Would you please stand? This week will mark 25 years since that terrorist attack on the World Trade Center building as we know it. And we pause to remember the lives lost on that day, whether it was Lower Manhattan, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, or the Pentagon. Just in Manhattan alone, over 3,000. Today there's still 1,100. The remains remain unidentified. So lest we forget what happened then. A generation has come and they may not know, but we know. So tonight our invocation will be delivered by two members of the public safety sector that lost a number of individuals during that day. JSO chaplain Corey McDonald, who is a husband of 15 years, a dad to his 12-year-old daughter, a U.S. Army veteran pastor of a local church, Thunder Road Baptist Church. He's a nine-year veteran officer of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the current chaplain. We'll also have JFRD Chaplain Dr. Percy Golden Sr. Senior Pastor and Bishop of the Holy Church of the Living God Revival Center in Atlantic Beach. He retired from JFRD after 26 years. And then asked to come back as JFRD's chaplain two and a half years later, having served as chaplain previously and in a number of roles within the department and also take on the role of critical incident officer. He also serves as the administrator over the peer support team for firefighters. And when they're finished with their prayer, we'll have a moment of silence for 60 seconds, and then we'll do the pledge of allegiance. God of peace and mercy. On this day, we remember that day. Surround them with your comfort, grant them peace and strength, and their family through this sorrow. Bless the active firefighters and emergency workers and personnel who put their lives on the line every day. Grant them wisdom, safety, and courage. May we never forget their sacrifice, and may we honor their legacy with living in kindness and in strength and in unity. Amen. And while this time of reflection comes out of great loss and devastation, it's also a reflection a reflection of the bravery and courage and the pride that we receive from being fellow Americans. I pray that you'd be with the lives of the families of those law enforcement officers that are no doubt still grieving today over their loss. But we also pray that you watch over the nearly 2,000 law enforcement officers of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, those of our partners, and those in the surrounding agencies. Protect them as they go out every day to continue to protect and to serve our community and our country. And God may we continue to walk in your paths. We pray a hedge of protection around them and around us today. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. I pledge allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Ms. President, now it's time for the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of August the 25th. Oh, and you roll call first. All right, we'll call for roll call, then I'll do announcements.

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