OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Venice City Council Meeting Summary - April 22, 2025

City Council & Boards — Tuesday, April 22, 2025
BodyVenice, Florida
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateTuesday, April 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:55:43

Transcript — Verbatim
0:57

Test.

1:02

All right, Roger.

1:04

Can you hear me?

2:48

And then if I could, Madam Clerk, let's do the roll call first, please.

2:52

Mrs.

2:53

Frank.

2:53

Here.

2:54

Mr.

2:54

Howard.

2:56

Here.

2:56

Mr.

2:57

Engelke is here.

3:00

Mr.

3:01

Smith.

3:02

Here.

3:02

Vice Mayor Bolt.

3:03

Here.

3:04

Mayor Pichetta.

3:05

Here.

3:06

All right.

3:06

And then we will stand for the invocation, and today's pledge will be led by Captain White.

3:28

We thank you too for the families, colleagues, and staff who support them in their important work.

3:34

Amen.

3:49

Liberty and justice for our all.

4:10

Marty Dover, yes.

4:38

Something about Marty, she's here all the time.

4:40

I mean, like we actually send police over to her house if we can't find Marty, something's wrong.

4:45

I'm kidding.

4:46

So with that, we recently renovated chambers.

4:49

It's beautiful.

4:50

Um, a lot of tech issues that we had that are now improved.

4:53

So with that, we saved a letter for Marty.

5:01

So there you go.

5:07

You don't have to say anything, but it's okay.

5:10

You can try all you want, yeah.

5:17

I promised I wouldn't make her say anything, so that way she can cry and just let it all out.

5:25

Okay.

5:27

Love when we start things off joyously.

5:29

Let's bring down the clerk.

5:32

And we will bring down firefighter paramedic Ronnie Hernandez.

5:40

All right, go ahead.

5:47

There's this.

5:49

Chief and administration, if you guys want to come down.

6:03

Come over this side.

6:04

Do you have anything you want to say first, Chief?

6:07

I do.

6:08

Anything you want to say first?

6:09

Okay.

6:11

I'm gonna stand over here next to you, and I'm gonna hold this microphone.

6:16

I got the mic, you just raise the hand.

6:17

Okay.

6:19

Okay.

6:20

I state your name.

6:21

I run your Hernandez.

6:23

Do solemnly swear.

6:24

Do solemnly swear.

6:25

That I will support, profite, protect, and defend.

6:29

That I was sore to protect and defend.

6:31

The Constitution of Government.

6:33

The Constitution of Government.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement█████████████████17%
Public Safety████████████████16%
Procedural██████████10%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Stormwater Management██████6%
Election Procedures██████6%
Disaster Management██████6%
Planning And Zoning█████5%
Flooding And Drainage████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Venice City Council Meeting Summary - April 22, 2025

The Venice City Council met on April 22, 2025, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting included recognitions, public comments, consent agenda approvals, public hearings on zoning and code changes, new business items, presentations, and council discussions. Key actions included approval of a budget amendment, adoption of a new Special Events Guide, and initiation of a process to fill a vacant council seat.

Recognition

  • Swearing-in Ceremonies: Firefighter/Paramedic Runny Hernandez, Firefighter/EMTs Kevin Pierre and Williams Milian-Perera, EMS Supervisor Donald Morrell, and Assistant Chief of EMS Steven Lambright were sworn in. Fire Chief Fred Giddens and Assistant Chief Lambright spoke about the department's progress.
  • Proclamations: The council proclaimed May 11–17, 2025, as "Nurses and Hospital Week"; May 18–24, 2025, as "Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week"; April 2025 as "Records Information Management (RIM) Month"; May 4–10, 2025, as "Municipal Clerk's Week"; and May 2025 as "Building Safety Month." Speakers included Julie Polaszek (Chief Nursing Officer, SMH), Chief Lambright, City Clerk Michaels, and Building Official Derek Applegate.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Joan Ayacono (Venice Thrives): Expressed full support for the Central Venice Coalition's goals, including a coordinated city-county maintenance program for Curry Creek and addressing waterway ownership issues. Urged action at the joint city-county meeting on May 16, 2025.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously (6-0) the consent agenda, which included minutes from the April 3, 2025 CIP Workshop, April 8, 2025 Regular Meeting, and April 9, 2025 Appeal Hearing.

Public Hearings

  • Ordinance 2025-15 (First Reading) – Zoning Map Amendment (3520 Laurel Road East): Staff planner Brittany Smith presented a rezoning from Sarasota County OUE-1 to City of Venice Laurel East for 15.58 ± acres. No public speakers. Councilmember Smith noted the action fills in an area already surrounded by the same zoning. Approved unanimously on first reading.
  • Ordinance 2025-09 (Final Reading) – Comprehensive Plan Amendment (Mixed-Use Data Update): Passed 5-1. Councilmember Smith dissented, expressing concern that the plan, which carries through 2037, was not adequately vetted by citizens or council.
  • Ordinance 2025-13 (Final Reading) – Camping on Public Property: Amended definitions and prohibitions. Passed 5-1. Councilmember Smith objected to removing language requiring officers to inform homeless individuals of shelter locations and offer rides. Captain White clarified that the removal gives officers flexibility when shelters are unavailable, and the policy remains to offer services.
  • Resolution 2025-10 – Utility Easement Vacation (775 S. Tamiami Trail): Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • Budget Amendment (Ordinance 2025-18): Increased FY2025 revenues and expenditures by $1,494,951 to fund additional beach parking ($800,000) and Venice Fishing Pier repairs. Approved unanimously.
  • Special Events Guide (Resolution 2025-09): Assistant City Manager James Clinch and Special Events Coordinator Brienne Lorenz presented the new comprehensive guide, which consolidates policies, creates the New Event Review Team (NERT), and updates fees (CPI-based, 30-33% increase since 2017). New restrictions include no amplified music on Mondays–Wednesdays, prohibition of new road/lane closures on the 100 block of Venice Avenue, and requirements for off-site parking plans and hardened barricades. Heritage events receive a $5,000 subsidy; legacy nonprofits receive $1,000. Approved unanimously after council praised the thoroughness.
  • Airport Grant Agreements (Resolutions 2025-11 and 2025-12): Approved $176,000 for Runway 5-23 PAPI replacement and an amendment to extend the fencing project expiration date. Both unanimously.
  • Election Code Revisions: City Attorney Fernandez and Assistant City Attorney Farrington led discussion on aligning elections with county cycles. Council consensus: maintain ceremonial swearing-in, adjust campaign finance reporting to quarterly (since no primary), define special election canvassing board composition (mayor, clerk, city manager or designee), and keep newspaper notice for special elections. A formal ordinance will be drafted.
  • Vacant Council Seat 1: Mayor moved to open applications until May 2, 2025, with appointment at the following meeting to serve until the 2026 general election. Passed 5-1. Councilmember Smith preferred a special election, but Vice Mayor Boldt noted the 2024 referendum against special elections and the $50,000 cost savings.
  • Stormwater Development Standards: Mayor moved to direct staff to evaluate standards and allow him to advocate with the state legislature. Passed unanimously. Council discussed waiting for state law changes and aligning with county and SWFWMD standards.

Presentations

  • Central Venice Coalition (Steve Carr): Presented priorities including a connected multi-use trail system, Wellfield Sports Complex improvements (right-turn lanes, expanded playground), a request to prohibit vinyl fencing in new developments (switch to masonry/composite), and stormwater mitigation. Specifically urged including 0.45 miles of Curry Creek in Sawgrass under city quarterly maintenance, changing stormwater pond design standards to 100-year (matching county), and imposing a moratorium on site development plans in Joint Planning Area 6 and Laurel West until Curry Lane flooding is resolved. The presentation was informational; no formal action taken.
  • Long Term Recovery Group Update (Chris Johnson, United Way): Reported that the LTRG has repaired 92 homes from Hurricane Ian, with 5 worksites in progress and 30 still in queue. For Helene and Milton, 59,911 families impacted countywide (7,444 in Venice). Average repair cost is $7,700 per home due to volunteer labor partnerships. Noted funding challenges: the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) closed due to frozen FEMA reimbursements; 17 cases transferred to United Way. County CDBG-DR funds will repair ~250-300 homes. Councilmember Smith thanked the group for ongoing efforts.
  • Quarterly Financial Update (Finance Director Linda Senne): Provided six-month update (through March 31, 2025). General fund revenues are on track, with property taxes at 93% collected. Expenses are under 50% of budget. Interest earnings above projections (annualized rate 4.46%). Fund balance as of September 30, 2024: $31.8 million; expected year-end $29.2 million.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes and Decisions:
    • Consent agenda: Approved unanimously.
    • Ordinance 2025-15 (first reading): Approved unanimously.
    • Ordinance 2025-09 (final): Approved 5-1.
    • Ordinance 2025-13 (final): Approved 5-1.
    • Resolution 2025-10: Approved unanimously.
    • Ordinance 2025-18 (budget): Approved unanimously.
    • Resolution 2025-09 (Special Events Guide): Approved unanimously.
    • Resolutions 2025-11 and 2025-12 (airport grants): Approved unanimously.
    • Election code revisions: Consensus to proceed with drafting ordinance per council direction.
    • Vacant seat appointment process: Approved 5-1; applications due May 2, 2025.
    • Stormwater evaluation directive: Approved unanimously.
  • Next Steps: Staff to draft election code ordinance; City Clerk to advertise for vacant seat applications; Mayor to advocate for stormwater legislation; staff to evaluate stormwater standards and report back.

Meeting Transcript

Test. All right, Roger. Can you hear me? And then if I could, Madam Clerk, let's do the roll call first, please. Mrs. Frank. Here. Mr. Howard. Here. Mr. Engelke is here. Mr. Smith. Here. Vice Mayor Bolt. Here. Mayor Pichetta. Here. All right. And then we will stand for the invocation, and today's pledge will be led by Captain White. We thank you too for the families, colleagues, and staff who support them in their important work. Amen. Liberty and justice for our all. Marty Dover, yes. Something about Marty, she's here all the time. I mean, like we actually send police over to her house if we can't find Marty, something's wrong. I'm kidding. So with that, we recently renovated chambers. It's beautiful. Um, a lot of tech issues that we had that are now improved. So with that, we saved a letter for Marty. So there you go. You don't have to say anything, but it's okay. You can try all you want, yeah. I promised I wouldn't make her say anything, so that way she can cry and just let it all out. Okay. Love when we start things off joyously. Let's bring down the clerk. And we will bring down firefighter paramedic Ronnie Hernandez. All right, go ahead. There's this. Chief and administration, if you guys want to come down. Come over this side. Do you have anything you want to say first, Chief? I do. Anything you want to say first? Okay. I'm gonna stand over here next to you, and I'm gonna hold this microphone. I got the mic, you just raise the hand.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com